Marijuana Policy Project

Dear Editor: Ten years ago The Capital Times published the first letter to the editor I ever wrote about medical marijuana. I wrote it days after meeting the medical marijuana "Journey for Justice" at the Capitol on Sept. 18, 1997.

The journey was a 15-patient, 210-mile, seven-day, 4 mph wheelchair march from Mondovi, just south of Eau Claire, to the Capitol. It was led by a very determined woman named Jacki Rickert. We first met that day and have been friends ever since, trying to build awareness of what a difference this simple herb, cannabis, can make in seriously and chronically ill patients' lives.

This year on Sept. 18, Jacki and a number of patients in wheelchairs and on foot, accompanied by more than a dozen supporters and press, rolled up State Street to the Capitol in a "last mile" tribute to fallen patients.

Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, was waiting to greet Jacki. At a press conference, Boyle and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, announced they were introducing new state medical marijuana legislation appropriately titled "the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act."

I report this because readers may be unaware of these developments as the briefing lacked a Capital Times reporter.

In the last 10 years there have been dozens of drug recalls, widespread and growing painkiller addiction, and indications that excreted drugs enter our water supplies. Meanwhile, nontoxic herbal cannabis remains illegal for medicinal use.

Although polling has found that upward of 80 percent of Wisconsinites support legal access, most citizens seem to be content to leave it at that and allow frail, seriously ill patients like Jacki to carry the load.

As special interest bills get the fast track to passage, lack of legal access to medical cannabis puts patients on the fast track to an early grave.

Call and write your legislators early and often. Until people learn to exercise their support for medical marijuana by not just calling and writing, but also voting out those who find ways to justify this cruelty, the frail, the sick, the dying will be on their own.

As Jacki would say, "Just do something!"

Gary Storck, Is My Medicine Legal YET?, Madison