Just a friendly reminder from “The Flintstones” that laws do change. Fred and Barney, if being politically correct would remind us that their ancestors had used hemp cannabis freely since prehistory for food, fuel, fiber and medicines. As we can see by this commercial, laws will change again. Get active today and join Northern Wisconsin NORML or your local organization and find out how you can make a difference and help reform marijuana laws. Be the change you want to see in the world! If not you, who? If not now, when?
During the 2010 election year, I ran for Wisconsin State Assembly in District 41 on primarily on the platform of legalizing Industrial Hemp, Medical Marijuana and Recreational Cannabis. During the campaign, the district only held two “candidate forums”. Of the two, one forum was specifically on the topics of alcohol, nicotine and obesity, primarily focusing on the health costs to tax payers and how tax revenue is NOT spent on prevention or education. The point of the story is that legalizing marijuana will allow a SAFER choice than alcohol and nicotine. Along with Industrial Hemp utilizing the seed and fiber for food and consumer products rather than corn, we could provide healthier products with additional help by hemp in the environment.
The Facts on Hemp Cannabis
This commercial to me illustrates that throughout time, culture and society changes, along with changes in laws that govern and protect us. Right now I truly feel that in these trying times that economic recovery, creating jobs, providing alternative energy solutions and improved public saftey are critical. Legalizing marijuana will assist in these areas and provide funding for others. Right now it is time for marijuana laws to change. Right now it is time to end marijuana prohibition.
Loudenbeck Announces Walworth County Office Hours Madison –
Representative Amy Loudenbeck
Assembly District 31
(R – Clinton)
Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) will be holding office hours in Walworth County to meet one-on-one with constituents.
Friday, January 10th at the Matheson Memorial Public Library (in the Friends Room) at 101 N Wisconsin St in Elkhorn from 10 am to 11:30 am
then again
Friday January 10th at Fontana Village Hall, 175 Valley View Drive, Fontana 2 pm to 3:30 pm
For specific questions regarding office hours please contact: danielle.zimmerman@legis.wi.gov
###
Past articles we archived about Rep. Loudenbeck and her “kind of” support for recreational marijuana and a pretty open to medical cannabis: She is from Michigan originally and studied in Jamacia. https://www.northernwinorml.org/?s=loudenbeck
Have you contacted your legislators about all these bills?
Back in 2010 and 2011 the City of La Crosse had many conversations about cannabis reform, which ultimately did reform the local decriminalization laws in the city. Hopefully the latest attempt some 10 years later will be met with high support, especially since the 2018 La Crosse County Marijuana Referendum calling for marijuana to be regulated like alcohol passed by 63%.
A La Crosse City councilman wants to reduce the penalties for those caught with small amounts of marijuana.
Current law says any person in possession of seven grams of marijuana or less will not face charges, but rather pay a fine.
13th District Councilman Roger Christians wants to see the seven-gram limit moved to 25 grams (still under an ounce).
On Tuesday night, June 30th, 2020, the code of ordinance regarding possession of marijuana will be discussed at the city’s Judiciary and Administration Committee.
The reduced fine would be set at $1.
“It seems to me, we could at least reduce the fines to one dollar to send the message that, ‘Hey if you gotta do this for personal reasons for your medical situation’, we shouldn’t be looking down and making this illegal,” said Christians.
“We can’t change the state law but we can at least reduce the penalty to one dollar,” Christians added.
This proposition is already adopted in Wisconsin cities like Madison and Eau Claire.
After the proposition is presented to the committee, it will move to the Common Council for a possible vote in July 2020.
La Crosse’s Common Council will vote on decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, or cannabis, after a committee approved the resolution on Tuesday night.
The resolution was approved in a 4 to 2 vote by the Judiciary & Administration Committee, and would reduce charges for possessing 25 grams or less of cannabis to a fine of just $1.
Currently, the small fine is only offered for those who possess seven grams or less, and anything larger could result in criminal misdemeanor charges of up to $1,000 and jail time.
The reform was proposed and sponsored by council member Roger Christians, who said he supports the move because he thinks state leaders are dragging their feet to legalize cannabis when most Wisconsinites support it.
“It’s left to individual municipalities to do whatever they can do,” Christians said.
But he added that it was personal, too, and that he had three friends with chronic pain, one of them with Parkinson’s disease, and his wife, who suffers from pain after a broken bone in her back, who were interested in using it medicinally.
“It can and does help people,” Christians said.
Several members of the public spoke at the meeting in support of the legislation, and La Crosse Chief of Police Shawn Kudron said that his department would comply with any measures that were approved.
One woman spoke to the committee about her arrest in the 1990s for possessing 28 grams of cannabis in La Crosse. She said she lost her job, spent 90 days in jail, lost custody of her children and paid $1,800 in fees.
“It was actually life changing,” she said.
City council member and committee chair Andrea Richmond and council president Martin Gaul both voted against the resolution, though Richmond did not speak on the matter.
Gaul said that while he supports legalizing medical, and possibly recreational, cannabis in Wisconsin, he didn’t support changing the fine in La Crosse for fear of creating an unfair system for those who use the substance.
“I do not believe that this is a subject that is in the purview of the council,” Gaul said. “We are liberalizing the demand side for this product, while the supply side in the state of Wisconsin is still highly illegal.”
“I’d ask the people in Madison to do their damn jobs,” he added.
Similar legislation has passed in other areas across the state, including in nearby Eau Claire, and Madison and some of its suburbs.
The La Crosse Common Council meets the second Thursday of every month at 6:00PM in the Common Council Chambers located on the first floor of City Hall, 400 La Crosse St.
Next meeting is July 9th at 6:00pm. Public Statements are always allowed at Common Council Meetings.
For information on who is and how to contact your City Council members to support this initiative please click HERE.
The 23rd District of the Wisconsin Senate is located in western Wisconsin, and is currently composed of parts of Barron, Clark, Chippewa, Dunn, Taylor, Eau Claire, Wood,and Marathon counties. The district area is mostly rural, with the exception of a portion of Eau Claire.
RepJesse L. James Assembly (R – Altoona)
We watched this district election and during the 2018 campaign saw both the Democrat (Johnson) and Republican (James) oppose legalizing recreational marijuana. But having Law Enforcement (Republican James) on our side for medical marijuana cannot hurt, as the then candidate James expressed support for medical cannabis. Sticking to a campaign promise and having sponsored medical marijuana legislation his first term as a freshman Republican earned this legislator some respect from activists.
Assembly Rep Jesse James (R-Altoona) has scheduled listening sessions for Saturday, March 7th and Monday, March 9th. Senator Kathy Bernier will be joining him on Saturday, March 7th!
Saturday March 7th
Lake Hallie 13033 30th Ave. Chippewa Falls, WI 9-10am
Thorp Public Library 401 S. Conway Dr. Thorp, WI 11-12pm
Kow Kickin Cafe 313 N. Main St. Greenwood, WI 1-2pm
Norske Nook 13804 W. 7th St. Osseo, WI 3-4pm
Monday, March 9th
Fall Creek Village Hall 122 E. Lincoln Ave. Fall Creek, WI 9-10am
Augusta Memorial Public Library 113 N. Stone St. Augusta, WI 10:30-11:30am
Fairchild Public Library 208 Huron St. Fairchild, WI 1-2pm
Coffee, Conversation, & Connection
March 14th 10:30am-12pm At Cabin Coffee in Altoona.
Rep James and Senator Bernier are hosting a coffee, conversation, and connection event at Cabin Coffee in Altoona on Saturday, March 14th from 10:30am-12pm. From Rep James email newsletter he says “If you are interested in meeting, or have something you would like to discuss with me, please feel free to stop by at any time. The coffee is delicious!”
As always, if you plant to attend the meeting and want or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact Northern Wisconsin NORML via email at northernwinorml@gmail.com or directly at 920-931-4207.
March 7th, 9th and 14th meet with your local elected officials
Wisconsin attorney general Josh Kaul is on record supporting medical cannabis, yet his office continues to aggressively pursue prosecution of people in possession of less than an ounce.
In the November election, the people of Wisconsin voted overwhelmingly in support of decriminalizing cannabis and regulating its medical use.
Medical professionals continue to fear prosecution, and could potentially lose their license to practice should they recommend the use of cannabis to their patients.
The Attorney General must protect these professionals and their patients. We are asking Josh Kaul to decline to prosecute medical professionals who recommend cannabis to their patients, and to decline to prosecute cases of cannabis possession of 28 grams and under.
Enter your information using The Action Network to send a pre-written message to AG Kaul in support of this effort!
Here is the wording of the letter if you want to call or email directly!
As a resident of Wisconsin, I am writing to urge you to re-prioritize your office’s resources toward the prosecution of violent criminal offenders and away from non-violent defendants, specifically in cases that involve less than one ounce (28 grams) of marijuana possession.
Currently in Wisconsin, physicians are permitted to recommend the use of medical cannabidiol (CBD) to any patient whom they believe will benefit from its therapeutic use. And, in the most recent November election, the people of Wisconsin voted overwhelmingly in support of decriminalizing cannabis and regulating its medical use.
The citizens of Wisconsin are seeking your direction to act in the wake of the miscarriage of Governor Tony Evers’ budget. Governor Evers included the legalization of medical cannabis as well as cannabis decriminalization in the budget for the fiscal year, and Wisconsin state lawmakers have hindered these objectives.
I request Attorney General Kaul act in a unilateral manner, in support of Governor Evers’ initiatives, by issuing an order to all subsequent District Attorneys stating Wisconsin will no longer prosecute the possession of cannabis in any form involving up to 28 grams. In order to ease the transfer of critical treatments to ill citizens, as well as, halt the racial disparity involved with cannabis enforcement.
Attorneys general in other jurisdictions around the country have engaged in similar actions, such as Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings recently encouraging prosecutors state-wide to no longer pursue criminal charges against those who possess marijuana for personal use.
People with otherwise clean records do not deserve for the rest of their life to be derailed because of a minor, nonviolent marijuana conviction. Please consider re-prioritizing Wisconsin’s resources toward the prosecution of violent criminal offenders and away from non-violent defendants in cases that involve less than one ounce (28 grams) of marijuana possession.
So if you are not a a constituent of his you may want to approach Rep. Spiros via Telephone at (608) 266-1182 or email at Rep.Spiros@legis.wisconsin.gov and phrase your phone call or email with direct support of Assembly Bill 220 “Legalize Opportunity” and add “Please do not hold up this legislation in committee. Please hold a public hearing and put this piece of legislation to a floor vote!”
If you live in this district please contact us today as we need some assistance directly in his district by his constituents!
Here is the question on his spring budget 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?
I do not support any legalization of marijuana use
I support limited medical legalization only
I support full decriminalization of marijuana for recreational or medical use
Answer Rep. Sprios spring / budget survey with a marijuana question by using the following link:
The original site of the T.H.C. Tour from February 2010 will be the home to a special meeting of Northern Wisconsin NORML.
Join the chapter in the sleepy town of Berlin Wisconsin as they expect to be addressed by Republican Senator Luther Olsen. Senator Olsen represents the district of Jay Selthofner, Executive Director for the chapter.
Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon)
Senator Olsen is expected to speak sharply at 11:30am in the Kay Swan Room (upstairs of the Berlin Public Library). The Senator will be speaking about top ways activists and citizens can make a difference in the legislative process.
Senator Olsen (R-Ripon) has indicated support for hemp, cannabis and medical marijuana reform in the past.
The chapter also hopes the Senator will provide a brief overview of his 2011-2012 roles, goals and agendas.
Please try to attend this historic meeting. Thank you.
The Berlin Public Library is located at 121 W Park Ave, Berlin Wisconsin 54923
Please do not hesitate to contact NorthernWINORML@gmail.com for more information.
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