We found one of MPP's own tools that we can use to move against SB 94. The link provided below goes to email that MPP is sending to California's legislators. The text in it is pretty generic legalization text, so we are providing one model below that fits our needs. Copy the below text (or write your own), then click on the link. It will automatically find your representative and senator when you fill in your address.
As you know, after reading Senate Bill 94 (http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS145.NSF/vwLegislation/) and examining what has happened to recreational cannabis consumers and home growers in states that have passed similar so-called medical marijuana laws, the Delaware Cannabis Society has decided to oppose Senate Bill 94.
Senate Bill 94 will gut presently available affirmative defenses for medical use that protects all patients in favor of protecting ONLY SEVEN ILLNESSES: cancer, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn's disease, agitation of Alzheimer's disease, nail patella, or the treatment of these conditions.
Multiple Sclerosis, spine damage and hundreds of other conditions that positively benefit from marijuana therapy are intentionally not included. Glaucoma used to be on the list of treatable diseases, but in a foreshadowing of the mean-spirited nature of this bill in LIMITING and not expanding protection for patients, the Senate removed Glaucoma - http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwlegislation/. This proves that this bill is more about MPP just getting their name on ANY legislation no matter that it damages the situation we already have. This proves that the intent is to LIMIT WHO GETS PROTECTED BY THE LAW.
What you may not know is that the "patient" who brought this bill to Senator Henry was paid $60,000 by Marijuana Policy Project to do this.
This proves that SB 94 is more about protecting the big money that will be involved in creating a government sponsored dispensary system that NONE OF US will be able to access, even though we may have legitimate medical needs. SB 94 will guarantee that several new consumer crimes will be created, clearly signaling to law enforcement that the sponsors of SB 94 intend for them to step up the persecution of recreational ganja consumers.
In the text entry box that comes up, highlight as much of the existing text as you want to replace and delete it. Paste in the text from below, or write your own, similar text for complete re-legalization and against SB 94. You should also probably change the subject to something you write. That will help keep our emails from being filtered out.
We were doing phone tree work yesterday and earlier today, and several dozen people have already used this option to contact their legislators. Please let us know if you've used this resource, and if you get an email or letter back.
No support for Senate Bill 94
While I am delighted that Delaware has taken a more enlightened view of marijuana use through Senate Bill 94, patients just are not being arrested in Delaware. Senate Bill 94 will actually limit protection to a very tiny class of patients who are already NOT BEING ARRESTED!
The latest statistics demonstrate that Delaware has, for practical reasons including prison overcrowding and an overtaxed criminal justice system, been experimenting with defacto, across the board legalization of marijuana for almost a decade. Only a few hundred marijuana consumers have been arrested each year for some time (usually in connection with some other infraction) and almost no one goes to jail for marijuana alone.
In fact, fewer people were arrested for marijuana last year on all than ever before since marijuana was made illegal. No one became addicted to marijuana, no one was killed by marijuana, traffic accidents did not skyrocket, no one went insane from using marijuana; none of the dire consequences predicted by marijuana detractors happened. No one has been hurt by the defacto legalization we now enjoy.
What also did not happen is that peoples' lives were not devastated by being arrested. Marijuana arrests have not been a burden on already overtaxed criminal justice and prison resources. Students have not been denied access to better education through denial of student loans. Mothers and fathers have not been torn away from their children.
That is very important to note, as the FBI estimates that some 250,000 Delawareans used marijuana at some point in the last year.
What I am asking is that you do not support Senate Bill 94, which in addition to limiting patient protection will actually create several more, costly to enforce marijuana crimes that would be perceived by law enforcement as a green light to increase marijuana related arrests for everyone but the tiny group of seven illnesses listed in SB 94. This is what has happened in every state that has passed similar laws.
The truly compassionate move would NOT be SB 94, but re-legalization that protects ALL marijuana consumers.
No comments:
Post a Comment