Join Southeastern Wisconsin NORML in what will be the largest pro-marijuana-legalization march in the history of Milwaukee! Cures Not Wars March for Marijuana in Milwaukee Wisconsin on Saturday May 4th, 2013.
Meet up at Gordon Park around 2:00PM for music, vending, and discussion with fellow activists.
The march will begin at 2:45PM
The route will be as follows:
East across Locust Ave.
South down Oakland Ave.
West across North Ave.
North up Humboldt Blvd. back to the park
The route is approximately 2.5 miles long, and will probably take between an hour and an hour and a half.
Fellowship hour is conducted downstairs as we gather at 4:30pm, eat and chat as an informal group; while the formal meeting starts at 5:30pm in the upstairs third floor meeting room.
For more information, do not hesitate to contact the chapter directly at 920-931-4207 or via email at NorthernWiNORML@gmail.com
Those interested in a board of directors position, please forward a resume and/or cover letter of interest and at least two references to the chapter via email as soon as possible. Thank you
In an effort to cut costs, it appears Wisconsin may becoming soft on crime.
Wisconsin Public Defenders Office
The State Public Defender's Office is seeking alternatives to certain crimes. These changes would save the State over $7.7 million in the next biennial budget.
According to "Overview of State Agency Major Request Items", a document put together by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the Public Defender's Office is looking to amend several crimes to become mere ordinance violations. One of those crimes...drug possession.
This is the exact wording of the proposal...
"Amend s. 961.41 of the statutes to provide that all first and second offense drug possession violations, other than for methamphetamine, involving 25 grams or less be reduced to an ordinance violation provided there is reasonable doubt that the individual was not manufacturing, distributing or delivering the drug."
But it doesn't stop there. The Public Defender's Office wants to make further corrections to drug laws by making third time drug possession a misdemeanor charge.
"With low risk offenders, evidence based decision making shows they don't need much intervention and that was the overlying theme to these issues," Randy Kraft, Communications Director for the State Public Defender's Office said.
Lieutenant David Poteat, Director of the Brown County Drug Task Force, calls the changes absurd.
"To say that they're low risk offenders I don't think is realistic. If you look at heroin in particular, that is tied to so much of our property crime in the area, it's unreal. So people using heroin are also ones stealing from stores, stealing from homes, breaking into cars. It's connected to so much other crime than just that," Poteat stated.
The changes will not only cut down on 7,000 cases annually, but will reduce costs by an estimated $713,000 in 2013-14 and $1,426,000 in 2014-15.
"The justice system we have in Wisconsin does come at a price tag to our taxpayers," Randy Kraft commented. "For us to fix some areas that need an increase in funding, we also have to identify issues where it would save monies as well."
Kraft says in order to advance other programs, "the only way the agency could submit the increases was to identify corresponding decreases."
Poteat disagrees.
"The Sheriff's Department has a budget as well. Each department has to do their part to maintain that budget and keep costs down. We try to operate as efficiently as possible, but you cannot do that at the risk of the public."
While the Public Defender's Office is looking at decreasing the cost of crime, they're also looking at increasing pay for assistant public defenders and private bar attorneys. The increase in salaries comes at a cost of over $9million.
But first State lawmakers must agree to the changes. If adopted, the law changes would become effective July 1, 2013.
Public Monthly Meeting of Northern Wisconsin NORML held on May 09th, 2013.
Held at Harmony Cafe, 233 E College Ave, Apppleton WI 54911
Join us from 4:20pm to 5:30pm as the chapter board of directors, along with members and supporters enjoy fellowship as an informal group gathering together prior to our meeting. The meeting location is the Harmony Cafe, 233 E College Ave in Appleton, which has food and beverages available for sale.
At 5:30pm we begin our general meeting, which is expected to last until 7:00pm, sometimes finishing early, but we have the room reserved up till 8pm in case we need to go longer.
Meetings are open to the general public and you need not a be a member to attend.
Meetings are also broadcast over the Internet via Google + Hangouts. NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ON CAMERA UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE, ONLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MODERATING THE MEETING ARE BROADCAST.
The chapter will post the link once live on the Northern Wisconsin NORML Facebook Page.
NOTE: Membership is the key to being a strong chapter and we are currently looking for field directors to work with the Treasurer and fundraising team on specific projects, please contact us at NorthernWiNORML@gmail.com if interested in assisting with this project.
This week, there are no meeting minutes. I was not feeling well and did not attend the meeting. Thanks to Nox for his work on the video and audio!!
Public Monthly Meeting of Northern Wisconsin NORML held on April 11th, 2013.
Held at Harmony Cafe, 233 E College Ave, Apppleton WI 54911
Join us from 4:20pm to 5:30pm as the chapter board of directors, along with members and supporters enjoy fellowship as an informal group gathering together prior to our meeting. The meeting location is the Harmony Cafe, 233 E College Ave in Appleton, which has food and beverages available for sale.
At 5:30pm we begin our general meeting, which is expected to last until 7:00pm, sometimes finishing early, but we have the room reserved up till 8pm in case we need to go longer.
Meetings are open to the general public and you need not a be a member to attend.
Meetings are also broadcast over the Internet via Google + Hangouts. NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ON CAMERA UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE, ONLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MODERATING THE MEETING ARE BROADCAST.
The chapter will post the link once live on the Northern Wisconsin NORML Facebook Page.
NOTE: Membership is the key to being a strong chapter and we are currently looking for field directors to work with the Treasurer and fundraising team on specific projects, please contact us at NorthernWiNORML@gmail.com if interested in assisting with this project.
This is the last indoor market of the year... come out and support NORML!
NORML Table/Booth at a previous Answers to Energy Expo
If you would like to help, please contact Rich@NorthernWiNORML.org. Donations to NORML are always needed in order to cover the costs of bringing these types of events together, please donate or join Northern Wisconsin NORML today.
Myself being a Veteran of the war in Iraq, I follow the military news very closely especially since many of my friends are still serving on active duty. One military news source I often frequent is a Military oriented newspaper called Stars and Stripes. For this story I will be referring to an article which highlights the Army's approved forced downsizing of up to 70,000 U.S. service members, heroes, and fellow veteran brothers and sisters of mine.
The large amount of soldiers soon to be out of work and sent home is not only a concern because of the loss of home, medical, and financial security for not only the veterans, but also their families. But this surge in soon to be discharged service men and women also means an instant surge in Veterans Affairs patients whom suffer from a multitude of physical and psychological disabilities. This surge in V.A. patients will surely be a burden on them as well as present even further hardships for these national heroes and their loving families. By hardships I mean long and frustrating time frames for appointments, disability claims, and a possibility of psychologists hired to handle the surge whom simply are ready to feed these heroes of ours a cornucopia of pharmacopia which may or may not create even further hardships and pain for already suffering families whom deserve much better than a hand full of pills and three to six month waiting lists for mental health care that because of the surge just may not even be adequately treating the mental health issues that will obviously be increased by the hardships of forced discharge.
Although the article does highlight initiatives to assist downsized troopers and their families. It does not touch on the healthcare aspect at all! (Most likely due to not having a plan, and not wanting the public to know it!) Being a disabled veteran myself I know first hand the ups and downs and loop arounds that the intense rollercoaster ride and shuffle of psychotropic medications can cause.
Now for my thoughts and illuminated idea on how we can significantly reduce the stress and hardships of our returning heroes. LEGALIZE MARIJUANA! I personally do not think that the Veterans Affairs is to be discarded or not utilized by our veterans. However I do know that with a surge of patients of 70,000 will most definatly bring serious hardships for both the Veterans Affairs, and the heroes soon to be jobless, homeless and pretty much helpless. As a nation we need to accept that Marijuana is one simple and almost purely harmless medication that can and should be utilized to ease the hardships and disabilities soon to be signifacantly present in our country after the implementation of this approved Military downsizing.
By legalizing Marijuana either fully or as a medicine, I can almost certainly say that both the burden on the Veterans health care system, the veterans and there families, as well as the rest of us citizens of the great "Land of the Free" we call The United States of America will be reduced drastically. Suicides will be prevented, Dangerous pharmeceuticals will not be needed as much, and the V.A. workload and cost of healthcare will be less than if these heroes of ours are not allowed to utilize a medicine as harmless as Marijuana. I personally know that as a treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder marijuana is more effective than any legal pharmaceutical I have been prescribed in the last seven years of my treatment with the V.A.!
As this article swiftly comes to a near end, I will emphasize again that I do not think Marijuana is a substitute for V.A. treatment. I only aim to highlight that Marijuana, as well as psychotherapy and possibly used in conjunction with some form of pharmaceuticals such as Anti-Depressents just may produce a synergistic effect possibly being a cure for certain disorders afflicting not only Veterans but the Nation. Unfortunately, The way the "Land of the Free" has it's federal laws written. Us heroes simply cannot even try this approach without facing even further hardships not limited to, but including hefty fines and even imprisonment! This to me is rediculously and equally as traumatic as some if not all the traumatic injuries we as National Heroes already face.
As a closing statement I will add that when my fellow Military family is forced out, i hope that as warriors they join us at NORML in the rediculous war on Marijuana we fight today and since Nixon took office way back when. I hope and pray that upon discharge, Our discharched troops take the same stand as I and stand up as Discharged Troops for T.H.C. banding together to fight for NORML[Z] (Normalcy). God Bless America!
Article in 'Stars and Stripes': http://www.stripes.com/news/us/wash-state-bills-would-ease-shift-into-civilian-life-as-military-shrinks-1.210132
Legislative chambers in four states — Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire, and New Jersey — have passed measures to reclassify minor marijuana offenses as non-criminal violations, punishable by a fine only — no arrest, no jail, and no criminal record.
In Hawaii, Senate lawmakers this month unanimously passed Senate Bill 472, which reclassifies marijuana possession offenses from a criminal misdemeanor (punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $ 1,000 fine) to an infraction. On Thursday, March 14, members of the House Judiciary Committee voted in favor of a revised version of this proposal (SB 472, HD1). This revised version caps fine-only penalties at no more than $ 100 for violations by those age 18 or older involving 20 grams or less of cannabis. Senate Bill 472 now before the House Finance Committee, where it has yet to be scheduled for a hearing. If passed by the House Finance Committee, the measure would still need to be voted by the full House and then it would return to the Senate before going to the Governor’s desk. You can read NORML’s testimony in support of this measure here. Hawaii voters who wish to learn more about this effort can visit NORML’s ‘Take Action Center’ here or visit the ACLU of Hawaii here.
Maryland lawmakers this week passed Senate Bill 297 by a vote of 30 to 16. The bill now goes before House lawmakers for further consideration. This is the first time in recent memory that a chamber of the Maryland legislature has voted to significantly reduce penalties for the non-medical use of cannabis. Presently, the possession of ten grams of cannabis or less is classified as a criminal misdemeanor, publishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $ 500 fine. Senate Bill 297 makes minor marijuana offenses a fine-only, non-criminal infraction, punishable by a maximum fine of $ 100. Members of the House Judiciary Committee will hear SB 297 on Thursday, March 28, at 1pm. NORML will be testifying at this hearing. Maryland residents are urged to get involved in supporting SB 297 by clicking here.
Yesterday, New Hampshire House members voted 214 to 115 in favor of amended legislation, House Bill 621, that decriminalizes minor marijuana possession offenses. Under present law, the possession of any amount of cannabis is classified as a criminal misdemeanor publishable by up to one-year in jail and a $ 2,000 fine. This proposal seeks to make minor marijuana offenses (up to one-quarter of one ounce) a fine-only, non-criminal infraction. The vote marks the fourth time in five years that House lawmakers have approved decriminalizing cannabis. More than 50 additional House lawmakers approved the measure this year as opposed to last year. Nevertheless, this measure is anticipated to face resistance in the Senate as well as from newly elected Gov. Maggie Hassan. If you reside in New Hampshire, you can take action in support of HB 621 here.
Assembly Bill 1465, which reduces penalties for the adult possession of up to 15 grams or less of marijuana to a fine-only, non-criminal violation was approved last year by the New Jersey Assembly and awaits action by the Senate. Separate Senate Legislation, Senate Bill 1977, to decriminalize up to 50 grams of marijuana also remains pending. Under present state law, the possessing of up to 50 grams marijuana is punishable by up to 6 months incarceration, a $ 1,000 fine, and a criminal record. According to survey data compiled in 2011 by Rutgers University, a majority of New Jersey voters support reforming the state’s criminal marijuana laws. Pollsters found that 6 out of 10 voters favored removing criminal penalties for first-time marijuana possession offenders and replacing them with the imposition of a civil fine. Just over half thought there should be no penalties at all. More information about these measures is available here.
To date, fifteen states have reduced marijuana possession to a fine-only offense. In nine of these states — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island (beginning April 1, 2013) — the law defines the private, non-medical possession of marijuana by adults as a civil, non-criminal offense. Five additional states — Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, and Ohio — treat marijuana possession offenses as a fine-only misdemeanor offense. Alaska imposes no criminal or civil penalty for the private possession of small amounts of marijuana, while Colorado and Washington recently imposed separate legislation legalizing the private possession of marijuana.
Several additional states, including Missouri and Vermont, are considering similar decriminalization measures. Nearly a dozen states are also considering legislation to legalize the adult consumption of marijuana and regulate its retail production and sale. A summary of state-by-state pending marijuana law reform measures is available from NORML’s ‘Take Action Center’ here.
Welcome to the official Northern Wisconsin NORML website! We are an regional chapter of NORML serving the Fox Valley, Northern and Central Wisconsin, including: Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Hayward, La Crosse, Marinette, Marshfield, Oshkosh, Rhinelander, Shawano, Antigo, Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, Weyauwega, Green Lake, Ripon, Berlin and more.
Contact us today to schedule an event or meeting in your city or town.
Join Southeastern Wisconsin NORML in what will be the largest pro-marijuana-legalization
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