Feb. 24 Lobby Day at Capitol scheduled
MADISON: With time running out in the 2009-2010 session, Wisconsin medical marijuana activists are playing offense, scheduling new events and srengthening efforts to spread the word and generate popular support for the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA). The JRMMA, sponsored by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee) is also known by bill numbers AB554/SB368.
On Monday Feb. 22, at the University of Wisconsin Waukesha, Students for a Democratic Society and Wisconsin Residents for Assembly Bill 554, a popular Facebook group, present "A Grass Roots Evening".
This event will bring together four people closely associated with Wisconsin's medical marijuana bill. That would be the Assembly and Senate sponsors of AB554/SB368, the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, Rep. Mark Pocan (D- Madison) and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee), bill namesake and IMMLY Founder Jacki Rickert, and longtime patient/activist Gary Storck, IMMLY's director of communications and the president of Wisconsin NORML.
Also appearing will be singer-songwriter Rick Harris, like Storck a Waukesha native. Harris will perform his song, “Legal Medicine Blues”, which was inspired by meeting Jacki Rickert in March 2001. Legal Medicine Blues has become the anthem of Wisconsin’s grass roots medical cannabis movement.
“A Grass Roots Evening” happens from 7-9pm in Room N133 at UW-Waukesha. This is a free event. Seating is limited to only 178 people and demand for seats is very high, so arrive early to guarantee a seat. Doors open at 6pm. There will be informational tabling and donations to help the effort will be accepted.
The second event comes two days later on Feb. 24 in Madison at the Wisconsin State Capitol. A second Statewide Medical Marijuana Lobby Day is being held. Al Baker, the Ojibwe singer and drummer will begin the day with an outdoor pipe ceremony at 11:45 am, weather permitting, followed by a quick march around the Capitol before entering for a 12 noon rally in the Capitol ground floor rotunda. The rally will feature speeches from Jacki Rickert, Gary Storck, Al Baker, Jay Selthofner (Berlin T.H.C. expo), Charles Wachtel of Wisconsin Veterans for MMJ Access (VMMA) and others. Following the rally, attendees will visit lawmakers offices. A table in the first floor rotunda will provide both information on the bill and volunteers helping attendees to locate offices or find out who represents them. Those planning to attend can find who represents them in advance here.
Wisconsin activists remain hopeful a version of the JRMMA will be passed this session. But they caution, for that to happen, citizens need to continue to keep the calls, letters and office visits coming.
Comments
California may be legalizing pot all together. Why does Wi. always have to run so far behind in thr minds. The State can use the revenue from it being legalized for medical use and have less deaths and overdoses on the many addicting meds out thr now. Did anyone stop to think about the people who suffer chronic daily pain that conventional meds do not work. I am a chronic pain sufferer since i was 3. I am now 43 NO medical pain pills or therapy can help me. What do I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will not live a normal life span. I did not developed correctly in the whom. The meds Doctors used on me have put me in a struggle for life several times. Doctors meds they have to give me for pain do not work and have almost killed me several times while in the hosptal. What do you do then?????????????? A pain filled life is hard, somes to hard!!!!!!! Think of all the pain out thr have compassion people. I bet you know someone like me. Do you love them? Do you want them in pain? HELP ME PLEASE
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