cannabisnews.com: Olson: Let Medical Users Grow Marijuana 





Olson: Let Medical Users Grow Marijuana 
Posted by CN Staff on August 20, 2002 at 12:29:04 PT
By Judith Davidoff 
Source: Capital Times
Ald. Judy Olson wants users of medical marijuana to be able to grow their own plants within the city limits. "This gives people a source of marijuana," said Olson, who plans to introduce the proposal to the City Council. "They don't have to interact with the black market to acquire it." Under current city law, it's a crime to obtain - but not use - marijuana in Madison.
Olson said she is still working out the details of the proposal with members of the Progressive Dane Drug Policy Task Force, which is presenting the recommendations from its year-and-a-half-long study of local drug policy at a news conference this afternoon. In addition to backing Olson's medical marijuana proposal, the Progressive Dane task force is also recommending that city police officers use their discretion under city law to issue citations for simple marijuana use, rather than press criminal charges as allowed under state law. Since 1977, Section 23.20 of the Madison General Ordinances has prescribed that casual possession of marijuana is not a crime and that no public record be made of any arrests or violations of the ordinance. The task force is also calling for local law enforcement officials to be more thoroughly educated on drug laws and their implications. "A lot of people who are responsible for passing laws regarding drug policy and enforcing them weren't aware of specific laws and their ramifications," said Stephanie Rearick, chair of the task force. Rearick said some of the officials the task force met with over the last year, for instance, were not aware that students with drug conviction records could be denied federal financial aid. Olson said individuals with drug convictions can also be denied federal housing assistance. The bottom line, said Rearick, is that the nation's misdirected war on drugs has failed to address the problem of rampant drug use while filling prisons with nonviolent offenders and trampling on civil liberties. "It is painfully apparent that we need to redirect our efforts toward finding solutions that work," she said. But Rearick added that Madison, despite its shortcomings, still had a more progressive drug policy than most cities. "Madison is doing better than most places in the country," she said. "If we work together and pull in all the different resources, we can and come up with a deliberate plan as to what we'd like our city drug policy to be. We'd be all that much more ahead." Rearick said the purpose of today's news conference was to kick-start a public discussion on local drug policy as a first step toward developing a comprehensive approach to drug use and abuse. The task force supports the City Council's creation of a city committee to study drug policy enforcement, she said, but the panel's ongoing work should not be used as an excuse to delay action on more immediate steps. The task force recommends that: Addicts undergoing methadone treatment have access to this treatment while incarcerated in the Dane County jail. Drug-related property forfeitures be phased out. Dane County partner with the city in developing a comprehensive hard drugs policy. Measures designed to alleviate poverty and create more affordable housing options be supported as an alternative to the city's defunct loitering ordinance. "Harm reduction" programs, such as needle exchanges, drug education for young people and pill testing at raves, should be implemented. Overdose victims who call 911 for help will not face prosecution based on the call.Source: Capital Times, The (WI)Author: Judith Davidoff Published: August 20, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Capital TimesContact: tctvoice madison.comWebsite: http://www.captimes.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Is My Medicine Legal Yet?http://www.immly.org/Medical Marijuana User Decries Drug War http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13724.shtmlMan Says Pot Relieves Effects of Eye Diseasehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13223.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on August 20, 2002 at 21:09:44 PT
Thanks Gary 
I'll keep my eyes open for articles tomorrow! I love to read positive news! 
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Comment #5 posted by Gary Storck on August 20, 2002 at 21:03:34 PT
A great night for drug policy reform in Madison
Our event came off great tonight! At least 75 in attendance, including the DA, Asst. Police Chief and others, plus alders, candidates, Progressive Dane members, and a good cross section of local reformers and interested parties including a guy who drove 70 miles to attend. A full room! People seemed very receptive, and dialogues were opened.Should be some more good articles tomorrow!
IMMLY
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on August 20, 2002 at 14:39:34 PT
p4me
Without looking for the info.The next election will include ballot ?s in DC & Michigan allowing medical use, is that right? There is also going to be ?s in Nevada and Arizone.  One of Wisconsins hopes must be for more states to pass legislation through their ballot initiatives, which sooner or later will perhaps force other states w/o to join in.Plus there is that H.R. bill... http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread13439.shtml"""On Wednesday, July 24, Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX), along with former top aide to President Ronald Reagan, Lyn Nofziger, will be holding a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to discuss H.R. 2592, the States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, This bill is urgently needed to amend federal law so that states that wish to permit the legal use of marijuana as a medicine for seriously ill patients may do so, without interference from the federal government. Until now, this health care proposal has received very little attention from either the House leadership or the news media. The bill was introduced on July 23, 2001, and referred to the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Despite bipartisan co-sponsorship from 36 members of Congress, the committee has failed to schedule a hearing or vote on H.R. 2592, effectively cutting off all Congressional debate on the proposal.""" 
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 20, 2002 at 13:22:07 PT
Thanks Gary
Good Luck and let us know!
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Comment #2 posted by Gary Storck on August 20, 2002 at 13:20:20 PT
Wisconsin not an initiative state
Unfortunately, we have to try to work with the legislature here, which is in the middle of a huge scandal, and has been too partisan to do the right thing so far. Hopefully, we'll get some new faces this November, and a new governor who will lead.But Madison Ord. 23.20 started with an initiative in Madison in 1976 and became law in 1977 when the City Council enacted it into law.Hopefully we will be able to get the mmj growing provision added to 23.20.Tonight's event, the Progressive Dane Drug Policy Task Force's first "State of the City of Madison Drug Policy" Address & presentation should be very interesting. There has been a lot of local media interest.I'll let y'all know how it goes!Gary
Drug Policy Forum of Wisconsin
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Comment #1 posted by p4me on August 20, 2002 at 13:08:37 PT
On Wisconsin
Isn't there a MMJ ballot iniative in Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin this November 5th? The big news had to be the Hempfest and you know who has the best coverage of the 150,000 weekend jam? Richard Cowan at http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=572 
Copy will follow:
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 Posted August 19, 2002
(MarijuanaNews note: The Seattle Hempfest is a truly amazing accomplishment. There are over one thousand volunteers, and this year’s attendance was up a whopping 50% over last year’s 100,000. I am filled with admiration and appreciation for our friends who manage this event. It has become "a force to be reckoned with." 
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