June 2017

Wisconsin pot decriminalization bill has support across political spectrum

Wisconsin's historic new bipartisan cannabis decriminalization bill Senate Bill 318 includes a number of sponsors of cannabis law reform legislation not seen before the current legislative session. Not only is the lead Assembly sponsor a Republican, Rep. Adam Jarchow (R-Balsam Lake), there are five other GOP cosponsors, Kathleen Bernier (R-Lake Hallie), Reps. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield), Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc) and Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh). Jarchow and his five GOP colleagues are also sponsors of the bipartisan industrial hemp legislation AB183/SB119.

Exclusive: Racine Greens launch direct legislation campaign for $1 pot fines

Green Party activists in the city of Racine launched a campaign June 2 to collect a minimum 3870 signatures for direct legislation on lowering fines for possession of cannabis to $1. The Racine effort comes just as NORML activists completed a direct legislation campaign in the village of West Milwaukee. Previously, Dane County, Milwaukee, Fitchburg, Stevens Point, Monona and Middleton all reduced pot fines and activists are working to reduce Middleton’s as low as a $1.

Pot Could Solve Many Problems: Gary Storck: Wisconsin State Journal

Here’s a letter I wrote responding to the recent introduction of state cannabis decriminalization legislation. The letter was published in the print edition of the Saturday, June 10, 2017 Wisconsin State Journal and on their website. As I note in the letter, while decriminalization beats Wisconsin’s current harsh pot laws, many other states are moving forward on legalization while we wait.

Gary Storck, Wisconsin State Journal PUB LTE June 10, 2017

Here is a link to the online version on Madison.com:

Pot could solve many state problems — Gary Storck

DAV Wisconsin passes resolution supporting medical cannabis access for veterans

Disabled American Veterans Wisconsin passed a resolution supporting medical marijuana access for Wisconsin veterans with service-connected disabilities at their State Convention in Green Bay on June 1-3, 2017. The resolution was drafted and presented by members of the group, Wisconsin Veterans for Compassionate Care.

The resolution was written by Steven Acheson and Kenneth L. Kuehnl, Jr., and presented at the convention by Mark Pendergast with the support of Trevor Sands and his daughter, Erica.