The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act

Will Jacki Rickert finally get the medicine denied her by the U.S. government eighteen years ago? Suffering from the genetic disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, in 1991 Jackie was approved for the federal "Compassionate I.N.D." program, which supplied medicinal cannabis (grown at the University of Mississippi) to several patients. When she came to the pharmacy to pick up her tin of medicine, there was a phone call - President Bush had shut down the program to new applicants, the government's promise to Jackie was broken.

"This Bill, This Time" - Jacki Rickert

This time it is the state of Wisconsin that can bring medical cannabis access to Jackie and all her fellow patients in the state. The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act was introduced on November 15th in both chambers of the Wisconsin statehouse - Assembly Bill 554  and Senate Bill 368.
Hearings are scheduled for December 15th. Contact JRMMA.org for more information.

Jacki Rickert has been fighting for over a decade - for hers and other patients' right to unrestrained access to the herbal medicine of their choice. She and fellow patiens created the website, Is My Medicine Legal Yet, teaming up with Gary Storke, Cheryl Miller and Cheryl's husband Jim as the "Commando Squad" - using civil disobedience in in Washington, DC to draw attention to their plight. Then in 1997,  Jackie embarked on a "Journey for Justice" - a roadside caravan of patients and caregivers, in wheelchairs and walking - over a hundred miles and several days later arriving at the state capital to publicize Wisconsin's first attempt at medical marijuana legislation. The bill didn't get far, but the Jacki Rickert and fellow patients on the Journey received extensive press coverage from statewide newspapers and television stations. Video - Compilation of news reports and activist video from the 1997 Wisconsin Journey for Justice.

The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act in the News: 

"MEDICAL MARIJUANA: 'THIS TIME, THIS BILL!" - The Appleton Scene - December 1st, 2009

"MEDICAL MARIJUANA: 'VERY CLOSE TO THE PROMISED LAND" - The Appleton Scene - December 1st, 2009