Pubdate: Mon, 08 Jul 2013
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2013 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://host.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Gary Storck

STATE LAWMAKERS NEED TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL CANNABIS

Two freshman Republican lawmakers from Fond du Lac, Sen. Rick Gudex 
and Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, sponsored legislation that would find 
more ways to punish Wisconsinites and state visitors caught with 
small amounts of pot.

SB 150 and AB 164 allow municipalities to prosecute marijuana cases 
the local district attorney has determined are not worth prosecution.

There have been committee hearings in both houses with state medical 
cannabis and marijuana reform groups testifying against. The Assembly 
committee vote was 5-3 in favor on a party-line vote.

In the Senate, the vote was 4-1 in favor, with Sen. Julie Lassa, the 
third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, inexplicably joining Republican 
Sens. Gudex, Joe Liebham and Jerry Petrowski in voting to send SB 150 
to the full Senate. Only Sen. Lena Taylor, who spoke strongly against 
it at the hearing, voted no.

In 2010, Sen. Lassa helped kill the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana 
Act in committee by teaming with Republicans, destroying a golden 
opportunity to help suffering Wisconsinites and create new jobs.

Each day more citizens leave Wisconsin because they see no future in 
a state that has turned so backward. Wisconsin voters need to make a 
pledge today to stop voting for politicians who want to lock citizens 
up for pot.

- -- Gary Storck, co-founder, Is My Medicine Legal YET?, Madison
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom