Following is an email I just received from MPP regarding a decriminalization bill in the Washington legislature. I'm trying to kill any live links, but if I miss some, please fix them as I'm not always sure just how to do things.
All of use from Washington State NEED to contact our legislators and urge the support of this bill. We may or may not agree with the 40 gram limit, but IT IS A START!
I would also beg you to include in your requests to them that they pass legislation to legalize dispensaries and either clarify that ONLY Female plants are to be counted in the presumed 60 day suppply limit since up to 60% or higher of the seeds you sprout can be male with are virtually worthless for growing for medicinal purposes, OR in the alternative at least double the plant count that the Department of Health established.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is to specify that the 60 day presumptive supply must be set based SOLELY on the medical needs of patients and NOT on the arguments of law enforcement that any given limit is too high. During the last hearing series on the curent limit, Law Enforcement personnel in uniform and representing their particular departments swamped the hearings and law enforcement constantly video tape the testimony of every participant and every attendee. Clearly this was an attempt to intimidate people form testifying or even attending out of fear of being targeted by law enforcement in reprisals for the person's unfavorable support of more liberal limits than what law enforcement thought was reasonable. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO HISTORICAL INDICATION THAT THE VOTERS INTENDED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO BE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT WAS CLEARLY INTENDED TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS!
We also need to greatly increase the number of patients a person can be the provider for at any one time. It is totally illogical to presume that for every non-growing patient there is another one available and willing grower to be their designated provider. This is especially in the large cities and for the severely handicapped.
Here is the email. Remember, if we don't take action the anti-marijuana people and/or law enforcement will win!
If any of you want the links that I have removed and replaced with text, just PM me and I'll get them to you. They just explain who to take the actions requested and to a statement form the Bar Association
Don Jones
With all of this excitement in mind, I, in the name of sensible marijuana policy, ask for your help. Please email your legislators. Ask them to support the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana by voting yes on SB 5615 and its companion HB 1177. Point out the cost savings and the new revenue to be generated. Discuss the importance of funding Washingtons vital prevention and treatment services. Make clear that a 3-1 racial disparity in marijuana law enforcement is not something that Washingtonians stand for. Let them know they will be supported at the polls!
Thank you all so much for your generosity of time and energy.
All of use from Washington State NEED to contact our legislators and urge the support of this bill. We may or may not agree with the 40 gram limit, but IT IS A START!
I would also beg you to include in your requests to them that they pass legislation to legalize dispensaries and either clarify that ONLY Female plants are to be counted in the presumed 60 day suppply limit since up to 60% or higher of the seeds you sprout can be male with are virtually worthless for growing for medicinal purposes, OR in the alternative at least double the plant count that the Department of Health established.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is to specify that the 60 day presumptive supply must be set based SOLELY on the medical needs of patients and NOT on the arguments of law enforcement that any given limit is too high. During the last hearing series on the curent limit, Law Enforcement personnel in uniform and representing their particular departments swamped the hearings and law enforcement constantly video tape the testimony of every participant and every attendee. Clearly this was an attempt to intimidate people form testifying or even attending out of fear of being targeted by law enforcement in reprisals for the person's unfavorable support of more liberal limits than what law enforcement thought was reasonable. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO HISTORICAL INDICATION THAT THE VOTERS INTENDED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO BE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT WAS CLEARLY INTENDED TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS!
We also need to greatly increase the number of patients a person can be the provider for at any one time. It is totally illogical to presume that for every non-growing patient there is another one available and willing grower to be their designated provider. This is especially in the large cities and for the severely handicapped.
Here is the email. Remember, if we don't take action the anti-marijuana people and/or law enforcement will win!
If any of you want the links that I have removed and replaced with text, just PM me and I'll get them to you. They just explain who to take the actions requested and to a statement form the Bar Association
Don Jones
Hello Washington!
As you may have heard, six Washington state representatives have introduced legislation that would end marijuana prohibition and replace it with a regulated and taxed system! This is, indeed, very exciting news. The introduction of this sensible bill, HB 2401, follows the introduction of a similar bill by California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and invites an important conversation with Congress about changing federal law to leave the question of prohibition or regulation to the states.We encourage all of our supporters to contact their local representatives in Olympia and encourage them to support the progress of this legislation, which is sponsored by Washington State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson (D-36) along with co-sponsors Reps. Scott White (D-46), Roger Goodman (D-45), Dave Upthegrove (D-33), Sherry Appleton (D-23), and Mary Roberts (D-21). At the same time, we need to urge legislators to take action now to end the waste of Washington tax dollars on arresting and prosecuting low-level marijuana offenders for possession of a modest amount of marijuana. Adults who use marijuana responsibly shouldnt be subject to the stigma of a criminal record and unfair long-term consequences of that record. SB 5615, and its companion HB 1177, would go a long way towards fixing this wasteful and damaging policy.
SB 5615 would decriminalize possession of up to 40 grams of marijuana, ending over 11,000 arrests of adults for marijuana possession and the long-term consequences of criminal records for the thousands that result in conviction. This sensible legislation would save state, county and local budgets $16 million annually in court, prosecution, defense, and jail costs; generate $1 million each year in new revenue, over half of which would go directly to our underfunded state prevention and treatment services for folks who get in trouble with harder drugs; end the 3-to-1 disparity in marijuana law enforcement against African American Washingtonians; and demonstrate that our elected officials can reform our marijuana laws without getting un-elected (this last point being extremely important if we wish to move on HB 2401). The Washington State Bar Assoiciation and the Seattle City Council support decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana; why shouldn't your legislators?With all of this excitement in mind, I, in the name of sensible marijuana policy, ask for your help. Please email your legislators. Ask them to support the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana by voting yes on SB 5615 and its companion HB 1177. Point out the cost savings and the new revenue to be generated. Discuss the importance of funding Washingtons vital prevention and treatment services. Make clear that a 3-1 racial disparity in marijuana law enforcement is not something that Washingtonians stand for. Let them know they will be supported at the polls!
Thank you all so much for your generosity of time and energy.
