Two Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature are hoping to change the minds of leadership and get a hearing on proposed medical marijuana legislation.
Representative Mary Felzkowski of Tomahawk and State Senator Kathy Bernier of Lake Hallie hope to move their proposal forward. Felzkowski is a cancer survivor and has said in previous media stories that she thinks it would have helped her during her recovery.
In an interview with Wisconsin Eye, Bernier told host Steve Walters some of her colleagues didn't go along with Democratic Governor Tony Evers call for legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana use...
"..I have a lot of colleagues that are absolutely against recreational marijuana and believe medical marijuana is just a foothold to go with recreational marijuana.(Walters) The slippery slope. (Bernier) The slippery slope argument..."
Bernier says she doesn't necessarily agree with that position. Felzkowski has had cancer twice and said she would have liked to have had medical marijuana to help in recovery. She says she was left with having to take opioids to control discomfort...
"...For 18 weeks I lived on (opioids)....not only does the chemo make you nuts because it affects your brain. High anxiety. I took seven other prescription drugs to combat the effects of the opioids..."
Felzkowski says she says she has heard from people daily who are violating the law to get relief. Felzkowski says projections are about 600,000 people in the state would likely use medical marijuana. The legislators are hoping to have a public hearing on the bill. Comments courtesy Wisconsin Eye.
