Pubdate: Mon, 07 Oct 2013
Source: Badger Herald (U of WI, Madison, WI Edu)
Copyright: 2013 Badger Herald
Contact: http://badgerherald.com/contact/
Website: http://www.badgerherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/711
Author: Dan Kinderman

LAWMAKERS LIGHT UP MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BILL FOR THIRD TIME

After two failed attempts, two Wisconsin legislators reintroduced a 
bill to make Wisconsin the 21st state in the country to legalize 
medical marijuana.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, and Rep. 
Chris Taylor, D-Madison, provides legal protection to medical 
cannabis users, along with legal protection for testers and 
prescribing physicians of the medicine.

Although the bill was introduced in previous sessions, this version 
of the bill adds additional provisions for users of medical cannabis 
than versions introduced in previous Legislative sessions in 2010 and 2012.

"Some of the language, including a provision about edibles, brings it 
more in line with other bills around the country," Gary Storck, Is My 
Medicine Legal Yet? spokesperson, said.

While the bill would legalize medical cannabis in Wisconsin, 
supporters of the bill were adamant that its passage would not lead 
Wisconsin down a path to legalization of marijuana in the state.

Julie Laundrie, spokesperson for Erpenbach said the goal of the bill 
is to help patients and doctors who believe in medical cannabis as a 
treatment for a variety of conditions.

Laundrie added the Legislature is far behind the public on this issue.

According to a May 2013 Fox News poll, 85 percent of Americans 
support the usage of medical cannabis when prescribed by a physician.

"There's public support for this, it's amazing," Storck said. "If the 
state Legislature would listen to the people instead of lobbyists and 
special interests, they would've passed this bill a long time ago."

Taylor addressed providing compassionate care and dignity to 
chronically ill patients, and even brought up Storck as a specific 
example of what brought about her passion for the subject.

"Rather than treating people as criminals, the bill treats them with 
dignity and with compassion," Taylor said. "Hearing from patients 
like Gary [Storck] who have these horrible medical conditions that 
can be helped by using cannabis is what really got me interested in the issue."

The bill would set up a registry and require issuance of two year 
medical cannabis cards via the Department of Health Services, 
establishing a tight procedure, Taylor said.

In September, Laundrie also said it was unlikely the bill would 
receive a public hearing from Vukmir, who has stated her strong 
opposition to marijuana usage.

"Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues have not been publicly 
supportive and I think it shows how out of step they are," Taylor 
said. "I know some have been privately supportive but are afraid 
politically to come out."

Storck said he has used cannabis for 41 years to help relieve 
symptoms from glaucoma, and said the introductory press conference 
for the bill was his 41st anniversary of his first experience with cannabis.

"Look around in your family, there's probably somebody who uses 
cannabis now and there might be somebody who will need it someday," 
Storck said.

Rep. Erik Severson, R-Star Prairie, and Sen. Leah Vukmir, 
R-Wauwatosa, chairs of the Assembly Health Committee and the Senate 
Health Services Committee, respectively, declined to comment on the bill.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom