44th Annual Midwest Harvestfest

Wisconsin held the 44th annual Midwest Harvestfest on October 5th. Wisconsin Chapter of ASA marched along side of thousands of others fighting for their human right to choose a medication with less side effects and simply works better than pharmaceuticals.  Doctor Angela Janis, Rep. Chris Taylor, Sen Melissa Sargent, Bunny Balk and others spoke at the event and supporting legalization in Wisconsin. 

IMMLY: Founder Jacki Rickert receives Defender of Liberty Award
10/7/2014 

For more information, contact Gary Storck: 608-241-8922, [email protected] 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCejFlykWto 

Madison: Is My Medicine Legal YET? (IMMLY) Founder and Wisconsin medical cannabis act namesake Jacki Rickert received Wisconsin/Madison NORML's Ben Masel Defender of Liberty award Sunday afternoon at the 44th Annual Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival on the State St. steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol. ~Gary Stork Author

Wisconsin Chapter of ASA marched along side of thousands of others fighting for their human right to choose a medication with less side effects and simply works better than pharmaceuticals.  Doctor Angela Janis, Rep. Chris Taylor, Sen Melissa Sargent, Bunny Balk and others spoke at the event and supporting legalization in Wisconsin. 

Rickert, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and other conditions, has been a tireless advocate for legal access to medical cannabis in Wisconsin for many years. In Sept. 1997, she led a 210-mile wheelchair "Journey for Justice" from her home in Mondovi to the State Capitol in Madison to launch medical cannabis legislation, In Dec. 1990, she was approved for federal medical cannabis supplies through the federal Compassionate IND program, but never received her medicine despite approvals from federal agencies 

In brief acceptance remarks on a cold and windy overcast day, Jacki said, "Did you ever think, It does affect all of us. We are all in this together. It could be you, a child, a parent, your next door neighbor." She noted how illness or injury can strike anyone at anytime, citing the award namesake Ben Masel, who passed away in 2011 and previous award winners, the late Ed Thompson (2011), and the late defense attorney Bryon Walker (2013). 

Wisconsin's proposed medical cannabis legislation has carried Jacki Rickert's name dating back to the 2007 session, when during a press conference, bill cosponsor, then-Rep. Frank Boyle proclaimed, "This bill shall forever be known as the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act" (JRMMA). In the 2013-14 session the title was slightly tweaked to the Jacki Rickert Medical Cannabis Act (JRMCA) by bill sponsor Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), to reflect the scientific name for marijuana. Rep. Taylor also spoke at Harvest Fest directly after Jacki received the award, frequently mentioning her and the bill that bears her name 

Is My Medicine Legal YET? is a also a member of the League of Marijuana Voters (www.wislegalize.org), the Wisconsin grass roots group that recently put a medical cannabis billboard on eastbound I-94 at 121st St. in Milwaukee, calling out State Senators Leah Vukmir and Mary Lazich for blocking the passage of the JRMCA.