Urge Congress to Support Medical Marijuana Patient Rights
This is a reminder that the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote shortly on the 2007 Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment, and we need your help to send a clear and overwhelming message to Congress to stop prosecuting medicinal cannabis patients.
Last year, despite a Republican-controlled Congress, 163 US representatives voted in favor of Hinchey-Rohrabacher -- 55 votes shy of the votes we need to stop Washington¹s war on patients. This year, with a new Democrat-controlled Congress, we expect to achieve more support than ever before. However, we still need you to please contact your US Representative today and tell him/her to support this amendment.
If passed, the 2007 Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment would prevent the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from federally prosecuting state-authorized medical cannabis patients and their care-givers. NORML is asking you to take two actions to help shelter these seriously ill patients from the government¹s war on cannabis consumers.
Sample Letter:
Dear Rep. XXX
I'm asking you to support the health and welfare of patients who use medicinal
cannabis under a doctor's supervision in compliance with state law.
Specifically, I'm asking you to support a forthcoming amendment to the Science, State, and Justice appropriations bill that would bar the US Department of Justice and DEA from prosecuting qualified patients in states that allow for the physician-supervised use of medical cannabis. This amendment, to be introduced by Representatives Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), would prohibit the Justice Department from spending public funds to interfere with state laws in the twelve states that allow for the limited use of cannabis by state-authorized patients.
The Hinchey/Rohrabacher amendment would not change the status of medical
marijuana under federal law. Rather, it will simply protect those medical
marijuana patients who live in states that explicitly permit the use of medicinal
cannabis when sanctioned by a physician.
When the Science, State, and Justice appropriations bill is debated in the
coming weeks, I urge you to support the Hinchey/Rohrabacher medical marijuana
amendment and stop Washington's war on patients.
Sincerely,
Your Name
