Pubdate: Mon, 04 Jun 2012
Source: Rockford Register Star (IL)
Copyright: 2012 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Contact: http://www.rrstar.com/contact
Website: http://www.rrstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/370
Author: Angela Fickert

FIX MARIJUANA LAWS

Politicians oppose marijuana reform at their own peril. For years now 
we've been close to passing a medical marijuana law in Illinois, but 
we can't seem to get it done because legislators think they have to 
be "tough on crime."

Well, if they paid attention to their constituents they'd know most 
think smoking marijuana shouldn't be a crime anyway. A poll by 
Rasmussen showed 56 percent of voters support legalizing marijuana 
and taxing and regulating it like alcohol (just 36 percent were opposed).

Support for medical marijuana is even stronger. A Mason-Dixon poll 
showed 74 percent thought President Obama should defer to state laws 
that allow people to purchase and use medical marijuana, while just 
15 percent thought federal law should apply.

So what does all this mean? It means our elected officials had better 
get with the times. If they don't, their careers could be short-lived.

The Register Star reported on little-known retired state Court Judge 
Ellen Rosenblum beating a former U.S. attorney in the Democratic 
primary for attorney general in Oregon, primarily because she had 
promised to respect the state's medical marijuana law, while her 
opponent called medical marijuana a "train wreck."

Let's hope our elected officials in Illinois were taking note.

- - Angela Fickert, Belvidere
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom