Madison NORML

Back in 2004, before his first reappointment to the post by Gov. Doyle, (a curious action as Gov. Doyle has been on record as saying he would sign a medical cannabis bill since at least March 2002) after Treffert had several letters published opposing then-Rep. Gregg Underheim’s medical cannabis bill AB 740, I put up this analysis of his position on the IMMLY site: click here. Note his conflicting positions on Marinol, the pharmaceutically produced synthetic THC (or TCH as he refers to it) that has been a Schedule 3 drug for several years.

Below is a section from the Dec. 5, 2005 minutes click here of what transpired last time the controlled substances board discussed medical cannabis legislation.
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CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES BOARD

DECEMBER 1, 2005

MEETING MINUTES

PRESENT: Cynthia Benning, R.Ph.; Yvonne Bellay, DVM; Robert Block; Darold Treffert, MD; Cecilia Hillard, Ph.D.

STAFF: Tom Ryan, Bureau Director; William Black, DRL Board Counsel; and PJ Monson, Bureau Assistant

EXCUSED: Doug Englebert, R.Ph.

(snip)

AB 740 – medical use of marijuana

Dr. Treffert distributed an article titled Tetrahydrocannabinol and Therapeutic Research Legislation for Cancer Patients. Known therapeutic properties of marijuana and its ingredients were discussed, with the Board noting that it does support ongoing research relating to the therapeutic effectiveness of cannabinoids and their synthetic analogs. Dr. Treffert suggested the Board oppose the use of marijuana for medical use as provided for in AB 740. The Board discussed its specific concerns relating to the proposed legislation.

MOTION: Dr. Treffert moved, seconded by Ms. Hillard, to go on record by issuance of a letter to the chair of the Assembly Health Committee as opposing AB 740, the use of marijuana for medical use. Motion carried unanimously.

MOTION: Dr. Treffert moved, seconded by Ms. Hillard, to allow the Chair or her designee to testify at any hearing. Motion carried unanimously.

The letter will confirm the Board went on record as opposing similar proposed legislation in 1983.

(end of section)

Interesting, as the Therapeutic Cannabis Research Act was actually passed overwhelmingly in 1981 and signed into law in 1982. So he went on record after the fact? That law was rendered symbolic by federal noncooperation anyways, undoubtedly to Dr. Treffert's delight. As a glaucoma patient who had lobbied for that bill, I never got my medicine.

Anyways, fast forward to today. As AB 550 was item F on today’s agenda click here, I arrived a few minutes late to the meeting.

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES BOARD MEETING TELECONFERENCE Room 121A, 1400 East Washington Avenue DRL Contact: Tom Ryan (608) 266-8098 MARCH 6, 2008 9:30 A.M.

(snip)

E. Assembly Bill 477 – relating to salvia divinorum and providing a penalty – Board review
F. Assembly Bill 550 – relating to medical use of marijuana – Board review

(snip)

I found a large conference room with three board members holding the meeting by teleconference. After they had some phone problems and then reconnected the teleconference, they noted my presence. I identified myself as Gary Storck from Is My Medicine Legal YET? The clerk asked what my medicine was, and I replied, “cannabis”.

AB 477, the salvia bill, was also on the agenda and they discussed that. They knew little of the bill’s progress, but at least seemed to acknowledge that salvia is not a problem, but still worthy of more “control”.

Next up was AB 550, the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, although they did not call it that. Once again, Treffert and company had little idea of where it stood, or if it had passed out of committee. They moved on quickly seeming content it was apparently dead for the session.

Then a couple more items, and the last item on the agenda before Adjourning was “Visitor Comments”.

As I had been told to identify myself during teleconference call, and was referred to as a visitor, I assumed I had the right to comment. When I asked for time, one of the members on the phone stated there was no public comment. I protested that I had come out on a very cold day to comment and had waited patiently and proceeded.

I began by saying that Assembly Bill 550 had another name, The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act and gave a brief description of her life of unrelenting severe pain and how she was approved by not only the federal government, but an earlier version of the very same state controlled substances board, for federal medical cannabis, but was never supplied.

Jacki Rickert in New Jeresy, Oct. 2000.

I mentioned another Madison patient who had been harmed by conventional treatments and was alive only due to cannabis. I said their opposition was hurting patients. I also brought up some of Dr. Treffert’s inconsistent statements about Marinol and how he was holding the state back with his close-mindedness. I noted that the nation’s second largest physician group recently issued a position paper supporting medical cannabis. I mentioned that medical cannabis has overwhelming public support. They offered no reaction as I concluded my remarks, looking down uncomfortably while I spoke.

They meet again in June.