Medical Marijuana debate grows closer to home

Article originally published in the Berlin Journal (Berlin, Wisconsin).  Article written by Pamela Schumacher. Jay Selthofner organized the THC expo being discussed in this article.

Central Wisconsin’s T.H.C. Expo: Talking Hemp and Cannabis took place in Berlin on Saturday and a number of people were in attendance from around the state and the country.

An unlikely, but suitable venue for the event, the Berlin Public Library was filled with a constant flow of locals and those who traveled thousands of miles to be there in order to learn more about and/or advocate for the legalization of hemp and cannabis.  The two main topics of discussion at the expo were medical marijuana and hemp industrialization.

The debate for the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes has been an ongoing issue for decades and over a dozen states have chosen to pass medical marijuana use.  It is currently not legal to use marijuana in Wisconsin for medical purposes.

The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act is currently before legislative committees.  It was brought to the floor by Representative Mark Pocan and Senator Jon Erpenbach.  The act would create a list of conditions for which doctors can prescribe medical cannabis to patients.  Included on the list are illnesses such as cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, a positive HIV test, Crohn’s Disease, a Hepatitis C virus infection, Alzheimer’s Disease, Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Nail Patella Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and other debilitating medical conditions.

Unless changed by the committees, the act would allow the caregiver to grow 12 live marijuana plants and have three ounces of usable marijuana per patient.  Each caregiver would be allowed to have five patients using medical marijuana.  The bill is modeled after the recently passed legislation in Michigan, with language in it regarding the dispensary reflective of that from Rhode Island, which has also passed a medical marijuana act.

“I’d like to thank all of the people of Berlin for having this [expo],” said Jacki Rickert, who was present on Saturday.  It’s the right thing to do – this bill is so important for all of the people who are hurting.”

Also speaking on behalf of medical marijuana was Mieko Hester-Perez, who came all the way from California to talk about her son, Joey, who suffers from autism.  About eight months ago, after getting it prescribed by Joey’s doctor, she began giving Joey small doses of marijuana every few days to help balance his system.   Before taking medical marijuana, her son suffered from anorexia and malnutrition.  At 9 years old, he weighed only 46lbs, and doctors believed that he wouldn’t live longer than six months.  After hearing that, Hester-Perez said that she drove home and thought about how she was going to fix her son.  Then she turned to medical marijuana.  “My son is proof.” she said.  “He is now happy, healthy, and alive.”

Jeffrey Smith of Forest Junction was in attendance and has been advocating the use of medical marijuana since the 1960’s.  He also talked about what he thought were the economic and environmental benefits to harvesting hemp seed.

During the presentation, Ben Masel of Madison also spoke about hemp for agricultural use.  He talked about the local agricultural communities, including Brandon and Ripon, use to  be big producers of hemp.  He talked about the last mill in Brandon closing its’ doors in 1957.

Jim Gierach, a former assistant state attorney and drug prosecutor from Chicago, approached the topic from a  little bit different perspective.  He stated that he is opposed to the War on Drugs and is a member of LEAP, which stands for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.  The three main reasons he stands against drug prohibition, from his perspective, are 1) the Drug War doesn’t work because the powerful drugs on the streets are uncontrolled and unregulated, 2) the Drug War “is at the heart of any crisis in America,” ranging from guns, gangs, crime, taxes, health care, and prisons, for example and 3) the Drug War has been in place for 40 years and has lasted so long “because of a Drug War gravy train because it has the good and bad guys on the same side of the line of scrimmage” in that the Drug War benefits both parties.

Berlin Police Chief Dennis Plantz had no comment regarding the Jacki Rickert Act and stated that he didn’t feel comfortable commenting since he was not at the T.H.C. Expo on Saturday.

J.B. Van Hollen, the Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin, has issued a statement regarding his opposition 2009 Senate Bill 368 and 2009 Assembly Bill 554 relating to use and distribution of marijuana.  In it he writes, “I oppose these bills because if enacted the would 1) permit the largely unregulated use of marijuana, further exposing citizens and communities to the direct and indirect dangers of marijuana use and distributors; 2) reject a well-established, scientific, evidence-based process and regulatory scheme for controlling drugs and permitting them for proven medical uses; 3) “permit” uses that are expressly illegal under federal law, thus inviting citizens to violate United States laws that apply to them; and 4) create serious impediments to the enforcement of state drug laws against those individuals who are not actually involved in the medical use of marijuana as defined by the bill.

He goes on to state, “While we all have sympathy for those who suffer from debilitating conditions, most recognize that:

• Marijuana is a drug with a high potential for abuse;
• Marijuana is distributed through often dangerous criminal enterprises;
• Marijuana is a recognized gateway drug;
• Marijuana is commonly delivered through a dangerous means – smoking; and
• There is no current ability to control dosage, unlike drugs one might purchase over-the-counter or through prescription – and unlike synthetic THC, which a doctor may currently prescribe.”

There is a clear debate here that runs much deeper than party lines or political views.  It yanks at the moral fiber of what each of us have been taught since youth.  The choice is a personal one, but the consequences of this bill, whether it passes or it dies, will undoubtedly affect many throughout the state.