Health Commitee Members Silent on Medical Marijuana

Source: The Scene
Pubdate: October 2007
Website: http://scenenewspaper.com/
Contact: jlundstrom@new.rr.com
Author: Jim Lundstrom
Note: This Month's issue is about marijuana. The cover illustration is a small pot plant and the text, "IS MY MEDICINE LEGAL YET?"

HEALTH COMMITEE MEMBERS SILENT ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act will likely be sent to the Assembly Health and Health Care Reform Committee. Bill sponsor Rep. Frank Boyle fears the bill will be buried in the Republican-dominated panel, without a public hearing and without its 13 members ever going on record for or against medical marijuana. We polled the members for their views, and got a phone call from Rep. Wieckert’s office explaining that the bill would have to go through the normal process, and an e-mail from Rep. Sheldon Wasserman, a Milwaukee Democrat, who wrote:

“Thank you for the e-mail message asking my opinion on legislation to allow medical marijuana use in Wisconsin. I have attended forums on the subject of medical marijuana in the past and done some research of my own. However, I am still undecided as to whether Wisconsin should pass a law allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. I am therefore looking forward to participating in legislative hearings on the subject, if a bill is introduced this session.”

Chairwoman Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa), a registered nurse, is already on record against medical marijuana, as quoted in the April 10, 2007 edition of the Wisconsin State Journal: “I will refuse to put members through the circus of a hearing for a bill that is not going to go anywhere. This is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to legalize marijuana, which is not going to happen on my watch.”

If you would like to know where the individual committee members (two of whom are from our area, Rep. Steve Wieckert of Appleton and Rep. Frank Lasee of Green Bay) stand on the medical marijuana issue, you should ask them yourselves. Here’s how:

Chairwoman Rep. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwautosa), 608-266-9180, 608-282-3614 (fax), Rep.Vukmir@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls), 608-266-9172, 608-282-3668 (fax), Rep.Moulton@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Frank Lasee (R-Green Bay), 608-266-9870, (920-406-9488 (district), 608-282-3602 (fax), Rep.Lasee@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton), 608-266-3070, 920-731-3000 (district), 608-282-3657 (fax), Rep.Wieckert@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Patricia Strachota (R-West Bend), 608-264-8486, 608-282-3658 (fax), Rep.Strachota@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Scott Newcomer (R-Hartland), 888-529-0033, 608-282-3633 (fax), Rep.Newcomer@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette), 608-266-2343, Rep.Nygren@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Rich Zipperer (R-Pewaukee) 608-266-5120, Rep.Zipperer@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Sheldon Wasserman (D-Milwaukee), 888-534-0022, 608-282-3622 (fax), Rep.Wasserman@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse), 888-534-0095, 608-282-3695 (fax), Rep.Shilling@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, (D-Milladore), 888-534-0070, 608-282-3670 (fax), Rep.Vruwink@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Charles Benedict (D-Beloit), 608-266-9967, 608-282-3645 (fax), Rep.Benedict@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau), 888-534-0085, 608-282-3685 (fax), Rep.Seidel@legis.wisconsin.gov

Updated Wednesday, October 10, 2007