We commonly get asked “What is a Field Activist?”.  Simply stated, they are individuals acting locally and reporting regionally.  Field Activists put the act in activism through a variety of ways.  Field Activists donate time, services and money to the chapter.  Just like cannabis consumers and reform supporters, each Field Activist is unique.  But to give some examples, they:

• Participate in letter writing campaigns.
• Find business/retail locations where we can display our cards, brochures and donation boxes (and also make sure materials are always present!)
• Monitor ongoing legislation at the local, state and federal level.
• Engage with local, state and federal elected officials through email, phone, letter and/or attending town hall/listening sessions when these elected officials come to their local area (HINT:  There are many elected officials, on the state level 33 Senators and 99 Representatives, which sometimes hold these meetings the coincide with each other.  Local field activists pay attention and research when these opportunities are available and act upon them!)
• Find and research concerts, fairs and other public events where we WOULD BE ALLOWED to table or have a booth.
• Assist with new member recruitment and help with fundraising
• Add content to website and social media campaigns
• Help with chapter events
• Testify during public hearings in Madison
• Participate as during steering committee conversations
• Collect signatures of support

Act locally, report regionally and assist in statewide campaigns.  Northern Wisconsin NORML has spearheaded this type of activism in their area and we are asking you to help NORML expand this type of program throughout the state.

If interested in becoming a Field Activist Team Member for Wisconsin, please send a letter of interest to NorthernWiNORML@gmail.com or contact them directly at 920-931-4207.  Thank you for your continued support.

To learn more about the Field Activist Program or donate to help keep this type of program growing, please visit www.NorthernWiNORML.org

2017-2018 Wisconsin Active Legislation

2017 LRB – 2457 “Legalizing Opportunity” , Regulate marijuana possession, use and sales.

Pending for the 2017-2018 legislative session to regulate the use, growing, and distribution of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison), permits adults to possess and grow personal use quantities of cannabis, and to possess marijuana-related paraphernalia. It also establishes regulations for the commercial production and retail sale of marijuana to anyone over the age of 21. Public use of cannabis is subject to a $100 civil fine.

The bill also establishes a regulated system for the production and distribution of cannabis for medical purposes. It further prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of their off-the-job use of cannabis, and mandates insurance providers to provide coverage for patients’ use of medical marijuana.

2017 Assembly Joint Resolution 7 / Senate Joint Resolution 10

Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the following question be submitted, for advisory purposes only, to the voters of this state at the next general election occurring not sooner than 45 days after adoption of this resolution:

QUESTION 1: “Medical Marijuana. Should the state of Wisconsin allow individuals with debilitating medical conditions to use and safely access marijuana for medical purposes if those individuals have a written recommendation from a licensed Wisconsin physician?”

2017 Assembly Bill 75 / Senate Bill 38, to establish a medical marijuana access program in Wisconsin.

Passage of this legislation will offer qualified patients state-sanctioned access to a therapy that may offer them significant benefits. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia already offer similar patient protections. Data from other states finds that the enactment of medical marijuana access is associated with lower rates of opioid abuse and mortality, and does not negatively impact workplace safety, teen use, or motor vehicle safety. A 2016 University of Michigan study showed a 64 percent reduction in the use of opioid painkillers amidst patients who used medical marijuana to help chronic pain.

The results of a recent statewide poll commissioned by Marquette Law School show that fifty-nine percent of Wisconsin residents believe marijuana should be legalized. It is time for our state laws to reflect the views of the majority of voters and to address the best interests of our patient community.

2017 Assembly Bill 409 / Senate Bill 318,   “Decriminalization” Legislation to reduce minor marijuana possession penalties.

Under current law, possession of any amount is a misdemeanor that carries up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted by a plea or trial.

This bill amends state law so that marijuana possession offenses (up to 10 grams) are reduced to a civil offense, punishable by a fine of $100.

The policy proposed by this bill is line with those of numerous other states, including Nebraska and Ohio. Such a change will save taxpayers money and allow police and the courts to re-prioritize their resources toward addressing more serious crimes. Minor marijuana possession offenders, many of them young people, should not be saddled with a criminal record and the lifelong penalties and stigma associated with it.

2017 Assembly Bill 183 / Senate Bill 119 requiring “the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to issue licenses that authorize the growing and processing of industrial hemp.”

Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa L. that contains minimal amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Various parts of the plant can be utilized in the making of textiles, paper, paints, clothing, plastics, cosmetics, foodstuffs, insulation, animal feed and other products. The crop is commercially cultivated throughout the world. An economic analysis by the Hemp Industries Association reports that retail sales of hemp products in the US total $600 million annually.  It is time to allow Wisconsin farmers the opportunity to explore this emerging market.

For a PDF one page of this information made into a signature page so you can collect signatures locally can be found at : http://www.northernwinorml.org/pyo/wisconsin-medical-marijuana-petition/