Thank you Wisconsin legislators for introducing the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act that creates a list of conditions which doctors can recommend cannabis to be used by patients meeting these conditions.
Wisconsin law is modeled after Michigan, which is the 13th state to pass medical cannabis laws, and would allow patients or a caregiver to cultivate personal amounts of cannabis, as well as language to allow non-profit dispensaries to distribute a variety of cannabis medications to patients.
We all know someone who is affected tragically by cancer, or born with an illness such as MS ( multiple sclerosis ) or a loved one fighting a mental illness. It is about time a law is enacted to outline safe uses of cannabis for medical purposes and allow compassionate use of this safe and effective medication.
I would also like to thank the hundreds of area residents who recently signed support letters and contacted their legislators, without you it would not have got this far. One last push is needed, contact your representatives and committee members now, as they are debating this very issue as we read this. Go to www.immly.org or www.jrmma.org for more information and to find contact numbers and emails.
Representative Shannon Zimmerman
Assembly District 30
(R – River Falls)
Republican Assembly District 30 Rep. Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls) is not new to talking about marijuana reform this legislative session. He, fellow Republican Rob Stafsholt, R-New Richmond and Democratic Senator Patty Schachtner hashed out marijuana reform in their districts in February of 2019. After I read the article I basically saw two Republicans and one Democrat all support some sort of marijuana reform.
Of course we all know everything marijuana reform related in the budget was killed, gutted and left on the battle field, much like medical marijuana patients in Wisconsin.
But wait, what is this… a 2019 Spring Survey sponsored by the GOP Assembly Representatives. In the spring of 2019 after overwhelming support in the Wisconsin public marijuana referendums the previous fall, many of the Assembly GOP members held a spring survey which was posted online and sent in the email to people on their mailing list. The results of Assembly Representative Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls) spring survey are not surprising as 76.48% of his district supported medical marijuana. Wisconsin’s 30th Assembly District encompasses areas Hudson, River Falls, North Hudson, Roberts, Kinnikinnic, Richmond, St. Joseph, Troy and Warren .
Even though the question was poised in a slanted tone, medical marijuana still prevailed as more popular than elected officials. Here was the question poised to voters in his district by the GOP Assembly Spring Survey:
Legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes has been proposed. Law enforcement, educators and the medical community oppose legalization. Which best describes your views on marijuana legalization?
Spring Survey, there were 689 respondents to the marijuana question. Of those 689, they broke down into the following categories:
“I support medical legalization only” was at 304.
“I support full decriminalization of marijuana for recreational or medical use” was at 223.
“I do not support any legalization of marijuana use” was at 162.
I would have thought someone who supported marijuana reform in past statements would use the survey to their advantage and either author, sponsor or co-sponsor legislation on some aspect of the issue. But instead, in June the only public statement I could find from Rep. Zimmerman on the issue was this statement in the news after a Town Hall recap:
Marijuana legislation will not pass this session, but legislators may be open to considering research on its medical use.
So now here we are nearing December and with months left in the session, it is time for Rep. Zimmerman to realize by saying he supports medical marijuana that means patients growing and smoking pot, simple as that. That is what the public thinks when they hear medical marijuana and that is what the expect in legislation.
Rep. Zimmerman may think legislation will not pass, but it is not dead by any means. At anytime an Assembly Representative can be added onto legislation as a co-sponsor. I urge the people of his district to contact Rep. Zimmerman at (608) 266-1526 or email at Rep.Zimmerman@legis.wisconsin.gov and ask him to co-sponsor the following pieces of legislation. If Rep. Zimmerman cannot co-sponsor this important legislation nor draft his own, his lip service on the issue does not help the marijuana movement, but does help him collect votes.
Or use the action links below to support these pieces of legislation and send a message to your law maker!
I couldn’t agree more with Ann when she says that voters should do some research to gather facts on each candidate before the elections.
If you don’t have access to the Internet, you can take advantage of one of our greatest community resources – the public library – and use the computers there to go online and visit the websites of each political candidate.
Voting is a grave responsibility, and we owe it to ourselves and our fellow Americans to research our current and potential elected officials thoroughly before casting our votes on November 2nd.
Politics can be confusing, with so many candidates throughout the state running for so many offices and discussing thousands of different issues.
Don’t leave such an important matter until the last minute. Start doing your research now and in the coming weeks so that you have time to really get to know who is running for what and which candidate you prefer.
While I have voted every year since I turned 18 and consider it both my civic duty, and an honor, this year I am also very excited about voting.
I cannot wait to cast my vote for my friend, Jay Selthofner, who is running as an Independent for State Assembly in District 41 on a platform of “Talking about Hemp and Cannabis with Truth, Honesty, and Compassion”.
He has a unique plan to stimulate Wisconsin’s economy in many sectors, from farming, to equipment manufacturing, to product manufacturing, and more.
If you would like to research Jay’s viewpoints and find out where he stands on the issues, you can visit his website: www.JaySelthofner.com and also his blog: www.jayselthofner.com/.
Vote for Jay and Let’s Get Growing!
Jessica Franke, Treasurer, Friends of Jay Selthofner
Cannabis consumers are as varied as the stars in the sky. We come from all walks of life. No two cannabis consumers are exactly the same. The one thing we have in common is our undying belief in the wonders of the cannabis plant. Cannabis culture is one of the few that celebrate diversity. No matter who you are, where you came from or where you’re going, cannabis consumers will in large part, always welcome others like them into the fold.
We are so many different things it would be impossible to pay homage to them all. Which brings me to the things we are not. We are not the stereotypical stoner that those outside of our circle like to portray us as in all the various forms of media. We are not stupid, lazy or criminals. So why are people playing into that stereotype?
We have a mission. That mission is to legalize cannabis in all it’s forms here in the State of Wisconsin. In order for that to happen, we need to prove we are good people that are no different than everyone else. We need to create a positive image of who we are and maintain that image. We need to show them we are responsible, respectable people. Not the type of people they were told we were.
I’m probably going to upset a few people with what I am about to say but it needs to be said. If you react negatively to what I’m about to say then you are probably one of the people that should pay close attention. So, pitter-patter lets get at ‘er.
I am seeing a lot of personal behaviors that are not shedding a good light on our cause. I’m seeing hatefulness, name calling, bickering over petty things and various other forms of rude and unacceptable behavior taking place within our movement. If I’m seeing this stuff, so is the general public and our elected officials. That behavior is not helping anything. It is making a better argument for prohibition than for legalization.
That isn’t what NORML stands for. We work for change through education, discussion, cooperation and building relationships. Not by name calling, shaming, cussing or otherwise acting like spoiled children. This is not the message we want to send. Verbal flatulence might be all the rage these days but it is unacceptable here. If you can’t hold yourself to higher standards than that, you aren’t a benefit to what we are trying to accomplish. Putting politicians and the public on the defensive is counterproductive.
With that said. It’s time to move on and move forward in a manner that properly represents the cannabis consumer.
As published in the Berlin Journal Newspapers and affiliates on Thursday, October 14th, 2010. Issue Number 41.
Vote for the candidate, not the political party
Some people say part of the problem with politics is the acceptance of main stream media outlets that showcase a two party system. People perhaps feel the system is broken from the start and are disengaged from the beginning. Putting people back into politics should first start by people on the ballot and then voting based on the name of the candidate on the ballot, not the party that paid for them.
Perception sometimes leads people to believe the only people supporting marijuana reform are third party candidates. Perhaps we should look at the traditional candidates who support reform of marijuana, but yet do not talk about hemp and cannabis with the truth, honesty and compassion of the third parties. Perhaps ‘they’ do not want attention drawn to “the” issue that could take some of their power away and give it back to the people. People believe that this is no more evident than right here in our district and race for state assembly, where all candidates support reform and consider it to be part of the solutions to the problems we face.
Can we afford to elect leaders not willing speak out, up and often?
I agree that our country and our world are in turmoil, and that there is serious work to be done.
However, I do not believe that fear gives us the right to take rights away from people who have not personally done anything harmful to our society, to other citizens, or to themselves.
It is possible for a recreational or medical marijuana smoker to be a productive and hard working member of society. Just like all drinkers are not drunk drivers, all cannabis users are not lazy people.
I think it’s quite unfair to paint all marijuana users with the same brush.
If you would like to get “real”, let’s discuss people who abuse alcohol and tobacco. The only purpose of drinking alcohol and smoking nicotine is to get high. In order to do so, you need more and more as time goes on.
Both substances, while legal, are highly addictive, and are responsible for many deaths each year. Marijuana, by contrast, does not cause lung cancer, treats nausea, depression, and many other illnesses, has caused zero deaths, EVER, and does not cause people to act violently, just for starters.
I’ve heard all of the myths about beer or wine being good for you, perpetuated by people who want to justify their drinking, and as an ex-cigarette-smoker, I can tell you that the withdrawl process from nicotine is the worst thing I have ever experienced, unlike quitting marijuana, which is as simple as not doing it.
Most marijuana users are not using it daily – they may enjoy it on a Saturday night much like everyone else enjoys a glass of wine or a few beers.
You aren’t even hung over in the morning after smoking marijuana – you can get up and GO the next morning!
Yet, people won’t listen to the facts about cannabis because they are too afraid to discuss such a controversial subject. I think that we need to open a public dialogue on the topic and educate people so they can make a rational decision based on facts, rather than simply spouting the same tired old myths and propaganda.
In addition to being a question of public health and public safety, this is also a question of civil liberties. True freedom takes courage. How can we call ourselves the land of the free and the home of the brave unless we bravely allow everyone to be free?
Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.
Please enjoy your freedom, and don’t forget to defend not only your own freedoms, but the freedoms of all of your fellow Americans. As Abraham Lincoln said: “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves”.
Tax this plant, regulate it, and perhaps it will do for us what ending alcohol prohibition did for the Great Depression. At the very least, it will give our farmers a crop to grow whose DNA is not patented by the seed companies, as well as create other types of jobs related to farming, processing, transporting, equipment manufacturing, and more.
I can’t believe that a crop which our founding fathers grew, and which was vital to our progress as a nation until 1937, is so hated and feared – it’s only a plant! What are you so afraid of?
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