cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijauna Bill Gets Second Chance Medical Marijauna Bill Gets Second Chance Posted by FoM on December 10, 2001 at 15:18:55 PT By Stan Milam, Capitol News Service Source: Daily Press Much like the debilitating diseases that relentlessly wear away patients until death finally takes over -- Rep. Frank Boyle says he has been just as relentless in trying to provide some of those patients with pain relief through the prescribed medical use of marijuana. Boyle, D-Superior, has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday to announce that he'll reintroduce a bill to legalize the prescribed medical use of marijuana. He will be joined at the news conference by the bill's cosponsor, Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison. Pocan and Boyle introduced a similar bill in the last session of the Legislature. The bill received a public hearing, but Republican legislative leaders did not schedule an Assembly vote.Boyle said he will continue to purse a medical marijuana bill, regardless of past resistance."This is something I'll never give up on," Boyle said during an interview Friday. "For some people enduring unbelievable pain, marijuana is the only relief. Many of these people are terminally ill and marijuana is the only relief available to them."Boyle said critics of the legislation must get beyond the illegal, dangerous drug mentality when dealing with the medical use of marijuana."We're not talking here about pot parties," Boyle said. "Most physicians agree there's a place for marijuana in the treatment of some diseases and the side effects of some treatments. Yet, current law treats the use of marijuana -- any use, medical or otherwise -- as a felony in the same class as heroin and crack cocaine."Marijuana use for medical reasons is not a new concept, Boyle said.This is something that's been going on for a thousand years. In the United States, the American Medical Association was recommending marijuana use for some treatments a hundred years ago until it was criminalized."That move to remove legalization was upheld by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in May. Some states however, have legalized marijuana use for medical purposes either by ballot referendum or the traditional legislative process.Boyle said he hopes Wisconsin will follow the lead of other states."As many as 23 bills were introduced nationwide two years ago when we introduced our bill," Boyle said. "I suspect that at last that many have been introduced around the country during this legislative session."For some patients with glaucoma and those wasting away from the effects of chemotherapy, marijuana is their only relief," Boyle said. "I simply won't relent, I won't stop pushing this until they get the relief the deserve. It's the only human response to this I know of."Source: Daily Press, The (WI)Author: Stan Milam, Capitol News ServicePublished: Monday, December 10th, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Daily PressContact: ashpress win.bright.netWebsite: http://www.ashland-wi.com/placed/Related Articles & Web Site:Wisconsin NORMLhttp://www.winorml.org Boyle, Others Testify on Medical Marijuana Bill http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9362.shtmlPatient Touts Benefits of Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9339.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #15 posted by FoM on December 11, 2001 at 16:50:15 PT Good Start Gary Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Gary Storck on December 11, 2001 at 16:24:53 PT Channel 3000 article Just viewed a nice report on the bill from Channel 3 here in Madison, with footage from the 1997 Journey for Justice including Jacki Rickert, John Precup, and George McMahon and his tin of federal mmj.Here's something from their website:http://www.channel3000.com/news/1122466/detail.htmlState Lawmakers Propose Legalizing Medicinal Marijuana Bill Would Allow Growth Or Sale With Doctor's ConsentPOSTED: 1:37 p.m. CST December 11, 2001 UPDATED: 3:51 p.m. CST December 11, 2001MADISON -- A couple of Democratic state lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday that legalizes marijuana use for medicinal purposes.It would allow people to grow or buy marijuana if their doctor gave them a statement consenting to its use to manage pain or increase appetites.The bill offered by Rep.s Frank Boyle, of Superior, and Mark Pocan, of Madison, has the endorsement of Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Ed Thompson, who said, "It's high time the Legislature recognizes how important this is."Critics said there's no conclusive evidence that marijuana works to relieve pain where other drugs fail.Copyright 2001 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Drug Policy Forum of WI [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on December 11, 2001 at 14:23:52 PT Thanks Gary I know that Dr. Russo is a God Send to all of us. I have his Handbook of Psychotropic Herbs and the Journals of Cannabis Therapeutics. I hope Jacki is feeling ok. I know how sick she is. Give her my best wishes. When I quit taking prescription drugs years ago I set out to try to figure out why I felt I needed the drugs I took and what did they do that made me feel better. When a person quits drugs and gets through withdrawal, mental or physical or both, they feel like a big empty spot is left and that's what I felt like and I started looking for herbs that could help me feel normal again if that makes sense. Dr. Russo's book is a book I sure could have used in that time. We have a friend that is an Orthopedic Surgeon and is hard to understand some times in a regular conversation but Dr. Russo is just like one of us and that is so cool! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Ethan Russo MD on December 11, 2001 at 14:15:26 PT: Gary! It is great that you are out there in the trenches to spread the word. One reason to publish this journal is to provide the "ammunition" that people need to establish the bona fide medical properties of cannabis. It will mean nothing unless the word is spread by you and the thousands of others who feel as we do.My heartfelt thanks. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Gary Storck on December 11, 2001 at 14:03:13 PT Will Do FOM, and something else I had borrowed a friend's Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics who came with me to the event, and we showed it to Rep. Boyle who was quite impressed and spoke about it and held it up during the press conference.Thanks to Dr. Russo and all he does, including the Journal. With documentation like that in hand we can prove the science is there and the only thing needed is courage for the politicians to finally do the right thing. Jacki Rickert and I also prepared an IMMLY press release with a statemennt from Jacki, who was unable to attend, that was included as patient testimony in the press handout prepared by the Reps and distributed to the press.Ed Thompson's press release, "THOMPSON ENDORSES BOYLE/POCAN MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL" is at: http://www.wispolitics.com/freeser/pr/pr0112/Dec11/pr01121103.htmlGary Is My Medicine Legal YET? [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on December 11, 2001 at 13:38:00 PT Gary One More Request Please don't waste your time setting any article up because the link is what I need and I can do the rest. I can get an article posted fairly quickly that way. Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on December 11, 2001 at 13:31:28 PT Way To Go Gary! I am having terrible phone line problems and I can barely move around C News and other sites so finding articles is taking me a long time. If you would send me a link to any articles that sure would help me out. Keep up the good work! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Gary Storck on December 11, 2001 at 12:45:53 PT The Press Conference went well, IMHO Just got back from the press conference. Frank Boyle led off with a passionate case for mmj, followed by Rep. Pocan with bill details, etc., then Tiffany Richards of the WI Nurses Association.They then took Q&A for the dozen or so media there.Finally, there was a surprise appearance by Libertarian WI Governor candidate Ed Thompson.I expect there should a number of articles statewide about this. I did a couple interviews for radio.It was a good beginning, but a lot of hard work lies ahead. If you live in WI, this is the time to write your Reps, the Governor, and the Assembly Speaker.Gary Storck Is My Medicine Legal YET? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by p4me on December 11, 2001 at 11:22:17 PT its about time I do not see how 70 percent of the people are for medicinal MJ and we tolerate politicians lying and supporting total prohibition until the pill industry figures a way to cash in on the medicinal value of cannabinoids. I hope everyone that is informed by the articles at Cnews participates in an online forum or two. Since the media does not get the true story out those of us concerned about the sick and dying need to flood the internet with the truth. As far as voting for Frank Boyle, I do not know if I would or not. When a company gets bought out or changes the top manager it is often deemed necessary to fire all the old employs and make a fresh start. I guess I would vote for this guy though since he is a leader in trying to get medicinal MJ to those who need it. There was an excellent article written by an average Joe called "Prohibit Prohibition" at MJ.com. It is starting to work its way down the list is probably six or seven down by now. I will e-mail him and see if he will post it here or it may be someone that informed would also read Cnews. Yesterday China was admitted into the WTO and it will be interesting to see if they start exporting some reasonably priced hemp clothing to America. Also at the Dutch Experience the MEP for that area of the UK, Chris Davies will be turning himself in at 10AM this Saturday to the Stockport police. He will be carrying soapbar, the nasty stuff that gets into the country with all kinds of additives that makes it nasty enough for people to get arrested to let them smoke and use real stuff. It is ashame for those people that have breed different strains of MJ over the centuries not to have their product see the light of day. Anyway this will be a big event with tv coverage and was the reason there was no demonstration last week. It will take about three hours to process him and then there will be a speech at an elevated platform used for singing and such in the middle of town telling why he took the steps he did. The Liberal Democrats have adopted the legalization platform and have taken to the airwaves and press to say so. They are the #3 party now and this is sure to help their party. The sad note is the DE is not making any money just selling coffee. The staff is working for free. People are coming in knowing they will not get arrested for smoking but the DE itself is not selling any MJ. Saturday will be a big day in the UK.Vote against all prohibitionist and throw your used screens in their yard. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by i420 on December 11, 2001 at 04:46:04 PT LETS ROLL.... God man this guy at first I had to look to see if this article was from the U.K. or another world.... wow ! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by E_Johnson on December 10, 2001 at 22:18:40 PT Sick people can't have parties? "We're not talking here about pot parties," Boyle said. "Most physicians agree there's a place for marijuana in the treatment of some diseases and the side effects of some treatments.Some physicians even agree there's a place for parties! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on December 10, 2001 at 17:38:06 PT Frank Boyle " i simply won't relent, I won't stop pushing this until they get the relief that they deserve. It's the only human response to this I know of."The man has one helluva head on his shoulders. Are you sure he is an American politician from Wisconsin? Here we have a leader, nonpariel.He needs to call a meeting and visit heart to heart with all of the other politicians who refuse to listen. They should sit and listen to what he has to say. The positive effects are enormous.They will probably all turn to each other and say, "Well we didn't know."Frank Boyle will be able to say, "It is about time you listen because, yes, you do not know."The sooner, the better, it is something that he will never give up on. Legalization will move forward. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Gary Storck on December 10, 2001 at 17:34:06 PT Press Release from Reps. Boyle and Pocan Wisconsin Legislature __________________________________________________________ P.O. BOX 8952 MADISON, WI 53708 PRESS ADVISORY December 10, 2001 For More Information, Contact: Rep. Mark Pocan, 266-8570 Rep. Frank Boyle, 266-0640Medical Marijuana Legislation to be Unveiled Bi-partisan proposal is the first comprehensive bill on Medical Marijuana introduced in WIMadison – State Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and State Representative Frank Boyle (D-Superior) will be introducing Medical Marijuana legislation in Wisconsin. The measure is based on Hawaii's Medical Marijuana law and would allow patients to use medical marijuana if authorized by their doctor.Eight states have currently passed Medical Marijuana laws due to marijuana's wide range of therapeutic applications and has bi-partisan support of democrats, republicans, and libertarians. Please join Rep. Pocan, Rep. Boyle and Tiffany Richards as they discuss this new legislation.WHO: State Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison). State Representative Frank Boyle (D-Superior). Tiffany Richards, Wisconsin Nurses Association. Testimony from former medical marijuana patients. WHAT: Press conference to discuss legislation allowing medical marijuana in Wisconsin. WHERE: Assembly Parlor, State Capitol. WHEN: Tuesday, December 11 th at 11:00 a.m. - 30 - Drug Policy Forum of Wisconsin [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Gary Storck on December 10, 2001 at 16:49:42 PT Thanks, JR! You are right! Frank Boyle is a courageous rep. Here in WI, we are keeping our fingers crossed that this bill ends up going somewhere. The people want it, but will the pols have the courage to do the right thing?Another inaccuracy in the article is that there was an mmj bill last session. Actually it was the one before, introduced in 1997 at the conclusion of the wheelchair WI Journey for Justice, led by IMMLY Founder Jacki Rickert that traveled 210 miles from Mondovi to Madison. With potential Republican co-sponsors this time, hopefully there will be a chance for patients to tell their stories.We will see! The news conference should be very interestung, and I'll be there.Gary Storck Is My Medicine Legal YET? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on December 10, 2001 at 16:18:48 PT Frank Boyle - An incumbent worth re-electing >>That move to remove legalization was upheld by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in May. Bad Journalism in action. The Supreme Court ruling was only about the distribution, not the medical use by patients themselves. However, those of you living in Wisconsin should remember the name Frank Boyle. He sounds like an oasis of reason in the midst of the desert of modern politics. I'd say he's a keeper. That guy who repeatedly posts "vote out all incumbents" would probably even agree. Re-elect Frank Boyle! And in the meantime, if you're one of his constituents, please write to him and thank him for all his work. Just a couple stories ago there was a sherriff who said that a lot of people he talked to in high places believed in legalization but were afraid to speak out because the community support wasn't there. Frank Boyle is speaking out - let's let him know the community supports his actions! Frank Boyle contact information [ Post Comment ] Post Comment