Cross posted at Daily Kos (with poll)

Even as the federal government continues its war against sick Americans, Bill Richardson has taken a courageous stand by strongly advocating for medical marijuana in New Mexico.

The legislation would create a program under which some patients — with a doctor's recommendation — could use marijuana provided by the state health department. Lawmakers approved the bill Wednesday. The governor is expected to sign it in the next few weeks.

Richardson has supported the proposal since he first ran in 2002. But he pushed especially hard for it this year, leaning on some Democrats to change their votes after the bill initially failed.

This is the first that I've heard of the state actually taking part in distribution.

Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico said Richardson will be the first presidential candidate ever to advocate medical marijuana "by vocally supporting and signing legislation."

In signing the measure, Richardson "will be sending a strong message that states can and should exercise their right to do what is in the best interest of their citizens free from intrusion from the Federal government," said Reena Szczepanski of the advocacy group.

Richardson said he has been asked about the issue by only a few voters while campaigning in Iowa. He said the White House had urged him not to sign the bill.

"I don't see it as being a big issue," he said. "This is for medicinal purpose, for ... people that are suffering. My God, let's be reasonable," he said.

Yes. Let's be reasonable! That's a foreign concept to the drug war fanatics who control the government, who distract attention from the issue at hand by making arguments that medical marijuana is indistinguishable from complete legalization. They do this focusing on bogeymen, and hold the juvenile notion that marijuana has to be thought of as either "good" or "bad" in itself, rather than being a tool that human can use appropriately or inappropriately.