Gov. John Baldacci joined other Democratic governors Wednesday urging President Bush to legalize importing prescription drugs from Canada.

Six governors urged Bush Wednesday not to wait until after the election when the Task Force on Drug Importation is scheduled to release its report. Citizens need cheaper prescriptions that Canada could provide now, Baldacci said.

“Every day that we wait for the federal government to allow drug importation from Canada is another day that American families struggle with these rising costs and make difficult and sometimes dangerous choices, such as cutting their pills in half,” stated the May 12 letter that Baldacci and the other governors signed.

“We urge you to tell your panel to make any recommendations immediately so that we can proceed. It is time to take the political timetable out of this important medical policy decision so that our families can get the relief they need.”

Besides Baldacci, governors who urged to Bush to act are Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Bob Wise of West Virginia, Tom Vilsack of Iowa, Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Ted Kulongoski of Oregon.

During a phone conference Wednesday, Doyle told reporters “I understand we’re fighting the drug industry on this, but I wish we were not fighting the federal government.” The federal government has not given Wisconsin the opportunity to help citizens buy Canadian and save, he complained. The task force “should get about its work and not extend this thing until after the election to provide cover for the president,” Doyle said.

The idea that the drug industry and administration has promoted – that drugs sold in Canada are dangerous and drugs sold in American is not – “is just ridiculous,” Doyle said. “In Wisconsin nobody buys those federal government claims.”

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson recently said that legalization of Canadian drugs is inevitable, Gov. Wise said. “Why wait?”

The White House seems to feel that passage of the Medicare program means that the problem is going away. “It’s not,” Wise said. West Virginia seniors are confused by the new Medicare drug program and “are trying to sort through 40 separate cards,” Wise said. “In many cases the discounts are not as good” as in Canada, a country that regulates prices.

A U.S. Health and Human Services spokesman said Wednesday Thompson is trying to speed up the task force’s work, due to conclude in December. “He’s pushing them along harder, and asked them to deliver the report as fast as possible,” said Bill Pierce. But Thompson lacks the authority to do more.

“The issue is: Right now, under law, the secretary does not have the authority to allow imports of drugs from Canada unless he can guarantee the safety. And he can’t do that,” Pierce said, adding that the Food and Drug Administration cannot monitor drugs outside of the country.

There is now help for seniors, Pierce said, disagreeing that the new Medicare program is confusing. Seniors should call 1-800-Medicare to get information about which card is best for them, Pierce said. Discounts range from 16 to 25 percent off retail, he said.

While Democrats have long favored importing drugs from Canada, some Republicans are joining the movement. U.S. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, has proposed legislation to allow re-importation, which is supported by Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins supports the sale of Canadian drugs if they came from FDA approved facilities.

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