February 27, 2006 - Wisconsin medical marijuana activists are calling on Rep. Gregg Underheim to set a vote in his Assembly Health Committee on the medical marijuana bill he authored.

With the bill effectively dead March 9 and Underheim not seeking reelection, supporters want the bill to get an up or down vote in committee. "Seriously ill patients traveled great distances to publicly share how cannabis eases their pain. The committee has had over 3 months to weigh the testimony and written evidence and make up their minds. It is time for them to go on record, for or against, so their constituents, the people of Wisconsin, know where they stand," said Gary Storck, a glaucoma patient and spokesman for Is My Medicine Legal YET? and the Wisconsin Coalition for Safe Access, two Wisconsin-based groups that advocates legal access to medical cannabis.

"The Coalition is extremely grateful to Rep. Underheim for his efforts and don't want him to think they would have been in vain if his committee failed to pass AB-740", Storck said. "But unlike Rep. Underheim, those of us who live that long will be back at the Capitol again next session, health permitting. 80% of Wisconsinites want patients to have this as a legal option. They deserve to know if their representatives are truly representing them, particularly in this election year."

For further information contact Gary Storck, 608.241.8922, cell 608.217.4136, gstorck@immly.org.