« NORML.ORG: Marijuana Arrests For Year 2007: 872,721 Tops Record High -Five Percent Increase Over 2006- | Main | Michigan voters consider allowing marijuana to ease pain »
September 18, 2008
Medical Cannabis Quest for Justice one year ago today in Madison
Posted by Gary Storck
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Last year, Sept. 18 was the date of the medical cannabis, “Quest for Justice” commemorating the 1997 Wisconsin “Journey For Justice” as well as announcing the introduction of the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act. The event started off with a wheelchair march up State St. to the State Capitol, commemorating the “Last Mile” of the 1997 Journey, and concluded with a press conference in the Capitol’s ornate Senate Parlor, with bill sponsors, patients and supporters click here.
Although the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act did not make it out of the Assembly Health Committee, as its chair, Rep. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) had vowed, one year later, things are looking up for state patients.
In April of 2007, Vukmir also pledged that legal access to medical cannabis would not happen “on her watch”. However, with the GOP margin of control now down to just 2 seats, Vukmir’s watch as committee chair is likely to end if voters give control of the Assembly to Democrats 48 days from today. In addition, Vukmir faces an opponent who, if successful, could completely end her watch at the Capitol.
Across the state, anti-medical cannabis Republican incumbents are facing strong challenges from Democrats more attuned to the will of the people. A handful of GOP moderates who supported medical cannabis, but did not act, are retiring, their seats likely to be filled by Democrats who will.
Meanwhile, a huge development is pending in Michigan. With no organized opposition, medical cannabis is on the ballot and likely to pass easily on Nov. 4, meaning Wisconsin will share a long northern border with the nation’s 13th medical cannabis state.
These events can only give a little hope to long suffering patients and families still Questing for Justice today.
Tags: medical cannabis, Quest for Justice, Jacki Rickert, Leah Vukmir
Posted by Gary at September 18, 2008 12:04 AM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)