State & Local Legislatures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                 

APRIL 6, 2010

Maryland Senate Committee Approves Medical Marijuana Bill

By 7-4 vote, Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee OKs Bill to Provide Qualified Patients With Safe Access to Medical Marijuana

CONTACT: Mike Meno, MPP director of communications …………… 202-905-2030 or [email protected]

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND — Last night, Maryland’s Judicial Proceedings Committee voted 7-4 to pass SB 627, a bill that would provide qualified patients with safe access to medical marijuana and protection from arrest for using the medicine that works best for them. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

         “This vote represents the biggest victory to date for supporters of an effective medical marijuana law in Maryland,” said Dan Riffle, a legislative analyst with the Marijuana Policy Project. “I look forward to a productive discussion on the Senate floor, and I sincerely hope Maryland legislators do all in their power to get this bill passed and ensure Maryland’s most vulnerable citizens don’t have to spend another year living without effective medicine or in fear of arrest.”  

         Sponsored by Sen. David Brinkley (R-Frederick), a two-time cancer survivor, and co-sponsored by Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Takoma Park) and key members of the Senate leadership, including Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller (D-Clinton), SB 267 would not only protect patients from arrest but also allow pharmacies or other similar dispensing entities to distribute marijuana to patients.

       Currently 14 other states, including New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Maine, have medical marijuana laws that provide qualified patients with safe access and protection from arrest. The District Council of Washington, D.C. is working on a medical marijuana law expected to be implemented by the end of this year.

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.

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MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                                                                                               

APRIL 5, 2010

New Hampshire Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Gets Senate Committee Hearing on Tuesday

Bill Has Already Been Passed By House, Would Reduce Penalty for Possession of Quarter-Ounce of Marijuana to a Fine of Up to $200

CONTACT: Matt Simon, NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy…………………(603) 391-7450

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 6, New Hampshire’s Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1653, a bill that would remove criminal penalties for possession of up to one-quarter ounce of marijuana, and replace them with a fine of up to $200.

Under current law, possession of any amount of marijuana is a misdemeanor offense, carrying a potential penalty of up to one year in jail, a $2,000 fine, and a criminal conviction that could damage someone’s ability to find employment, secure government benefits, or qualify for student financial aid.

Sponsored by Rep. Steve Lindsey (D-Keene) HB 1653 would also require parents of offenders younger than 18 to be informed of the offense, and underage offenders would have to complete a drug awareness program within one year of the violation, or face a $1,000 fine.

            Last month, the bill passed the House of Representatives by a bipartisan 214 to 137 vote.

WHAT: Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on marijuana decriminalization bill

WHO: Witnesses will testify in favor of the bill

WHERE: State House Room 103

WHEN: Tuesday, April 6, at 2:30 p.m.

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MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                                                                                               

MARCH 17, 2010                                                                                                                                                     

Medical Marijuana Bill to Be Debated by Senate Committee on Thursday

SB 627 Would Allow Seriously Ill Patients to Use Medical Marijuana With Doctor’s Recommendation

CONTACT: Mike Meno, MPP assistant director of communications …… 202-905-2030 or [email protected]

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND— Tomorrow, on Thursday, March 18, the state Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee will receive testimony on SB 627, a bill that would make Maryland the 15^th state in the nation to have an effective medical marijuana law. Sponsored by Frederick County Republican Sen. David Brinkley, the bill would allow pharmacies or other state-regulated outlets to dispense medical marijuana to patients who receive a recommendation from their doctor. The bipartisan bill is cosponsored by Senate President Mike Miller, Minority Leader Allan Kittleman, Minority Whip Nancy Jacobs, and Deputy Majority Leader Robert Garigiola, among others.

         WHAT: Hearing on SB 627, a medical marijuana bill in Maryland

         WHERE: 2 East, Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD

WHEN: Thursday, March 18, at 1 p.m. (Please note that 11 bills are scheduled for the 1:00 p.m. hearing and we don’t know what order they will be called in.)

         WHO: Patients, advocates and others will testify

         The House Judiciary and Health and Government Operations committees heard testimony Feb. 26 on HB 712, companion legislation sponsored by Del. Dan Morhaim (D-Baltimore County), an E.R. physician, and cosponsored by 47 other delegates. Several doctors, patients and advocates spoke in support of the bill during the previous hearing, and a similar turnout is expected Thursday.

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.

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MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                                                                                               

MARCH 17, 2010                                                                                                                                                     

Kansas Medical Marijuana Bill to be Subject of Informational Hearing Today

Rep. Gail Finney Has Proposed a Bill that Would Allow Doctors to Recommend Medical Marijuana for Seriously Ill Patients

CONTACT: Mike Meno, MPP assistant director of communications …… 202-905-2030 or [email protected]

TOPEKA, KANSAS— Today, the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee will hold an informational hearing on a medical marijuana bill proposed by Rep. Gail Finney. Under the proposal, doctors could recommend medical marijuana to patients with serious illnesses such as cancer or HIV/AIDS. Fourteen other states, including Colorado and New Mexico, have passed similar laws.

         WHAT: Informational presentation on medical marijuana

         WHERE: Docking State Office Building, Room 784, 915 SW, Harrison Street, Topeka

WHEN: Wednesday, March 17, at 1 p.m.

         WHO: Patients, medical professionals, and others will speak.  

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                 

MARCH 10, 2010

New Hampshire House Passes Bill to Reduce Penalties for Marijuana Possession

Nearly 61% of House Members Vote in Favor

CONTACT: Matt Simon, NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy…………………(603) 391-7450

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The New Hampshire House of Representatives today voted, as it did in 2008, to reduce the penalty for possessing one-quarter ounce or less of marijuana. House Bill 1653 passed by a 214-137 vote. Previously, the bill had been recommended “out to pass” in a 16-2 vote by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee February 11.

            “This makes three years in a row that the House has passed a bill attempting to reform New Hampshire’s archaic marijuana policies,” said Matt Simon, executive director for the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy. “Unfortunately, Gov. Lynch has continued to show little interest in learning what the House has learned about these issues.

            In 2008, a measure similar to HB 1653 passed the House in a 193-141 vote, and last year a bill allowing marijuana for seriously ill patients passed the House and Senate before being vetoed by Gov. Lynch.

            Advocates stressed that the proposed policy would continue to discourage marijuana use, especially by those under 18, who would be required to complete a drug awareness program and community service if caught with less than one-quarter ounce of marijuana.

            “This bill doesn’t make marijuana legal for anybody,” Simon said. “It just reduces the penalty and ends the wasteful practice of clogging up our criminal justice system with people whose only ‘crime’ is possessing small amounts of marijuana.”

            Rep. Joel Winters (D-Manchester) supported the bill in the floor debate. “Passage of this bill will simply mean we’ve gotten smarter—that police can now waste less time dealing with marijuana users and have more time and resources freed up for dealing with serious crimes,” he told his colleagues.

            Since 1973, 12 states have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, including neighbor states Maine and Massachusetts, as well as North Carolina, Ohio, Nebraska and Mississippi.

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MEDIA ADVISORY           

MARCH 10, 2010

Medical Marijuana Patients Will Ask Legislators to Support Safe Access at Thursday Press Conference

Proposed legislation would make Massachusetts 15^th state to have effective medical marijuana law

[email protected]

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — Tomorrow, Thursday, at 1:30 p.m. at the Grand Staircase at the State House, a group of medical marijuana patients and advocates will hold a press conference to ask state lawmakers to support a medical marijuana law in Massachusetts.

            The state legislature’s Joint Committee on Pubic Health is currently considering bill that would make Massachusetts the 15^th state in the nation to give seriously ill patients safe and legal access to medical marijuana.

            WHAT: Press conference to ask state lawmakers to support proposed medical marijuana bill

            WHEN: Thursday, March 11, at 1:30 p.m.     

            WHERE: Grand Staircase, in the State House, Boston, MA.

           

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                     

March 3, 2010

Hawaii Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Three Bills to Improve Marijuana Laws

Measures would expand state’s medical marijuana law and reduce the penalty for possession of one ounce to a civil fine

CONTACT: Kurt A. Gardinier, MPP director of communications …… 202-905-0738 or [email protected]

HONOLULU, HAWAII — Yesterday, the Hawaii Senate passed by overwhelming, veto-proof margins three measures that will greatly improve marijuana laws in the state:

SB 2213 passed 20-4, with one excused. This bill would allow counties to license medical marijuana dispensaries.

SB 2141 passed 24-1. This bill would increase the ratio of plants, ounces and caregivers allowed for each medical marijuana patient.

SB 2450 passed 22-3. This bill would remove criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and replace them with a civil fine of up to $300 for a first offense and $500 for a subsequent offense.

         The bills now go to the state House.

         “These votes show that Hawaii’s Senate supports sensible marijuana policies that will serve the best interests of state citizens,” said Eric M. McDaniel, a legislative analyst with the Marijuana Policy Project. “Hawaii’s most vulnerable citizens deserve safe and reliable access to their medicine, and no Hawaiian deserves to go to jail simply for using a substance that is safer than alcohol. If House members agree, I would strongly encourage them to pass these measures as well.”

         The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, headed by Pamela Lichty and Jeanne Ohta, and the Peaceful Sky Alliance, headed by Matt Rifkin, played crucial roles in getting these measures through the Senate.

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.

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On Thursday, March 4, starting at 1:30pm, the Colorado State Legislature will hear the first reading of a bill which seeks to regulate dispensaries-- and weaken patient rights.  This bill, HB 1284, which was largely authored by law enforcement, threatens to cripple the state medical marijuana law in a number of ways. (Note a version of this bill will be posted on our website shortly.)

Here are a few of the most damaging provisions of the bill:

• Prohibits patients from living near schools.  Patients could not possess medicine within 1000 feet of a school, which means patients could not live near schools.

• Patients could not join together with family members or others to share grow space.

• Would allow cities and towns to ban dispensaries-- forcing sick patients to "get on the bus" to find medicine.

Here's how you can help fight HB 1284

Attend the Thursday Hearing.  Legislators need to hear from patients and professionals about how damaging HB 1284 will be.  This Hearing should begin around 1:30 at the State Capitol in Denver in the Old Supreme Court Chambers (2nd floor).  Please show up, dress nice, and spread the message to "vote no on HB 1284."

Call your state legislator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                 

MARCH 2, 2010

What is Keeping Maryland from Passing a Medical Marijuana Law?

Despite overwhelming public support and virtually no opposition, key officials are still silent about their stance on the issue

CONTACT: Mike Meno, MPP assistant director of communications …………… 202-905-2030

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND — Last Friday, Feb. 26, the Maryland House Judiciary and Health and Government Committees held a public hearing on a bill that would allow chronically ill patients to have safe access to medical marijuana with their doctor’s recommendation—an idea supported by 81% of Americans nationwide, according to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll. Dozens of witnesses—including physicians, patients, and former law enforcement officials—testified in favor of the bill, and no one testified in opposition. Fourteen other states have already passed medical marijuana laws. So why hasn’t Maryland?

         Previous efforts to pass medical marijuana legislation in Maryland all failed to make it out of the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Del. Joseph F. Vallario , Jr., (D-Dist. 27A, Calvert and Prince George’s Counties). In the past, Del. Vallario has expressed concern over legislation that might clash with federal law. But medical marijuana should no longer trigger such concerns following the October release of an Obama administration memo instructing federal prosecutors not to target medical marijuana patients or caregivers who obey state law.

         Just last week, a poll conducted by Conquest Communications in Del. Vallario’s House District showed support for passing this year’s medical marijuana bill outnumbered opposition nearly 3-1.  

         “Sometimes in an election year you’ll see politicians shy away from controversial issues, but these polls show there’s nothing controversial anymore about medical marijuana – except maybe opposing it,” said Dan Riffle, a legislative analyst with the Marijuana Policy Project. “Now that the federal government has given the green light to states to enact medical marijuana laws, there should be nothing stopping Chariman Vallario and others here in Maryland from listening to the will of their constituents.”

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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