As a business owner and employer I see people self medicate everyday with alcohol, which is obviously considered acceptable. People use alcohol for different reasons. I know people go to a bar just to drink and have a good time, I would consider that recreation. I know people go out to the bar to socialize and talk about their and life’s problems, I would consider that a form of therapy. I know people that hurt so bad that they go out to the bar and drink till the pain goes away, I consider that self medicating.
Thank you to all consumers of alcohol, even though it kills many of us every single day. Without alcohol, I am sure the economy and local business would really suffer. In fact, the bar business picked up since the economy collapsed, must be everyone is self medicating with alcohol now.
I support the rights of doctors to recommend marijuana as medication to patients. Using marijuana to medicate is long overdue. Cannabis is a safer choice for patients and recreational users. If you have a problem with that; have a drink, I hear it takes the edge off.
Why I support Medical Marijuana
Article by NORML Randall
Shortly after celebrating New Year’s Day in January of 1989, I was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease (lymphoma) at the age of 17. I celebrated my 18th Birthday in March, I remember thinking if I would live to see my 19th Birthday. I had no idea at that time what I was going through not only would change me as a person; but it would affect me for the rest of my life, in numerous ways, especially my health as sadly I’m still finding out suffering from long-term side effects from the chemotherapy and radiation treatments I endured from 1989 i.e. RICAD/Radiation Induced Coronary Artery Disease, HVR/Heart Valve Regurgitation, Vertigo, Internal organs damaged, Dysphagia, Hypogonadism, Hypothyroidism, Esophageal Reflux, Esophageal Stricture, Esophageal Dilation, Abnormal Blood Chemistry, Neuropathy, Hiatal Hernia, etc.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment / NORML Randall
I still remember little moments of being awake and projectile vomiting during my chemotherapy treatments, writhing around and filling the adult diaper I wore with everything my body had to give, from the poisonous internal destruction being pumped in through my Hickman Catheter tube that was inserted through my chest into my heart. Every now and then a new toxic syringe was delivered by the nurse and released into my IV; she wore gloves and a mask just handling it due to the toxic nature of its ingredients.
By end of the third round of chemotherapy, I was nauseated and not eating/drinking anything, I was losing my hair, eyelashes, and all hair all over my body. My skin and body kept puffing and swelling up larger and larger. The doctors told me I needed to eat and drink fluids in between each chemotherapy session in order for my body to help flush out and eliminate the toxicity of the chemotherapy from my body. They warned that if I didn’t eat and drink fluids the chemotherapy sessions would have to be put on hold to help prevent further damage to my internal organs. I told the doctors I was too nauseated to do anything and my depression of the whole situation was spiraling worse and worse; the horrific reactions to the chemotherapy had led me to feeling suicidal after the 4th round, I no longer wanted to continue with the chemotherapy.
Around the time of my fourth chemotherapy treatment, a friend told me of an Uncle of his that went through cancer several years before me. He smoked Cannabis to help reduce the side effects of the chemotherapy and this allowed his body to have an appetite for food and fluids; thus he got some temporary relief. After speaking with my parents and doctors about smoking Cannabis, the doctors supported my use, telling me that it was still a smoke I’m inhaling so not to smoke more than I needed. The doctors at the University Hospital in Madison allowed me to discreetly smoke small amounts of Cannabis inside my bathroom, inside the Hospital.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma patient, NORML Randall
My doctors also gave me a prescription for Marinol, the pill form of Cannabis. These I immediately threw up after taking, it’s difficult to swallow anything when you’re sickly nauseated. When I was able to swallow them, I had to wait 30-45 minutes for some form of relief. With Cannabis, the smoke becomes infused with the blood instantaneously, thus offering an immediate form of relief and no waiting period, which is one of many important crucial parts of Medical Cannabis; The ability to deliver medicine, instantaneously with the blood, and immediately provide some form of relief for the patient, without harmful side effects or toxins…and causing zero deaths in the process.
The doctors kept upping my anti-nausea medication, before each round of chemotherapy was given to me, that by the time I was nearing the end of my twelve sessions I would literally “pass-out” before the chemotherapy session even started. I would then wake up and ask my Mom if we started the chemotherapy session yet and she would reply by saying “It’s the next morning; we’re all done with that round”. Shortly after waking I would then smoke some Cannabis and instantly I had an appetite and was able to drink fluids, and thankfully leave the Hospital to go back home and recover for the next round of chemotherapy.
My Mom took a year off of her work just to help with me. She also drove me to Madison to receive 3 months of radiation. She has clearly seen me at my worst and helped me get out of that horrific time in my life alive. Family is important, and it’s sad to see those who have nobody. I thank GOD for my Mom for caring for me when I was down and fading out. I also thank GOD for my lovely wife Britanny, whom also helped get me out alive again later on in my life, as my health problems continually challenge me with long-term side effects from the chemotherapy and radiation treatments, as above mentioned.
Even though Medical Cannabis is finally getting the respect and credit it deserves for helping those who “truly” are sick. my full support of Medical Cannabis since 1989 has cost me some of my family and friends along the way, Sadly, sometimes people cannot understand what another person goes through unless they experience it for themselves. I would not want anyone to experience the suffering I had to go through to gain the understanding I have for the suffering destitute sickly ill; I just HOPE others can learn by reading or seeing what others that have suffered or are currently suffering have to say, without spiraling to the depths of torment as some patients repeatedly do on a daily basis.
I will always continue to be involved in bringing some form of health and relief to the sick and dying. I had access to Medical Cannabis when I was gravely ill with cancer; why shouldn’t anyone else that is “truly” suffering from various illness?
To read more about Randall Prazuch, visit www.randallprazuch.com
Was the protest against Vukmir a success? I think so. Anytime you create awareness about the need for reform of marijuana laws, there is success. Members of Northern Wisconsin NORML joined the Madison chapter and other supporters to welcome Vukmir as she entered her fundraiser.
Entrance two covered
Members from Is My Medicine Legal Yet? pointed out that the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act would have protected doctors when recommending to use marijuana as medicine as well as protecting patients who found therapeutic relief from using cannabis. The familiar slogan of “Medical Marijuana is Healthcare” was heard amongst the “honks 4 medical marijuana” from vehicles passing by.
Life with dignity! Slogan of Is My Medicine Legal Yet?
Get the Vuk out of Madison
At this time it is unknown if Vukmir would support a full legalization bill, but it is unlikely to matter report cannabis supporters. “The number of protesters out numbered Vukmir’s supporters, her campaign for State Senate has as much validity as her statements concerning medical marijuana” one member stated.
The people protesting promoted the recreational use of marijuana also. Pedestrians embraced the group’s multi-mission of promoting pot as a positive product. Public support was overwhelming. At one point in the rally, two pizza’s were delivered streetside to attendees for their hard work.
The facts that no one has died from cannabis and that cigarettes and alcohol kill so many were displayed. It does makes sense to “free the weed” as one supporter was heard yelling.
Hemp Cannabis Can Help
It was very clear that protesters prevailed by promoting hemp cannabis as an environmentaly friendly and safe medicinal resource. The future of marijuana in Wisconsin can be green and clean; we need to reform the marijuana laws immediately. In these times of economic hardship and environmental degradation, why not allow the cultivation of hemp cannabis, one of the worlds most useful plants.
More than $2 million in campaign donations helps explain state’s weaker laws on drunk driving.
This trade and lobbying group has generated more than $2 million in spending on campaign contributions and lobbying over the past 10 years to promote the interests of bar and restaurant owners on alcohol regulation, licensing, taxes, and drunken driving penalties.
Last month, a GOP lawmaker with close connections to the industry was among the sponsors of a proposal to lower the state’s drinking age from 21 to 19. Rep. Rob Swearingen, of Rhinelander, a restaurant owner and former Tavern League of Wisconsin president, said the measure to lower the drinking age was aimed at highlighting the high cost of enforcing the state’s 21-year-old drinking law.
Wisconsin changed its 18-year-old drinking age in 1986 after federal laws were passed threatening states that did not increase their drinking age to 21 with an 8 percent reduction in federal highway aid. That penalty would cost Wisconsin more than $50 million a year in federal road aid today.
The drinking age proposal, which stipulates the age could only be lowered if there was no loss of federal highway aid, faces slim odds of passage by the GOP-controlled legislature. The League has yet to take a public position on the proposal.
Under current state law, a person younger than 21 can legally have a beer with their parents at a bar or restaurant.
Aside from the drinking age bill, the League supports many of the same types of bills in this 2017-18 legislative session that it has in previous years. Those include measures to use ignition interlocks, expand safe ride programs, increase drunken driving penalties for multiple offenses, and repeal the personal property tax.
Wisconsin, which routinely ranks high among the states in alcohol consumption, remains the only state in the country where first offense drunken driving is treated like a traffic offense and not a crime.
The League opposes bills to extend retail sales hours at wineries and create distill pub permits. During the first half of 2017, the group spent about $56,500 and about 420 hours on lobbying activities.
Over the past 10 years, the League has spent more than $1.3 million on lobbying and seen about two dozen bills that it backed become law. Those included state regulations governing wine production and distribution; beer, wine and liquor samples, Uber and Lyft services; and food preparation and handling.
The League also supported laws that:
Increased fines and jail time for some drunken driving convictions;
Allowed bar owners to sue underage drinkers;
Prohibited local governments from requiring bar owners to use driver license and state identification card scanners;
Relaxed regulations for iron ore mining;
Expanded some liquor license quotas;
Allowed citations to be issued to servers rather than bar owners during underage drinking stings.
In addition to lobbying on behalf of its 5,000 members’ state policy and spending interests, the League has a long record of funneling campaign contributions to legislative and statewide candidates.
The group operates a political action committee (PAC) and a conduit, which is a legal check-bundling operation used to funnel individual contributions to candidates. The PAC and conduit delivered about $731,000 in individual, PAC, and corporate campaign contributions to legislative and statewide candidates between January 2007 and June 2017.
Like other savvy special interests, the group directs campaign contributions to the governor and legislative leaders because they determine the legislative agenda and the bills that pass, fail, and become state law.
Several years ago, I read a book called Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
This book tells the story of some of the courageous women who literally fought until the day they died so that you and I (ladies, that is) could have the right to vote. One of my proudest moments was when I gave my copy of this wonderful book to my mom, and after reading it, she told me that she now feels very strongly about not wasting any opportunity to vote.
Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. AnthonyPub. Date: October 1999
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Synopsis
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were two heroic women who vastly bettered the lives of a majority of American citizens. For more than fifty years they led the public battle to secure for women the most basic civil rights and helped establish a movement that would revolutionize American society. Yet despite the importance of their work and they impact they made on our history, a century and a half later, they have been almost forgotten.
Stanton and Anthony were close friends, partners, and allies, but judging from their backgrounds they would seem an unlikely pair. Stanton was born into the prominent Livingston clan in New York, grew up wealthy, educated, and sociable, married and had a large family of her own. Anthony, raised in a devout Quaker environment, worked to support herself her whole life, elected to remain single, and devoted herself to progressive causes, initially Temperance, then Abolition. They were nearly total opposites in their personalities and attributes, yet complemented each other’s strengths perfectly. Stanton was a gifted writer and radical thinker, full of fervor and radical ideas but pinned down by her reponsibilities as wife and mother, while Anthony, a tireless and single-minded tactician, was eager for action, undaunted by the terrible difficulties she faced. As Stanton put it, “I forged the thunderbolts, she fired them.”
The relationship between these two extraordinary women and its effect on the development of the suffrage movement are richly depicted by Ward and Burns, and in the accompanying essays by Ellen Carol Dubois, Ann D. Gordon, and Martha Saxton. We also see Stanton and Anthony’s interactions with major figures of the time, from Frederick Douglass and John Brown to Lucretia Mott and Victoria Woodhull. Enhanced by a wonderful array of black-and-white and color illustrations, Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
is a vivid and inspiring portrait of two of the most fascinating, and important, characters in American history.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (seated) with Susan B. Anthony (standing)
Publishers Weekly
When Paul Barnes suggested that Elizabeth Cady Stanton be included in the film portraits of notable Americans that Ken Burns was planning to make, Burns barely recognized the name. Marginally more familiar was that of Susan B. Anthony, Stanton’s comrade-in-arms in the struggle for women’s suffrage. But as this book–the companion volume to the documentary that will appear this fall on PBS–splendidly reveals, theirs is the story not merely of two remarkable 19th-century women but of a major political movement, the end of which has yet to be written.
This dual biography of the pair by the historian Ward emphasizes the impossibility of treating either one in isolation from the other. Anthony’s grasp of the practical complemented Stanton’s philosophical imagination–as Stanton wrote, “entirely one are we.” Ward restores Stanton to her proper place alongside Anthony in the history of the women’s movement and sensitively handles the more problematic elements of their political positions, especially in regard to their resistance to the enfranchisement of former male slaves before the vote was extended to women of any color.
Additionally, there are essays by prominent women historians, including a provocative discussion of Stanton’s contemporary reputation by Ellen Carol DuBois, and the wealth of illustrations that we have come to expect from Burns and his associates. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Author Biography:
Geoffrey C. Ward, historian, screenwriter, and former editor of American Heritage, is the author of ten books, including A First Class Temperament, which won the 1989 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 1990 Francis Parkman Prize. He has written for numerous documentary films, including The Civil War, Baseball, and The West, and is currently at work on two books: Jazz: An Illustrated History and A Disposition to Be Rich.
Ken Burns, director and producer of Not for Ourselves Alone, has been making award-winning documentary films for over twenty years. He was director of the landmark PBS series The Civil War and Baseball and executive producer of The West. His work has received or been nominated for Emmy, Oscar, Grammy, and Academy Awards, among others. He is currently producing a series on the history of jazz.
As published in the Berlin Journal Newspapers and affiliates on Thursday, October 7th, 2010. Issue Number 40
Is marijuana a liability?
As a financial representative, working in the field of insurance and investments, my profession taught me a great deal about the importance of education, goal setting and systematic approach to problem solving, including risk management.
This weekend thousands of people came to our state Capitol for the 40th Annual Great Midwest Marijuana Festival. I had a chance to speak to the crowd, but more importantly, I listened. Communication is a two way street.
One speaker and organizer of the event stated normally the liability insurance cost $1000 for the event, but a 30% discount was provided because of the event track record of no claims or incidents. In relation, if alcohol was served at the event, the liability insurance would have been over $10,000.
Education is emphasized and a call for action is requested as our society looks for alternatives to petroleum, pharmaceuticals, alcohol and nicotine. Even this past year, the first “hemp house” was built inside the United States . With imports of hemp approaching several hundred millions of dollars, the domestic market is waiting to be captured, spurring growth in our local economy and job market.
This Wednesday, December 7th from 5-8 p.m. there will be a very informative meeting at UW Oshkosh Reeve Union Hall discussing the Cannabis hemp plant. This will be a meeting of facts regarding the Cannabis plant and putting the fiction/lies told about it to the curb.
Its funny how we have all this talk about “green energy” but the lowly Hemp plant continues to be demonized and not utilized for what God intended us to use it for, mainly food, fiber, fuel and medicine! The only reason this plant has not been utilized for what it was given to us for is pure greed. Our forefathers have been rolling in their graves with the lies told about this wonderful plant for the past 85 years.
You want green energy? We have it! Clean burning fuel grown by our farmers. No need for the wars we have waged or the lands we polluted for the love of a fossil fuel. The Cannabis hemp plant is a gift from God, the healthy food and wonderful fiber this plant so abundantly produces is unreal! But the most important use of this plant is its medicine.
There is not another plant on earth that has more medicinal value then the Cannabis hemp plant. Big Pharmaceuticals are shaking in their boots with what will be discussed at this meeting. A non-toxic cure for many diseases.
Everyone needs to learn the truth. Hope to see you there.
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