Wisconsin: Marijuana
Madison, WI: Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has publicly announced his support for amending the state’s marijuana laws in a manner that would permit its medical access and decriminalize its recreational use.
Speaking Monday at a press conference outlining the state’s budget, the Governor said that Wisconsin should join the other 33 states that regulate medical cannabis access. He also called for decriminalizing marijuana possession offenses (involving up to 25 grams) and expunging past marijuana-related convictions. The Governor opined that police often make marijuana arrests in a racially disproportionate manner. Historically, African Americans are arrested for marijuana possession crimes in Wisconsin at approximately six-times the rates of whites.
Under existing state law, the possession of marijuana is classified as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to six-months in jail, a $1,000 fine, and a criminal record.
For more information, contact Justin Strekal, NORML Political Director, at (202) 483-5500, or visit: Northern Wisconsin NORML.
March 19, 2019 Email Update from Assembly Rep. Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego)
Marijuana: A Community Conversation
Right now, one of the biggest debates in Madison is whether or not the state should change its laws with respect to marijuana. Should it be legalized for medicinal purposes? Should we decriminalize recreational use? These questions have implications for other important policy issues facing the state, such as criminal justice and the opiod epidemic.
That is why I believe we need to be extremely careful in how we proceed, and why I participated in “Marijuana: A Community Conversation” at the Waukesha County Expo Center on March 7th, 2019. It was a well-attended and informative discussion about the myths and realities of marijuana today.
The most interesting and important takeaway from the event is that there is no definitive evidence that THC has any medical benefits, nor is there is any proof that it does not have medical benefits.
Based on experiences in other states, I remain 100% opposed to decriminalizing recreational marijuana. With regard to medicinal marijuana, I believe it is premature to consider legalization before its efficacy is confirmed scientifically. Only then, and with the assurance that it would be regulated as a Schedule II drug, would I support legalization.
Thank you to Your Choice to Live, Inc. for putting on this informative event!
If you are interested in learning more about these issues, you will find a very well-researched report here.
Host Rich Kremer welcomes Larry Konopacki from the Wisconsin Hemp Alliance, Jay Selthofner from the Northern Wisconsin chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and Eau Claire County Sheriff Ron Cramer to discuss Governor Tony Evers’ proposal to decriminalize possession and distribution of marijuana in amounts of 25 grams or less for personal use. The proposal also looks to legalize medical marijuana and get rid of the yearly physician’s certificate that is needed for use of cannabidiol, otherwise known as CBD oil, to treat seizures.
Host(s): Rich Kremer
Guest(s): Ron Cramer Larry Konopacki Jay Selthofner Producer(s): Rich Kremer Katharine Thomas Kailin Schumacher Mort Sipress Kate Spranger
For years now I have been working with both sides of the isle on marijuana reform. Some of our early meetings in 2009 and 2010 featured Republican elected officials as speakers. They are just as frustrated as we are that reform takes so long. We keep pushing on as Republicans push their caucus to do the right thing.
I make note of this report also because with NORML I work with people all over the state and have a field activist in this area that just will not quit. He might not be the most persistent constituent in the world, but pretty darn close! The medical community around the area is very supportive of medical cannabis. Berniers opponent is one of those in the medical community and instead of giving a political campaign answer like Bernier, he gives an answer.
Bernier is not uneducated on the issue, she is just an politician already. We can remind her that in 1973 Oregon was the first state to decriminalize marijuana and that 46 years later simple marijuana possession in Wisconsin could result in a felony. Decriminalization is not a major change to our laws and she knows this and is probably just one reason why she was on the crew of bipartisan politicians that wrote Assembly Bill 409 / Senate Bill 318 known as a “Decriminalization of Marijuana” bill earlier in the Spring of 2017.
Because she is considering the potential tax revenue and social costs of legalization she must be comparing it to the loss of tax revenue by not legalizing, increased funding needs for marijuana law enforcement that public does not support and the social costs of prohibition. If that is what she means, we won this district because those numbers and considerations just lead us to legalization and regulation is the most common sense answer.
Would you support changing state law to legalize marijuana and/or cannabis products? If so, under what conditions? If not, why?
Bernier: Before making major changes to our state’s drug laws, we should first study the results of other states which have already made this change. Certainly tax revenue from marijuana sales sound promising but we must also determine the true social costs of legalization. I am looking very seriously at the benefits of the CBD oil for medicinal uses as research is showing it has promising potential without the typical side effects of marijuana.
Opposing Bernier will be Democrat Chris Kapsner. A political newcomer, Kapsner is an emergency room physician from Boyceville. He is a member of a group of doctors who provide emergency services to hospitals in western Wisconsin, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Kapsner, 55, has a wife and four children.
He is quoted as saying this when asked above question about marijuana:
Kapsner: Yes. I am supportive of a well-regulated medicinal marijuana program that provides access to treatment for patients suffering from severe, debilitating illnesses.
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:
KESHENA — Marijuana is illegal in the state of Wisconsin, but it could end up being legal on the Menominee Indian Reservation.
The tribe has scheduled a referendum for next month to see how its members feel about legalizing the drug.
It is an advisory referendum, so even if there is support for legalizing marijuana, the tribal board would still need to pass some sort of legislation.
On August 19th and 20, a two question referendum will ask tribal members whether the tribe should allow recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older. It will also ask whether the tribe should allow the medicinal use of marijuana.
“This is just a start,” said Gary Besaw, the Menominee Tribal Chairman. “We’ll see if the tribal membership wants us to move forward and wants us to commit more energy toward this.”
In 2013, the Department of Justice issued the Cole Memorandum, which told prosecutors to let tribes grow or sell pot on reservations if they followed eight guidelines. Unlike the state’s other tribes, the Menominee Tribe answers to federal prosecutors, allowing it to take advantage of the federal memo.
Even if the referendum shows there is wide-ranging support for legalizing marijuana, it could still be a while before that happens. Tribal leaders say they still have a lot of research they want to do.
“We have a lot of concern about the social and legal implications that might come with this and we also know what the research is showing on some of the medical implications,” said Besaw.
If the tribe does move forward with legalization, preliminary guidelines call for pot only to be allowed on tribal land. It would only be legal to tribal members with a permit. A license would be required to grow marijuana. There would also be restrictions on where people can smoke in public.
“I am for it, totally for it,” said Kayla Chevalier of Neopit.
“I don’t care if it gets passed or not. I don’t smoke or anything, but I know it helps with medical purposes, so there could be tribal members that need it,” said Jon Tucker of Shawano.
While a majority of tribal members FOX 11 spoke with said they were in favor of legalizing marijuana, FOX 11 did talk with a few against it.
A state Department of Justice spokesperson said she had nothing to share when asked for comment on the tribe’s referendum.
To read the tribe’s FAQ about this vote, click here.
Steve Hager, longtime editor of High Times Magazine takes on hard-hitting DEA veteran Robert Stutman on the multitude of issues surrounding marijuana legalization. It provides a well-balanced forum for students and community on both sides of this embattled topic.
Robert M. Stutman – An “S.O.B. on the side of angels” (Boston Herald Magazine) and “one of our nation’s heroes” (according to Dan Rather) is Robert Stutman, formerly “the most famous narc in America” (so coined by New York Magazine).
Taking to the front lines of the drug wars, Bob Stutman made a 25-year career as one of America’s highest profile drug busters. Bob, as head of DEA’s largest office in the world, New York, became so visible; the Columbian Cartel had at one time targeted him for assassination.
Considered to be one of the nation’s top experts on drugs, Bob established The Stutman Group, a Management Consulting firm that designs and implements comprehensive and practical substance abuse prevention programs for communities, corporations and school systems across the nation.
Given Bob’s unique foundation in law enforcement, coupled with his experience meeting thousands of kids annually in schools throughout the country, Bob can both articulate what kids say and feel, as well as why they feel that way.
In addition to leading The Stutman Group, Bob has been the Special Consultant on substance abuse for CBS News. In addition, he has appeared frequently on hundreds of TV shows including the Today Show & Oprah. He was recently featured in the PBS Frontline documentary entitled Drug Wars and the VH 1 special entitled The Drug Years. His best-selling autobiography, “Dead on Delivery” was published by Warner Books and was the basis for a television movie entitled Mob Justice. Bob’s extensive speaking tours have brought him before thousands of audiences in over 70 countries.
Steve Hager – Editor of High Times Magazine – has a Master’s of Science Degree in Journalism from the University of Illinois, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theater. He is a former reporter for the New York Daily News and was editor of High Times Magazine for over 16 years. Hager has written four books: Hip Hop (St. Martins’ Press), the first history of rap music, break dancing and graffiti; Art After Midnight (St. Martin’s Press), a history of the East Village art scene of the 1980s; Adventures in the Counterculture (High Times Books), a collection of his High Times journalism. Appearing in the Spring of 2005, The Octopus Conspiracy (Trineday) contains everything in his previous three books, as well as Hager’s history of secret societies. “This is the real Da Vinci Code,” says Hager, “and it’s not about goddess worship, but an examination of some of the darkest forces that rule our planet.”
For the last five years, Hager has been a documentary filmmaker who writes, directs, shoots and edits his own features. “Heads versus Feds DVD” is one such product. Hager is also the creator of The Cannabis Cup, the academy awards of marijuana, which is held every year in Amsterdam during Thanksgiving week. Koch Vision released his feature documentary of this event in 2003. He continues to produce and direct the annual event, and is also Editor-at-Large of High Times Magazine and contributes a monthly column to the magazine titled “Counterculture Chronicles.”
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