MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL NAMED FOR MONDOVI RESIDENT

A new medical marijuana bill named for Mondovi resident Jacki
Rickert, a longtime Wisconsin medical cannabis patient-activist, will
be introduced in the coming weeks. In a press conference Tuesday,
Sept. 18, in the Senate Parlor at the State Capitol in Madison, State
Reps. Frank Boyle (D-Superior) and Mark Pocan (D-Madison), announced
they are planning to introduce "The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana
Act" in early October, calling it Wisconsin's "most comprehensive
medical marijuana legislation to date

"I'm real proud that for the first time we are giving the bill a real
name," Boyle said. "This bill will forever be known as the Jacki Rickert Bill."

Ten years ago in September 1997, Rickert led 15 medical marijuana
patients on a 210-mile wheelchair "Journey for Justice" from Mondovi
to Madison, which reached the Capitol on Sept. 18, 1997. The 1997
Journey for Justice was dedicated to the memory of Jacki's late
physician, William E. Wright, of Mondovi, who gained approval for her
participation in a federal medical marijuana program only to see
George Bush the elder close it to new patients in 1992. Prior to
Wednesday's press conference, Jacki led a "Last Mile" wheelchair
march up Madison's State St. to the Capitol as part of a "Quest for
Justice" commemorating the 1997 Journey and honoring patients who
passed on in the decade since.

Rickert, the first of a group of medical cannabis patients to speak
at the press conference, noted, "You see living, breathing, rolling,
walking evidence right here. We wouldn't come all this way to lie to
you. Why would anyone lie about something like this? It would be much
easier to just stay at home and go, 'hey, it's not my problem.'"

Rickert is also the founder and patient coordinator of Is My Medicine
Legal Yet? (immly.org), a non-profit group dedicated to spreading
awareness and furthering access to and research of, cannabis for medical use.

"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."

"The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act" is now being circulated for
cosponsors and will be formally introduced and given a bill number in
early October. Jacki's group is also working with the office of State
Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), on an informational hearing on
medical cannabis to be held in Erpenbach's Senate Health committee
this November. State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) is the vice
chair of the committee. To contact your state legislators, call the
State Legislative Hotline Toll-free at: 1-800-362-9472.