May 22, 2013

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Reporter: Justin Williams

Higher Court Rules on Medicinal Marijuana

Video will be available shortly.

Gary Storck wears the sunglasses to protect his glaucoma-ridden eyes. He also uses medicinal marijuana. "And I intend to continue using it, Supreme Court decision, or not, this is about my health, it's not about government policy, and I'm not gonna go blind because the Supreme Court made this ruling," Storck explains.

Storck is the Director of Communications for Is My Medicine Legal Yet? a medicinal marijuana use advocacy group. He is responding to today's Supreme Court ruling which says states cannot legalize marijuana for medical purposes. "Americans have a right to use this non-toxic herb to treat their medical conditions," he continues.

The decision trumps laws in eleven states which allowed the practice of writing prescriptions for pot.

"It's a good ruling it keeps the consistency of the law across all states but eventually you're gonna have to give more regulation to it." But Doug McLaine, coordinator for Alcohol and Drug Abuse programs at Madison's Family Services, says since Wisconsin is not one of those states the changes in the law won't change the situation.

"It's a problem, it's going to be a problem. Wisconsin's going to have to deal with this sooner or later. People are gonna get arrested, they're gonna protest it, people are gonna be arrested on purpose so that it will go to the courts, so that the courts will decide it'll go back to the Supreme Court," he predicts.

McLain also echoes Gary's sentiment, explaining those who rely on marijuana as a form of illegal treatment will continue to do so. "All this is gonna do is push it further underground, that's all it's gonna do in Wisconsin, push it further underground."

Storck says local advocacy groups will continue to push the state legislature to pass a law legalizing medicinal marijuana use, as they simultaneously encourage the federal government to approve a State's Rights Act.


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