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Is My Medicine Legal YET?
www.IMMLY.org & www.JRMMA.org
For immediate release: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
State Capitol Medical Marijuana Lobby Day and Patient Memorial Wednesday Jan. 20
Mary Powers was a warrior. The wheelchair-bound disabled Army veteran spent the last years of her life battling not only cancer, AIDS and Hepatitis C, but also for her dream of legal access for patients like herself to the medicine that worked best for her - cannabis. Mary passed away quietly in her sleep on Oct. 22, her dream unfulfilled.
On Wed. Jan. 20, Mary's family, friends and supporters of Wisconsin's Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act will gather in the first floor rotunda of the State Capitol for a Memorial for Mary and other patients who ran out of time before legislation to protect them could be passed. Appearing at the Memorial will be Jacki Rickert, Gary Storck, Teresa Shepherd and other state advocates. In addition, Singer-songwriter Rick Harris will perform his Jacki Rickert-inspired song, "Legal Medicine Blues" and Members of the Great Lakes Ogichidaa Society will perform a traditional Native American ceremony in Mary's honor. The Memorial will be in the first floor rotunda, from 12pm-1pm. Immediately following, attendees will fan out to their legislators offices from 1pm-3pm.
New polling has found that 81% of Americans including 75% of Republicans now support legalizing medical marijuana. Medical marijuana legislation will be passed one day in Wisconsin, whether it is this session or some future one. What will be gained by continuing to ignore the will of the people? The JRMMA needs to passed in Jacki Rickert's honor, not her memory!
Hopefully those lawmakers who have doubts or who are having trouble finding the courage to support Wisconsinites in pain by saying they will vote for this bill will take note of the people who come to ask them to vote for it Wednesday; chronically ill, dying, vets, seniors, the disabled. Refusal to vote yes for the JRMMA is a slap in the face to numerous Wisconsinites who would benefit greatly.
Just as New Jersey lawmakers of both parties found the courage to pass medical marijuana in their state, so should Wisconsin legislators. To fail to take advantage of this opportunity to provide basic health care would be a serious dereliction of duty for a group seeking voters' favor this fall.
Is My Medicine Legal YET? is a Mondovi and Madison Wisconsin based grass roots patient and caregiver organization dedicated to advancing public education about the medicinal benefits of cannabis. For further information contact Jacki Rickert or Gary Storck at 608.241.8922 or visit the IMMLY websites at www.IMMLY.org and www.JRMMA.org.
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