Wisconsin Medical marijuana supporters have begun collecting signatures in Janesville and Milton to place advisory referendums on the Nov. 2 ballot in those cities. The nearby City of Edgerton may be next.
The question activists want to place on these local ballots is, "Should the Wisconsin Legislature enact legislation allowing residents with debilitating medical conditions to acquire and possess marijuana for medical purposes if supported by their physician?"
In Dane County where County Supervisor John Hendrick has sponsored a resolution to place the referendum on the County ballot this November, the next step is a July 15 meeting of the Board's Executive Committee. Sup. Hendricks resolution has 12 additional sponsors on a 37 member board.
Efforts are also underway in Western Wisconsin. In River Falls, signature gathering for the referendum has been underway for about a week. In La Crosse, activists are about to start gathering signatures as well as holding a community meeting to explain the process. According to an event page on Facebook, a "La Crosse MMJ Advisory Referendum Signature Collection Meeting" is scheduled for this Monday, June 28, 2010 from 7 - 8 pm at The former Elite Street, 412 Main St. in downtown La Crosse, WI
The advisory referendums will also be on the agenda Monday evening in Madison as the Wil Mar Community Center, 953 Jenifer St., is again the site of a Madison NORML meeting. Members of the group are active in organizing referendum efforts including the Dane County proposal as well as the Milton, Janesville, Edgerton efforts and hopefully Lodi and Rio too.
At this point in time, it is up to local clerks whether additional villages and cities can be added, and activists considering circulating petitions to place an advisory referendum on their community's November 2 ballot should act quickly to consult with their respective clerks.
Advisory referendums and direct legislation are not a new thing to Dane County. In the Nov. 1976 general election, Madison voters strongly supported decriminalization and narrowly supported taxing and regulating cannabis. Two days after the election, on Nov, 4, 1976, the Wisconsin State Journal reported: "Madison voters narrowly affirmed Tuesday by a 38,906 to 38,828 tally that marijuana be made a legal drug like alcohol, tobacco or coffee".
Then, on Tuesday, April 5, 1977, Madison voters passed Referendum Question 6, also known as Madison General Ordinance 23.20, with over 60% of the vote. Madison Ordinance 23.20 legalized private possession of 4 ounces of cannabis, an ounce of concentrated cannabis (hashish) as well as decriminalizing public possession and allowing medical use. The ordinance remains on the books today. This fall, voters in Detroit Michigan will have the opportunity to vote to legalize possession of up to an ounce of cannabis.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: Examiner.com
Copyright: 2010 Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com
Website: MMJ Advisory referendum campaign lifts off as signature gathering begins in more Wisconsin cities
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
The question activists want to place on these local ballots is, "Should the Wisconsin Legislature enact legislation allowing residents with debilitating medical conditions to acquire and possess marijuana for medical purposes if supported by their physician?"
In Dane County where County Supervisor John Hendrick has sponsored a resolution to place the referendum on the County ballot this November, the next step is a July 15 meeting of the Board's Executive Committee. Sup. Hendricks resolution has 12 additional sponsors on a 37 member board.
Efforts are also underway in Western Wisconsin. In River Falls, signature gathering for the referendum has been underway for about a week. In La Crosse, activists are about to start gathering signatures as well as holding a community meeting to explain the process. According to an event page on Facebook, a "La Crosse MMJ Advisory Referendum Signature Collection Meeting" is scheduled for this Monday, June 28, 2010 from 7 - 8 pm at The former Elite Street, 412 Main St. in downtown La Crosse, WI
The advisory referendums will also be on the agenda Monday evening in Madison as the Wil Mar Community Center, 953 Jenifer St., is again the site of a Madison NORML meeting. Members of the group are active in organizing referendum efforts including the Dane County proposal as well as the Milton, Janesville, Edgerton efforts and hopefully Lodi and Rio too.
At this point in time, it is up to local clerks whether additional villages and cities can be added, and activists considering circulating petitions to place an advisory referendum on their community's November 2 ballot should act quickly to consult with their respective clerks.
Advisory referendums and direct legislation are not a new thing to Dane County. In the Nov. 1976 general election, Madison voters strongly supported decriminalization and narrowly supported taxing and regulating cannabis. Two days after the election, on Nov, 4, 1976, the Wisconsin State Journal reported: "Madison voters narrowly affirmed Tuesday by a 38,906 to 38,828 tally that marijuana be made a legal drug like alcohol, tobacco or coffee".
Then, on Tuesday, April 5, 1977, Madison voters passed Referendum Question 6, also known as Madison General Ordinance 23.20, with over 60% of the vote. Madison Ordinance 23.20 legalized private possession of 4 ounces of cannabis, an ounce of concentrated cannabis (hashish) as well as decriminalizing public possession and allowing medical use. The ordinance remains on the books today. This fall, voters in Detroit Michigan will have the opportunity to vote to legalize possession of up to an ounce of cannabis.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: Examiner.com
Copyright: 2010 Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com
Website: MMJ Advisory referendum campaign lifts off as signature gathering begins in more Wisconsin cities
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
