MEDICAL MARIJUANA, BOGUS OR LEGIT

Is your medicine legal?

Jacki Rickert's isn't. The Wisconsin mother suffers from several
incurable medical conditions and says the only effective treatment is
marijuana.

Rickert joined two state legislators and other medical marijuana
supporters in late Sept. for a press conference to announce the
introduction of new medical marijuana legislation.

It was a symbolic day for Rickert, as it marks the 10-year anniversary
of the "Journey-for-Justice," a 210-mile trek across the state Rickert
and an entourage of medical marijuana supporters made in their
wheelchairs that ended at the Capitol.

In honor of Rickert, Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, and Rep. Mark
Pocan, D-Madison, named the new legislation the "Jacki Rickert Medical
Marijuana Act."

Rickert is the founder and patient coordinator of Is My Medicine Legal
Yet (IMMLY), a nonprofit group dedicated to spreading awareness,
furthering access to and research of marijuana for medical use.

Century 21 - Hilgart Realty, Inc. - 200x135 "We know it works. We know
it's not going to kill us," Rickert said. "I have never had an
allergic reaction to a God-given herb."

IMMLY efforts are meant to support those with a variety of chronic and
fatal medical conditions. If passed, patients would have to qualify
with the Department of Health and Family Services to receive medicinal
marijuana.

Victims of cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, persistent seizures and muscle
spasms would be eligible to qualify for medical marijuana under this
legislation.

If someone [has the] written consent of their physician or [has]
obtained a valid registry card from the DHFS, ... they would be allowed
to have possession or be able to grow a certain amount of medicinal
marijuana.

Medicinal marijuana, the IMMLY believes, can benefit people of all
ages.

A similar version of the bill was introduced by Boyle and Pocan in
2001. Former Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, introduced the
legislation again in 2003 and 2005; however, it failed to progress
through the Legislature on all three occasions.

"We want to make sure that this is the year Wisconsin gets it," Boyle
said. "Twelve states have now legalized medical marijuana, and I'm
sick and tired of the state of Wisconsin dying a most regressive death
in what used to be progressive tradition."

Rep. Scott Suder (Rep.) -Abbotsford, said he opposes legalizing
medical marijuana. "I've always opposed the bill because it would only
serve to add a loophole for those who want to claim medical purposes
for smoking pot. Many of those trying to get medical marijuana
approval simply want to smoke pot."

UPDATE:

Senate hearing turns emotional

A state senate committee heard heated testimony last Wed., Nov. 14, at
the Capitol both for and against medicinal marijuana.

The Committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance and Job Creation
held a public information hearing about medical marijuana featuring
testimony from three "expert witnesses" followed by responses from the
public.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, who chairs the committee, said he was
approached with the idea to hold the hearing "years ago" when he first
took office, by Gary Storck, co-founder of IMMLY.

"I've asked questions of a lot of doctors and ... a slim majority of
them seem to think if that's what's going to make the patient feel
better and control the pain better they're not opposed to it,"
Erpenbach said. "Some are opposed to it simply because, as they put
it, there is no scientific proof."

The two key witnesses in favor of medicinal marijuana were David
Bearman, a practicing physician from Santa Barbara, Calif., and Chris
Fichtner from Illinois. Fichtner is a psychiatrist who is the former
head of mental health for the Illinois Department of Health and Human
Services.

According to Bearman, one of the biggest problems with legalizing
marijuana is the stigma that surrounds the substance. The federal
government has labeled it a "schedule one substance" along with other
drugs deemed not medically beneficial. He said he believes there is
plenty of research that proves this wrong.

Dr. David Bearman is one of thousands of medical doctors who supports
legalizing pot for patients.

The fact of the matter is that 75-to-80 percent of Americans in any
poll done in the last 25 years has favored the legalization of medical
marijuana.

The California physician who graduated from the University of
Wisconsin says it's next to impossible for patients suffering from
debilitating pain to find a doctor to prescribe medical marijuana.

Dr. Bearman testified at an informational Health Committee hearing at
the State Capitol in support of the controversial drug. As for
prescribing legal painkillers for patients in pain, he says, if they
can find one that even works, there are usually too many side effects,
so patients must take other medications to alleviate those side
effects, only to create new ones, which need more meds. He says these
people are not criminals.

The federal government is expending precious federal dollars going
around arresting people with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease
and failed back syndrome.

Dr. Bearman says he pre-screens each patient to make sure they have a
well-documented, bona fide diagnosis. Opponents worry about the
potential for abuse, saying people might use it for recreational use.

Bearman is originally from Rice Lake, Wisconsin. He graduated from the
UW in '63 before eventually finding his way to California.

Addressing concerns of the committee, it was said that marijuana is
not physically addictive, causing less dependency than coffee.

Following Bearman's testimony, Fichtner said there is no outlet for
the discussion of marijuana outside the realm of substance abuse. He
said there needs to be legal research performed to make marijuana and
all the chemicals in it specialized to treat different types of
ailments -- but such research is not allowed right now.

Fichtner also addressed a Yale study that linked marijuana use to
increased psychotic brain activity. He called the findings of the
study misleading and said the methods were flawed.

In response to a question from the committee, Fichtner addressed the
argument that marijuana serves as a "gateway" for users to try other,
more dangerous drugs.

According to studies, alcohol has proven to serve as a gateway drug at
a much higher rate than marijuana.

Storck and fellow IMMLY co-founder Jackie Rickert gave emotional
testimony, during which Rickert fought to hold back the tears as she
described her physical ailments and how marijuana has allowed her to
play with her grandchildren.

Donna Daniels, state coordinator for Parent Corps, a national drug
prevention program, spoke in opposition to the idea of legalizing the
substance for medical use.

"Research has shown that marijuana is an addictive substance," Daniels
said. "Making medical marijuana legal is a stepping-stone to other
legalization."

The bill authored by Boyle and Pocan, would allow patients with
debilitating medical conditions to get marijuana, if authorized by
their doctors. It provides a medical necessity defense for pot-related
prosecutions and seizures, sets maximum allowable amounts, prohibits
doctors acting in good faith from being arrested, and creates a
marijuana-user registry.

Editors Note: Medical marijuana is currently legal in: Maine , New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California,
Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii. In Wisconsin, a poll
conducted by Chamberlain Research Consultants showed a 75.7 percent
support for legislation to permit patients with serious illnesses to use
marijuana for medical purposes with their physicians' approval.