Barbara Jackson, R.I.P.

Our New York State Senate once again chose political expedience over even a minimal level of human decency by failing to pass medical marijuana legislation during its August 8 and August 17 special sessions. The Assembly passed a medical marijuana bill in 2007 and again in 2008, but the Senate under Joe Bruno and now Dean Skelos once again decided it was better to let seriously sick patients suffer than to offend some puritan extremists.

While Skelos and the other legislators enjoy the rest of the year off from their part-time jobs of controlling other people’s lives, perhaps they can spare a few thoughts for Barbara Jackson of the Bronx, who died Saturday at the age of 72. Barbara was arrested for posession of medical marijuana last year. Although she had beaten cancer, Barbara still suffered from appetite loss and wasting. Without her medical marijuana, she had gotten down to 99 pounds.

In June, Barbara traveled to Albany to lobby the legislature for a medical marijana law, but her pleas fell on deaf ears in the Senate.

Her visitation is today from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Walter B. Cooke Funeral Home, 1219 Jerome Ave. (at West 167th St.) in the Bronx. The funeral will also be at the Walter B. Cooke Funeral Home, at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, August 23.

Barbara is survived by 10 children, 8 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Hat tip: Marijuana Policy Project