Madison NORML

Carcieri, a Republican, has apparently decided to terrorize state patients by letting them know he’d take away their medicine if he could. At least his GOP colleague in Vermont, Gov. Douglas, had the dignity to let the bill become law after passage by both houses, instead of forcing them to reconvene to override, thus saving taxpayers money. But, like last time, his veto is expected to be meaningless with enough votes to override already in place.

The year 2007 continues to be a good year for medical cannabis patients across the nation. In April, New Mexico became the 12th state with a medical cannabis law passed since 1996 when Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson, a candidate for the 2008 presidential nomination, got lawmakers to reconsider and pass a bill. New England has been a hotbed of activity, with the aforementioned success in Rhode Island, and action in Vermont and Connecticut. In Vermont, a bipartisan law widening Vermont’s tightly controlled access to medical cannabis to more patients became law. In Connecticut, legislation cleared the House 89-58 on May 23 and was approved 23-13 in the Senate last Friday. It is now on the desk of Gov. M. Jodi Rell, another Republican, who says she has mixed feelings about signing the bill.

Closer to Wisconsin, in Minnesota, legislation came very close and supporters promise they will pick up where they left off next session. Gov. Pawlenty's veto threat stalled the bill, killing it and many sick and dying Minnesotans hope for legal access to their medicine this sesion. Illinois Senate narrowly voted down a mmj bill.

Here in Wisconsin, legislation will be introduced in the Assembly this fall, to coincide with Jacki Rickert’s Quest for Justice commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the 1997 wheelchair Journey for Justice that Jacki led 210 often soggy miles from Mondovi to Madison.

This time, while other stops are planned, wheelchairs will only roll the last mile to the Capitol. Patients and supporters will gather there to honor those patients who’ve passed on in the intervening ten years, and to kick off the introduction of bipartisan medical cannabis legislation being sponsored by Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and Frank Boyle (D-Superior).

We’ll have more details soon. In the meantime, find out who your legislators are and ask them to cosponsor the mmj bill when it is introduced.