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Wisconsin Medical Marijuana Advisory Referenda Pass

Submitted by Phillip Smith on
Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy

Voters in Dane County (Madison), Wisconsin, and the city of River Falls both approved medical marijuana advisory referenda Tuesday. The non-binding measures are aimed at building political support for passage of a medical marijuana bill in the state legislature.

2009 demonstration by "Is My Medicine Legal Yet?" (IMMLY)
In Dane County, the medical marijuana advisory referendum won with an impressive 75.5% of the vote. That made it more popular than any of the candidates running for election in the county. It also won all of the wards of state Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Beaver Dam).

In River Falls, where an advisory referendum on medical marijuana was spearheaded by Alderman Bob Hughes, the measure passed with 68% of the vote.

But the prospects for passage of a medical marijuana bill in the legislature are tough. Advocates will be faced with a hostile Republican governor, Scott Walker, a hostile attorney general in JB Van Hollen, and a state legislature now in the hands of Republicans. Arch-medical marijuana nemesis Leah Vukmir won a state Senate seat and will likely chair a key health committee.

Still, voters in two Wisconsin jurisdictions have put legislators on notice that medical marijuana is a winning issue.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Ignaz Semmelweis (not verified)

Congratulations Wisconsin activists!!

Thu, 11/04/2010 - 2:10pm Permalink
Kenneth Koeh (not verified)

It's about time. Wisconsin used to be a progressive state; but I think it no longer falls into that camp. Shameful.  I grew up there as a young man.

Fri, 11/05/2010 - 1:54pm Permalink

We can do more of referendums around the state. Next round we've considered doing it with legalization language rather than medical as well as making them binding.

It's up to you to initiate the process. It must be someone within the village or city limits who files the paperwork, then at the end turns in signatures. You are not alone in this, we can help.

We're looking for people to stand up and help move this forward in Wisconsin. We will do all we can to collect the needed signatures with you, but you have to take the first steps.

Contact us ( [email protected] ), or contact your village or city clerk. Or work with your county board supervisor.

This can be done for the spring elections or fall elections. Let's get some on the spring ballot in 2011 to continue to show this new group of legislators and the remaining legislators that this is important to Wisconsin.  It keeps the conversation going. 
Fri, 11/05/2010 - 2:22pm Permalink
GB Student (not verified)

Fortunately, once the FDA approves drugs like Sativex this entire campaign for medical marijuana legalization will be a non-issue. 

Mon, 11/22/2010 - 1:18am Permalink
Patches (not verified)

In reply to by GB Student (not verified)

While breakthroughs like Sativex and Marinol are potential replacements for medical marijuana patients, it's still not at the point where it can completely replace real cannabis. We still aren't capable of making a synthetic THC that treats as well or the range of treatments that true cannabis uses. Trust me because I am a patients and I have tried both. Neither seem to work at level that real cannabis does.

Tue, 12/07/2010 - 9:48pm Permalink
Patches (not verified)

While breakthroughs like Sativex and Marinol are potential replacements for medical marijuana patients, it's still not at the point where it can completely replace real cannabis. We still aren't capable of making a synthetic THC that treats as well or the range of treatments that true cannabis uses. Trust me because I am a patients and I have tried both. Neither seem to work at level that real cannabis does.

Tue, 12/07/2010 - 9:45pm Permalink
Patches (not verified)

While breakthroughs like Sativex and Marinol are potential replacements for medical marijuana patients, it's still not at the point where it can completely replace real cannabis. We still aren't capable of making a synthetic THC that treats as well or the range of treatments that true cannabis uses. Trust me because I am a patients and I have tried both. Neither seem to work at level that real cannabis does.

Tue, 12/07/2010 - 9:46pm Permalink
Peaceful Person (not verified)

Go forward Wisconsin, so I and dozens if not hundreds dont have to move out of state and seek residency elseware. MMMM??!!

Tue, 02/01/2011 - 2:29pm Permalink
MarkyDizzle (not verified)

This is a great moment in history but lets push on. Liquor is legal and it is a substance that has proven to kill over and over. There are studies supporting health benefits of marijuana and it is a much safer alternative than liquor even recreationally. It's time that the facts effect our law. I'm tired of ignorant money hungry 1 minded people. Why must the American people constantly be pushed towards liquor which causes so much damage in society when marijuana grows from the ground and is such a better choice?
 

Wed, 03/30/2011 - 1:49pm Permalink
BKASHmayle (not verified)

with all of the medications on the market today you are always hearing about recalls on dangerous medications, lawyers are running commercials to help you sue the companies who push these dangerous drugs and when you see the commercials advertising drug after drug, the side effects far out weigh the possible benefits of these prescription drugs, not to mention that our nations healthcare system is a monopoly, (sorry sir your insurance wont cover this operation, plz exit to the door on the left, there is a Dumpster waiting for your arrival) we are being treated like garbage, the only reason marijuana is not legal is because Medicare would loose its ass, marijuana has more than 3,000 medical uses and our brain has cannabis receptors, (our bodies were designed to be compatible with marijuana) for recreational as well as medicinal uses, because of Mary-jane's flowers, the government has decided it is too dangerous for citizens to have the choice to use, wait a minute, we live in the land of the free? more like The land of the SHUT THE FUCK UP AND DO AS YOUR TOLD. people will continue to use marajuana regardless of it legality, got to go my pizza is done, thanks for reading, lol leave a comment, what you think matters and anyone who says otherwise is a terrorist of your civil liberties, (idk what civil liberties are, it just sounded like a good word to throw in there)

 

i realize this is kind of unorganized but i dont relly think many ppl will even take the tme to read something they should aklready know, thanks for your time, :)

Mon, 01/02/2012 - 3:47pm Permalink
pop=a=bud (not verified)

It's time for the gov. to understand that they are spending millions on a battle that can't be won. I have been on many meds for a long time and I finally gave in to the one thing that has always given me relief and I don.t mind the extra buzz but I have managed to stop some of my  pain meds that did nothing more than constipate me. believe it or not there are many closet tokers tha have no idea how important it is to let the the gov. know. All you closet smokers have to get out and fight for your beliefs

Fri, 11/23/2012 - 3:17am Permalink

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