Making tough decisions have long been part of a legislature's job description, but inaction on behalf of Connecticut's Governor Rell seem to indicate that the leadership on display in the General Assembly has yet to extend to the executive office. With word that the Governor remains undecided as to whether Connecticut should end the criminalization of its sickest citizens, we can only wonder if she's hoping the medical marijuana bill - and the appeals of thousands of her constituents - will magically disappear.

Since my last post, media coverage has continued to draw attention to Rell's hesitation to take a compassionate stance on the issue. On Friday, a news segment showed a visibly distressed Rell as she tried to satisfy those of us who are asking: What's taking so long to sign the bill?!

Even New York's Governor, Eliot Spitzer (who's been suspiciously silent on other drug law reforms), has opened up to the idea. On the heels of Connecticut's medical marijuana legislation, New York's State Assembly is expected to pass a bill permitting the palliative use of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.

Nonetheless, Governor Rell continues to flounder. On Monday, a New York Times article quoted her spokesperson as saying that Rell would "prefer to see the policy change at the federal level." But with the federal government spending valuable time debating whether to have debate, for example, it becomes clear that real reform will have to start at the bottom. Check out this editorial that ran in Saturday's Norwich Bulletin.

All this being said, individual appeals from her constituents seem to be the only thing that's breathing life into the fight for compassionate use. Asking Rell to sign the bill is more important now than it has ever been. Give her a call. Write her an e-mail. Send her a letter.

Let her know that she can rest assured. Connecticut will be better for her efforts. Harsh, uncompassionate laws such as the ones criminalizing sick patients don't belong on the books.