(This is an email I received Thursday.) Dear friends, U.S. Rep. Pete Stark -- one of two UUs in the House of Representatives -- is a primary co-sponsor of a federal bill to allow states to give seriously ill people legal access to medical marijuana. See http://www.mpp.org/USA/bills_66.html for the text of H.R. 2592. UUs for Drug Policy Reform (UUDPR) is pleased that Rep. Stark is acting in accordance with the UUA's new drug policy Statement of Conscience, which says, "End the practice of punishing an individual for obtaining, possessing, or using an otherwise illegal substance to treat a medical condition." Unfortunately, U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) will soon introduce legislation to OPPOSE medical marijuana. Specifically, a medical marijuana initiative will be on the ballot this November in Washington, D.C. -- and Rep. Barr will be introducing federal legislation to prevent it from taking effect. UUDPR Director of Communications Regina Deavers will soon be contacting UUs who live in the districts of the 120 congressional "swing votes" on this issue. In the meantime, here's something that everyone can do: ACTION ALERT: * The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote in September on whether it will either (1) allow D.C. voters to pass a medical marijuana law on November 5, or (2) overturn the will of D.C. voters even before they have a chance to vote on the initiative this November. To find out who your U.S. Representative is and fax a pre-written letter on this issue, please see http://www.mpp.org/DCI/action.html (This web page also gives you the option of personalizing your letter.) * When you receive a response from your U.S. Representative, please fax a copy to UUs for Drug Policy Reform at 301-270-7276, or e-mail reginadeavers@uudpr.org to summarize his/her response. * Forward this message to others in your congregation. Encourage your minister and social action coordinator to get involved. Perhaps print out a batch of pre-written letters and set up a table at coffee hour to encourage others in your congregation to sign them. * E-mail ReginaDeavers@uudpr.org to let her know if there are any members of your congregation who are doctors, nurses, medical marijuana users, or friends/relatives of people who have a need for medical marijuana. UUDPR would like to work with them (and the rest of your congregation) to convince your U.S. Representative to vote in September in favor of allowing D.C. voters to legalize medical marijuana. * Please visit http://www.uudpr.org to read the entire UUA drug policy Statement of Conscience, and consider making a financial contribution to enable us to do our work of giving public witness to it. NOTE: The UUA Statement of Conscience also calls for the legalization of marijuana for non-medical uses. However, the only federal legislative activity specific to marijuana is limited to its medical uses. Hopefully this is something that all UUs will support. To learn more about the medical marijuana issue, click here: http://www.mpp.org/statelaw/index.html -- Sincerely, Charles Thomas, executive director Unitarian Universalists for Drug Policy Reform 7127 Carroll Ave., #4 Takoma Park, MD 20912 http://www.uudpr.org CharlesThomas@UUDPR.org 301-270-1209 "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." -- C. S. Lewis