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 letters of support from %he Chief of Oncology at Grady Hospital.
 from staff oncologlsts at Emory University Medical Clinic and
 from other respected physicians and medical institutions from
 around the state
 55° These letters indicated a strong level of
 physlclan support for marljuana_s release for medical uses within
 the Georgia medical establishment. Clearly, many doctors were
 tired of hinting %o their patlents about marijuana. They slmply
 wanted to be able to provide their patients with marijuana
 ...... through legal channels°
 56. Throughout the remainder of _he Summer of 1979, I
 continued to speak wlth physicians and found more and more
 medical support for mari_uana's therapeutic _ee.
 -ST, Once Z felt _ had enough information and support
 began going to the state capitol building to speak wlth
 legislators, staff people and others. I had never been active in
 politics or government and i% took ewhiie before _ understood who
 to speak wlth and how to proceed. One Senator who took an
 interest in my issue referred me to several Members of the
 Georgia House and Senates Ke explained they might have an
 interest in making marijuana available %o seriously ill patlents_
 Among the names he gave me were those of Representative virlyn
 Smith, a conservative Republican and Senator Paul Broun_ a
 powerful Democratic official_
 58. I met with Representative Virlyn Smith first.
 Durlng our first meeting Representative Smith told me he had
 recently received a letter from one of his constituents. She h_