Second Annual Vigil for Victims of Medical Marijuana Prohibition at Capitol Monday 6/7

MADISON: Mary Powers was one of those speaking at the First Annual Vigil for Victims of Medical Marijuana Prohibition on Sunday June 7, 2009 at the State Street entrance of the Wisconsin State Capitol here in Madison. The vigil was organized by the Madison chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Is My Medicine Legal YET? (IMMLY).

Powers, an Army veteran and leader in the Wisconsin medical cannabis movement, died of cancer on Oct. 22, 2009, just 4 ½ months later. Mary, in her wheelchair, was a familiar figure at the Capitol. In the six months before her death, she and I visited over 80 different legislative offices talking to lawmakers and staff about the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, AB554/SB368, which was formally introduced about a month after her passing by Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison). Mary Powers' state legislators, Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona) and Rep. Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison), both cosponsored the JRMMA.

Mary Powers, Peter McWilliams, Cheryl Miller. These are the some of the names medical cannabis advocates will be remembering Monday June 7, 2010 at the Second Annual Vigil for Victims of Medical Marijuana Prohibition, again sponsored by IMMLY and Madison NORML. The date also marks the date that Cheryl Miller passed away from complications of multiple sclerosis in New Jersey in 2003. Cheryl Miller was the wife of Jim Miller, who has been a frequent visitor to Madison's annual Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival. The Millers, along with Jacki Rickert and myself, became known as the Medical Marijuana Commando Squad after an action at former Congressman Bob Barr's office in October 1999.

This year's vigil will run from 4-6 pm on Monday June 7, and will be at the King Street entrance of the Capitol. Mark Shanahan, who played guitar on songwriter Rick Harris' original recording of the Wisconsin medical cannabis anthem, "Legal Medicine Blues," will perform a solo acoustic version at the beginning of the event, and attendees are urged to sing along, as has become the custom when it is played at events. The song, lyrics, video of performances as well as Rick Harris describing in his own words how Jacki Rickert inspired him to write it can be found on the IMMLY Legal Medicine Blues page.

After Legal Medicine Blues, advocates, including Jacki Rickert and myself, will speak and read names of patients who ran out of time before the law could be changed to protect them. Ojibwe drummer and carrier of sacred songs Al Baker will also add his music to round out the event.