Currently pending in the Wisconsin Legislature is the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA), the approval of which would allow the use and growth of cannabis for the treatment of certain illnesses.
On Tuesday of this week, the Wisconsin branch of NORML, along with another advocacy group, Is my Medicine Legal YET (IMMLY), held a Day of Pray for Compassion ceremony on the Capitol steps. The protesters sent a pray to the heavens and, just to be on the safe side, to the Wisconsin Legislature as well, asking for the right to use the healing powers of marijuana.
Speakers at the event included Gary Storck, president of Wisconsin NORML and spokesperson for IMMLY, veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, an Ojibwa Indian performer and others who have diseases for which they say medicinal cannabis is the best option.
Commenting on the protest, James Cleary, associate professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Heath, said that he had already prescribed oral cannabinoids for patients with advanced cancer. However, he went on to say, “as an oncologist, I am against approving the smoked version. That is the advantage of the Sativex product at this stage, or a vaporized version (of cannabis).”
Note: Sativex was developed in the GP for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.
A vaporized version entails heating the plant material in a vacuum rather than burning it, thereby reducing the intake of irritants and toxins when inhaled.
However, Cleary acknowledged the difficulties with Sativex or other oral methods of taking cannabis due to solubility issues.
The legislative issue state and nationwide
The bill JRMMA, authored by Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and Senator Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, would offer a medical necessity legal defense for those who are prescribed marijuana for treatment. This means patients holding or growing marijuana would be protected from arrest and prosecution.
JRMMA would also establish a licensing and registry system under the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. DHS would also be given the power to designate which diseases would qualify for the use of medicinal cannabis.
The future of medicinal cannabis in Wisconsin
Senator Erpenbach’s spokesperson said it is difficult to tell at this point whether the bill will make it out of the Senate and Assembly health committees and to the floor votes before the end of this legislative session in May.
“I think advocates are working with the committee to iron out concerns,” she said. “There’s a possibility to move it to the floor, but it is a diverse committee that has concerns, and they need to be addressed before a (committee) vote.”
Accordingly, Erpenbach does not want to hold a vote until there is more confidence the bill will pass through the committee.
Senate health committee member Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, said a lot of what she has been hearing in committee is that medicinal cannabis is used more for relaxation and comfort than for pain relief.
Lazich also pointed to the fact that the medical community — in particular the Wisconsin Medical Society — does not think medicinal cannabis is more useful than current drugs on the market. She added she supports the idea of more research on the effects of medicinal cannabis.
“When the Food and Drug Administration reach a point that it should be legalized and go through a pharmacy with a prescription … then it will be acceptable, but until there’s a legal prescription with legal pharmacy — same as other drugs — I don’t support it,” Lazich said.
Lazich added the other states that have legalized medicinal cannabis for growth in “pot houses” have had a lot of crime associated with those facilities, and she did not want something similar in Wisconsin.
According to Laundrie, if the bill does not get voted out of committee, it will need to be reevaluated and reintroduced in the next session. She added she is not sure Erpenbach will be part of the reintroduction but emphasized Erpenbach has not changed his position on the issue.
Storck said the timing for legalizing medicinal cannabis is perfect right now, as the Democrats hold the majority in both the Assembly and the Senate, and Gov. Jim Doyle has vocalized support for medicinal cannabis.
He added he was concerned about what would happen if the bill has to be reintroduced next session, as the Republicans may reclaim the majority and there will be a new governor.
“No medical marijuana bill has progressed this far, and now we have a governor willing to sign it. The problem is that Republicans need to support it and we can’t quite get them all,” Storck said. “We’re waiting for them to understand this is not a partisan issue and affects everyone.”
I smoke weed everyday most people would have no idea that I am high. On the other hand when I drink all that runs through my head is shit that is going to get me in trouble. I feel latly that I am turning into an alcoholic due to the fact that I moved an don’t know anyone.
U shouldn’t need a card to get medical weed if that is the case where is everyone drinking card maby. That would be a good idea. Stop beating around the bush and having everyone hate u it is going to be legal one day y not now y r we still throwing people in jail. All because they wanted to relax after a hard day of work.
What I really think it boils down to is the drug testing for jobs (because they can’t tell the last dose you took) what a joke and money (for the doctors and suppliers of course). I have O.C.D., bi-polar, anxiety disorder nonspecified, and ADHD.
Plus I have hypothyroidism and a spot on my pituitary gland that I must take meds for to keep it from growing. I take 12 pills a day 3 of them are IB’s for my headache(a wonderful side effect of one of the other drugs and 1 max. strength zantac for my bad heart burn and always carry tums with me because it is so bad. The saddest thing however, is my doctor isn’t even done prescribing me pills. I guess I am not taking a pill for all the conditions I have because she wanted to start out slow. I stopped reading the side effects of the pills because there are so many.
But I either have to deal with them or the illness. I am 32 years old and I would love to use marijuana to see if it helped me and possibly got me off of some of the other drugs I am on. I only know of one side effect of marijuana and that is the “munchies”. When your doctor prescribes you a pill and says it “should help” but you will need to come in every six months for blood work to make sure it isn’t causing too much damage to your liver and kidneys, I am going to assume it really isn’t that great of a treatment option.
Isn’t it our choice to choose what we want as a course of treatment? No it is the doctors’, because they get big kick-backs for every time they write out the prescription and you go fill it every month. It is so crazy. Living with constant pain, physical or mental, is hard enough. If there are other (possibly better) choices of treatment let us have the options to try them.
Miss Mary Lasich, If this becomes legal will you lose on your investments inregaurds to medical marijuana being legal, and are you that cruel, that you would let people die, just to have your way.
You make me ashamed, and people like you, God help you, you are wrong and you know it. I have been treating myself with it, is it hurting you. You don,t have to take it, when you get sick. Use the pills that tares your stomach all to hell, and feel the pain. You are ignorant!
wow medical marijauna is great in Hawaii andit is great in Cally it is also great in colorado and its great in michigan got busted for possession in Iowa no grace for medical card holders also got busted in wisconsin no grace there either gonna do time.
They don’t care how we comply with laws and our lifestyle for some of us its hard to be ourselves you gotta hide and pretend you are someone else not an American the worlds peacekeeper through cohersion and death wake up America Obama time to bust the move on their ass….stop persecuting americans for marijauna any where stop being in sensitive to the world America is anal.
Like everyone else commenting on her, I too wish that they would legalize marijuana. I have Lupus, Depression; Fibromyalgia which causes extreme pain & fatigue not to mention all the other symptoms with these illnesses.
I currently take 13 different medications a day including pain medication, antidepressants. I have smoked marijuana as well to relieve pain,inflammation,anxiety,sense of well being & it actually allows me to be more productive.
The pain medication that I take makes me sooo tired I can’t even stay awake much less function enough to even do normal tasks of taking “care” of myself, cleaning my house or taking care of business outside the house. I agree that it should be legalized completely as well. Hell, tax it like you do beer & cigarettes & I’ll bet we could reduce the deficit really fast. I know that will probably never happen tho. But for sure they should legalize it for medicinal purposes.
Can’t these idiot politicians see that it could greatly benefit those who deserve to live & enjoy their lives like every well person gets to in this country. I don’t wish my disease on anyone but What it will take is for one of them or their loved ones to be stricken with a disease that only marijuana can help & then we’ll see how fast they start advocating for its legality. I read on this site how the rep said that they don’t want it here because there will be an increase in crime because people will rob the smokehouses!!?? WHAT? She’s an idiot.
Does she not realize that even pharmacies are robbed for way more addictive drugs than pot? Like oxycotin? Anyway, besides that point, there is always gonna be crime. Politicians need to wake up & see it for what it is…a drug of OUR choice not yours!!!!
I’ve been in cronic pain for 15 or so years.I’m under the care of advanced pain clinic.The staff there is excellant! About 2 years or so ago I tested positive for marijuana.
My doctor said we can’t have this happen again,this is not California. Indicating that he or she agrees with marijuana as a treatment for cronic pain. It’s about time to realize what seems to be the medical agreement that marijuana has medicinal rewards,just as many other plants have for years.
i agree marijuana should be legalized, it helps you sleep, gives you appetite when you can’t eat due to sickness or cancer, it doesnt make it so you cant operate or drive. On the other hand legal drugs like nicotine,alcohol and even caffeine have more dangerous side effects than marijuana. How about lunesta a new sleep medication, it can give you all kinds of side effects from enlarged feet to a stroke.
The only reason they dont legalize it is because of politics they cant admit they were wrong all these years when it comes to marijuana. I smoke marijuana everyday and i use it for anxiety,depression and mental issues. Its the only medicine that helps whatsoever and im not taking designer, manufactured pills created by people who have no clue about the drug just what schools teach them, most people against marijuana drink alcohol, which is absolutely absurd to say thats its better than marijuana
I’ve been suffering from chronic back pain for years.
I had a massive infection and lost the sight In one of my eyes. For those that don’t know (there is somthing called the retinal blood-brain Barrier. The normal route, swallowing pain pills, vicodin, oxycontin, diluaded etc.
They don’t work as well for certain types of pain and like I said-it’s about bio-availability, the route ingested in smoking that is all that helps the pain i’n my eyes. And if you have ever had to beg your doctor just for a few vicodin, what is this world coming to?
Some famous actors O.D, and now it seems harder than ever to get and maintain adequate pain relief.
And if you have ever had to experience the withdrawal coming off opiates. You are in for a rough ride, none that I know of with pot. It’s the same concept as the oxycontin I’m currently on. It has been re-formulated so it “can’t be abused”. You can buy over the counter salvia and other marijuana like smokeable items and now those are being re-fourmulated..?
What’s up..enough of the reformulation shit and put that money twards the advancement of what as anyone who has every smoked pot know the benefits. No one to date had ever O.D’ed or died from smoking pot. Please think about what I have said and how it may or may not relate to your own beliefs.
Its such a drag to have to fight for the right to use our medicine of choice. Quit being a bunch of retards and free the herb. The entire 50 states have the right . Life is about more than beer brats cheese and deer hunting.
I agree with the top statement, Drunk driving is a problem here. I have less to worry about with high drivers… And the stuff is less harmful even if smoked…
Make marijuana legal in Wisconsin and make alcohol illegal
i belive many people are afraid to let marijuana be legalized because of the truth of it. marijuana has never once killed anyone, never gave signs of killing someone.
But then when you take a look at cigarettes or alcohol kill so many people in our nation. If all ciggerates were marijuana instead tobacco many more people would be less addicted to them and have alot less people dead a year.
Plus healthy nation as a whole. Alcohol should be illegal with so many people driving drunk fighting while drunk killing while drunk theres the true crime.
We have a constitutional right to use marijuana, medical and recreational. If we could legalize this substance then we Americans could actually be a free people. This whole thing is nuts , The Beasty Boys were right , we have 2 fight 4 r right 2 party. When will this sadists tyrrany come to an end. I want my marijane now. Free us up , are we run by coms or what???
For a year and a half now I have been suffering from chronic pain, insomnia, digestive problems, and chronic fatigue. I have been to many specialists in the last year who have done test after test and still so not know what is wrong with me.
I have taken numerous prescription medications, none of which have helped. I have been smoking Marijuana for about six months now, and it has helped me more than any of the medications I have taken combined. Because of the symptoms that I have, I couldn’t pick up my kids and play with them; I couldn’t be there for my wife; and I could hardly work to support my family. Smoking marijuana gives me that break from the pain so I can be a normal father and husband. There are so many medical and scientific studies that have been done that prove that Marijuana is safe and a great natural medicine.
I live in a small rural town with only roughly 1500 people. We have 3 bars and 2 stores to buy liquor. There are so many crimes in my town alone because of alcohol and no one says one word. With all the studies done on alcohol proving how unsafe it is, it stays legal. Yet, I can’t legally buy the medicine that I need for my medical problems. I support the legalization of medical marijuana.
I’m in Wisconsin and am a firm believer in the medical use of medical marijuana in the USA as well.
You look at the facts of what the other drugs do to people and think to yourself. Our country could be out of debt and everything else jails and prisons would be less full. I have had back work done and a almost none existing sattica nerve which healed. There has been days that I have been in a lot of pain. I don’t smoke. I have tried many years ago and had no pain.
It would be in the governments best interest to legalize for at least medical purposes. These Doctors need to be better informed about the benefits of making it safe for others to get the pain relief without the many and possible fatal side effects of the drug companies and insurance companies. I’m 29 and would love to see the country to make this right for the American people in medical need of medication with no side effects. Who’s with me on this?
It is ridiculous to think you know how cannabis would affect our recesion starved communities! Have you ever been to amsterdam?
I have it seems they have nice roads, clean streets and nice people everything most of us here in america could only pray for! If it were allowed and taxed correctly it could be very beneficial to our states who have been devestated by companies leaving and like everything else there will be bumps in the road of course, but over time the real caregivers will prevail over those with bad intentions.