NORML's Smoke the Vote

F Gae Magnafici (R - WI) MANDATORY MINIMUMS JAIL TIME FOR POSSESSION NO MEDICAL USE

Gae Magnafici: As a candidate for office in 2018 this elected official had made positives statements about supporting medical marijuana and decriminalization. Early in the 2019 legislation session she signed onto a bill to protect the privacy of firearms owners should Wisconsin ever go medical. We had high hopes, as she is one of the limited number of elected officials with a medical background.

Her Spring 2019 GOP Survey showed over 68% of her voter base supported medical marijuana, and patients had high hopes she would sponsor legislation her first session. Patients were disappointed she did not sign onto either version of the medical marijuana bills this session. Her early quotes showed some compassion, but also early opposition to recreational cannabis.

Over the year or so, she seemed to regress from even her positive statements about medical and decriminalization. She seemed to flip flop according to constituents in her district and acted like she never said anything positive about marijuana reform. She did not co-sponsor the Republican decriminalization bill as I mentioned above and instead decided that increasing penalties was a better route for her career.

Holds office State Assembly District 28

Biography

Born Amery, Wisconsin, July 14, 1952; married; 2 children; 3 grandchildren.
Graduate Amery High School, 1970; A.A. in Applied Science, Sauk Valley Community College (Dixon, Illinois), 1982.
Small business owner.
Former mental health technician; registered nurse.
Elected to Assembly 2018.

Position on Marijuana Legalization

Opposed

On marijuana, I will first say that I am not in favor of full legalization. I have seen what frequent marijuana use can do to a family and it is devastating. I have seen it in my own extended family.

Position on Marijuana Decriminalization

Decriminalization of a small amount of marijuana is something that I would consider if elected to the State Assembly. I am committed to considering any bill that comes before me no matter who introduces or supports it. That is the job of a legislator.

Position on Medical Marijuana

Supported as a candidate in campaign statements:

There have been discussions recently about legalizing medical marijuana in Wisconsin. This is something that I am in favor of. I understand that cancer patients and people suffering from Parkinson’s disease can benefit greatly from using medical marijuana to control pain and manage symptoms. If medical marijuana leads to a better quality of life for seriously ill patients, then they should not be robbed of the possibility of some comfort without turning into a criminal.