Medical Marijuana Gains Support in Congress

[ReformMaryJaneLaws]

Medical Marijuana Gains Support in Congress
Thurs., July 10, 2003


Drug Policy Alliance has asked our supporters on many occasions to take action and pressure Members of Congress to support medical marijuana. We want you to know that the actions you take are making a big difference. This week the issue of medical marijuana gained support in both the House and Senate. With 80% of Americans supporting medical marijuana and dozens of states with medical marijuana laws, federal policy-makers are under growing pressure to change federal law.

Yesterday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee voted to amend the ONDCP Reauthorization bill (HR 2086) with three medical marijuana amendments supported by the Drug Policy Alliance. Unfortunaly, these amendments failed because they did not get the Republican support needed to pass. Because two of the votes were recorded, the position of 28 Members of Congress is now on the books for every voter to see. Six of the these Members are from California, where the federal government continues to arrest medical marijuana patients and their caregivers and close down hospices that provide comfort to terminally ill patients.

All three amendments were sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-8th/NY). The first one would have required the drug czar to decertify the budget of any agency that enforced federal marijuana laws contrary to local and state medical marijuana laws. It failed 11-17. The second one would have amended federal law such that the drug czar could not take actions opposing medical marijuana. It failed by a voice vote. The third one would have changed the federal law requiring the drug czar to oppose the legalization of marijuana for medical use. That failed 12-16.

Take Action

The following Members of Congress voted in support of medical marijuana in the House Judiciary Committee. If you are from their district please send them a letter thanking them for supporting amendments to the ONDCP Reauthorization Act (HR 2086) that would have protected medical marijuana patients and their caregivers.

Addressing the letter:

The Honorable (full name)
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative (last name),

If you’re unsure who your Representative is, you can find out at: http://www.house.gov/

Representatives Voting Yes:

California
Rep. Howard Berman (D-28th)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-16th)
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-39th)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-29th)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-35th)

Massachusetts
Rep. Marty Meehan (D-5th)

Michigan
Rep. John Conyers (D-14th)

New York
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-8th)

North Carolina
Rep. Melvin Watt (D-12th)

Texas
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-18th)

Virginia
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd)

Wisconsin
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-2nd)

The following Members of Congress voted against medical marijuana. Send them a letter telling them you’re disappointed that they opposed amendments to the ONDCP Reauthorization bill that would have protected the right of states to make their own policy towards medical marijuana.

California
Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-24th)

Indiana
Rep. John Hostettler (R-8th)

Iowa
Rep. Steve King (R-5th)

Florida
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-24th)
Rep. Ric Keller (R-8th)

Ohio
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-1st)

Pennsylvania
Rep. Melissa Hart (R-4th)

Tennessee
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-7th)
Rep. William Jenkins (R-1st)

Texas
Rep. John Carter (R-31st)
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-21st)

North Carolina
Rep. Howard Coble (R-6th)

Utah
Rep. Chris Cannon (R-3rd)

Virginia
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-4th)
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-6th)

Wisconsin
Rep. Mark Green (R-8th)
Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-5th)


http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/07_10_03gains.cfm

[TooSicKs]

well it looks like i got no thank you letters to write, my state's reps are redneck idiot assholes.

Peace

[Pothead Pete]

As of July 10th 2003 the government of CANADA MADE THE 370 KILOS OF POT they grew accessable to medical marijuana patients for 5$ a gram. I honestly don't think the US is that far behind. Even if it is 10 years from now, it will happen. There's just too much money at stake here for the United States Government to bury its head in the sand.