Jackie Rickert is from Mondovi. She has a bone defect and today, she was in Madison asking lawmakers to understand how medical marijuana can help people like her.

“We tried to go the legal route. My doctor did every single thing to do this legally. We never wanted to break the law, but sometimes you have to,” says Rickert.

Passionate views from both sides of the medical marijuana debate sounded off.

“I think what I resent most is this facade that you are putting forth, using people who are dying of cancer or who have other illnesses as your shield. I think it's nothing more than a ruse for you to move towards full legalization of marijuana,” says Representative Leah Vukmir, a republican from Wauwatosa.

Eau Claire District Attorney Rich White says he doesn't think allowing marijuana to be given legally with a prescription will affect his office's case load.

"We'll deal with the legal consequences but I believe they will be relatively minimal,” says White.

White says it's up to the medical experts to decide whether prescriptions for marijuana are safe.

"That's no different than any advance in science, or the development of a new prescription drug," says White.

White says he doesn't think the legalization of medical marijuana in Wisconsin would lead to more prescriptions being forged. He says forging documents would carry felony charges.

Thirteen other states currently have approved the prescription use of medical marijuana.