The state legislature is back in session today and while they are busy doing their regular session work like renumbering acts and debating about campaign finance reform, Rep. Mark Pocan sent out an acknowledgement and a little reminder about how New Jersey quickly passed a reform bill to decriminalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
New Jersey was the 14th state to change their state law on medical marijuana when their Governor signed their bill last night. Wisconsin could be next if legislative leadership wasn’t afraid of the issue. But despite polling that shows that the people strongly support decriminalizing medical marijuana (for instance, the Sheboygan Press just published their supportive editorial today - about 8 in 10 are supportive according to the most recent ABC poll), Democratic leadership in the state Assembly and Senate must be listening to the criticisms of the bill from committee Republicans like Rep. Leah Vukmir and long-time marijuana opponents like Dr. Michael Miller from the Wisconsin Medical Society (who said at the hearing that people who want to legalize “reefer” shouldn’t “confuse compassion with medicine”) have said they aren’t enthusiastic to get this bill to the floor for a vote.
People who support the decriminalization of cannabis for medical purposes will be gathering at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Wednesday, January 20th to lobby their legislators on the topic. The event will start at noon on the second floor rotunda for a memorial tribute for activist Mary Powers who worked to legalize this relatively cheap and effective medicine for her illness until the day she died. Members of Is My Medicine Legal Yet will be asking legislators to support AB 554 and SB 368, the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act either in person or via telephone and are asking people to call in statewide at (800) 362-9472 (Who Are My Legislators?)
Showing posts with label marijuana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marijuana. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
State Legislative Leadership Afraid of Decriminalizing Medical Marijuana
It was reported in the La Crosse Tribune and in the Pierce County Herald today that the Democratic legislative leadership in both the state Senate and Assembly aren’t really excited about the proposed medical marijuana bill that got a hearing last month (AB 554/SB 368). This is disappointing in light of the national trend of more progressive policies being passed regarding decriminalizing cannabis for medical purposes (check out the Top 10 Medical Cannabis Stories from 2009 compiled on the Examiner blog by Is My Medicine Legal Yet organizer Gary Stork).
The ACLU of Wisconsin testified at the eight-hour hearing on December 15 that individuals have a right to make their own decisions regarding medical treatment free from governmental prohibition. This legislation would free health professionals and patients to determine the most effective course of treatment for chronic pain and suffering.
We also made the point that while this bill is about decriminalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes in Wisconsin, the ACLU has long supported alternatives to the failed policies of the “War on Drugs.” The criminalization of drug users has not only hurt chronically ill people and their families. But our current drug policy has led to unimaginable levels of incarceration, massive violations of civil rights and enormous fiscal costs.
The ACLU supports a drug policy that honestly and realistically seeks to promote public health and safety through regulatory policy that will benefit society, preserve individual freedom and better serve the needs of individuals. This legislation is a step in the right direction for public health.
But despite polling that suggests that public opinion is very much in favor of regulating cannabis for medical use – the bill’s sponsors said that the people are way ahead of their legislators on the issue – our state’s legislative leadership don’t seem to be willing to let the issue get a floor vote.
In states like California and Michigan, public referenda let voters get a direct voice in taking medical cannabis out of the drug war. Wisconsin could be a leader in this issue, but only if we have legislative leadership to take a step toward ending punitive drug policies that take away patients’ treatment options and deny basic individual rights.
Find out more on the work the ACLU is doing nationally on drug law reform. The ACLU of Wisconsin was Tweeting live from the hearing – you can follow us on Twitter for more news and updates on civil liberties issues. Read our blog post on the introduction of the medical marijuana bill in Wisconsin.
The ACLU of Wisconsin testified at the eight-hour hearing on December 15 that individuals have a right to make their own decisions regarding medical treatment free from governmental prohibition. This legislation would free health professionals and patients to determine the most effective course of treatment for chronic pain and suffering.
We also made the point that while this bill is about decriminalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes in Wisconsin, the ACLU has long supported alternatives to the failed policies of the “War on Drugs.” The criminalization of drug users has not only hurt chronically ill people and their families. But our current drug policy has led to unimaginable levels of incarceration, massive violations of civil rights and enormous fiscal costs.
The ACLU supports a drug policy that honestly and realistically seeks to promote public health and safety through regulatory policy that will benefit society, preserve individual freedom and better serve the needs of individuals. This legislation is a step in the right direction for public health.
But despite polling that suggests that public opinion is very much in favor of regulating cannabis for medical use – the bill’s sponsors said that the people are way ahead of their legislators on the issue – our state’s legislative leadership don’t seem to be willing to let the issue get a floor vote.
In states like California and Michigan, public referenda let voters get a direct voice in taking medical cannabis out of the drug war. Wisconsin could be a leader in this issue, but only if we have legislative leadership to take a step toward ending punitive drug policies that take away patients’ treatment options and deny basic individual rights.
Find out more on the work the ACLU is doing nationally on drug law reform. The ACLU of Wisconsin was Tweeting live from the hearing – you can follow us on Twitter for more news and updates on civil liberties issues. Read our blog post on the introduction of the medical marijuana bill in Wisconsin.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Medical Marijuana Act Introduced in Wisconsin Legislature
On Monday, November 16 2009, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin joined Representative Mark Pocan, Senator Jon Erpenbach, patients and advocates in a press conference for the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (AB 554 and SB 368), a popular and common sense measure to reform laws on the medical use of marijuana.
Medical marijuana users should not be treated like criminals. But without law reform, Wisconsin will continue to confuse criminal behavior with medical necessity – a practice that subjects people seeking relief from severe illnesses to searches, fines and imprisonment. Eleven states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and more have passed legislation on the freedom of scientific research to be done on its health benefits. The War on Drugs should not be a war on sick people.
Reforming Wisconsin law on medical marijuana is the right thing to do for patients in our home state. States have a right to determine what is legal and illegal under state law. While we need progress for drug reform nationally, the need is urgent for Wisconsinites who face chronic pain and suffering from their illnesses. Wisconsin cannot wait for Congress to settle on health care reform while an affordable and natural option can be made available to seriously ill patients to relieve chronic pain, intractable nausea and the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and HIV/AIDS medications.
Wisconsin, like the rest of the country, needs to address all the ways that drug laws are discriminatory, irrational and are the root of unprecedented levels of incarceration. Legalizing marijuana for medical use would be a step in the right direction for Wisconsin.
Find out more about the work of the national ACLU on drug law reform at http://www.aclu.org/drug-law-reform.
Medical marijuana users should not be treated like criminals. But without law reform, Wisconsin will continue to confuse criminal behavior with medical necessity – a practice that subjects people seeking relief from severe illnesses to searches, fines and imprisonment. Eleven states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and more have passed legislation on the freedom of scientific research to be done on its health benefits. The War on Drugs should not be a war on sick people.
Reforming Wisconsin law on medical marijuana is the right thing to do for patients in our home state. States have a right to determine what is legal and illegal under state law. While we need progress for drug reform nationally, the need is urgent for Wisconsinites who face chronic pain and suffering from their illnesses. Wisconsin cannot wait for Congress to settle on health care reform while an affordable and natural option can be made available to seriously ill patients to relieve chronic pain, intractable nausea and the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and HIV/AIDS medications.
Wisconsin, like the rest of the country, needs to address all the ways that drug laws are discriminatory, irrational and are the root of unprecedented levels of incarceration. Legalizing marijuana for medical use would be a step in the right direction for Wisconsin.
Find out more about the work of the national ACLU on drug law reform at http://www.aclu.org/drug-law-reform.
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