Radio Ad a Dramatic Plea for 'Compassion' Centers
Katherine Gregg, Cynthia Needham, and Steve eoples
June 2, 2008
The Providence Journal
"Have you ever had a gun held to your head to buy your medicine? I have. Seven times."
A stark new radio advertisement chronicling the plight of one medical marijuana patient caught the attention of anyone who heard it last week.
The 30-second spot featuring patient George Des Roches, of Warwick, began playing on local radio stations along with a plea to listeners to call their representative in favor of the bill that would create compassion centers — safe dispensaries where patients in the state's medical marijuana program can buy the drug.
Jesse Stout, executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, which sponsored the ad, said the airwaves seemed to be the right medium for it. "Putting someone's own voice on the radio we thought would make it most immediate for listeners," Stout said.
The compassion center bill passed the Senate last month. While it is not expected to move out of a House committee, Stout said he hopes the advertisement lends a sense of urgency and persuades House lawmakers to move forward. | 
