In an effort to keep everyone updated on the goings on with Montana NORML, you will now be able to come to the Montana NORML Blog to view and share the latest news from Montana NORML.
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Montana NORML News
G’day all,
Three main points, and then the news:
We Need Your Help
Montana NORML has been coasting the last few years, generating a couple hundred bucks at the annual Missoula Hempfest to pay for copying costs and a phone line, and other misc. office expenses for the rest of the year. However, this moment in history demands more vigorous action.
The cultural pendulum is swinging our direction fast — the general public is nearly ready to embrace some flavor of full cannabis legalization. This won’t happen, though, without dedicated action by people like you and me. Someone has to do something for these changes to come about.
Additionally, the ‘wild west’ Montana medical marijuana scene will surely generate an array of bad bills in the legislature next year. Want to preserve the medical marijuana system in Montana as is?
Now is the time to get involved. Because the opposition can and will restrict or destroy the current law in 2011 if it is not adequately defended, again, by people like you and me.
So, both positive motion and defense against bad bills require your support. Here’s what you can do:
- Donate money to Montana NORML. It’s easy. Visit montananorml.org and click the yellow donate button on the right. $5 helps. $10 will get you some goodies from Montana NORML.
- Caregivers – host a Montana NORML donation jar for patients to drop a few bucks in here and there. If you can do this, please reply to this email.
- Businesses (caregivers and anything else) – advertise with Montana NORML. Opportunities exist in this newsletter, and the website, and our blog. Reply to this email for details.
- Donate a raffle item: goods or services, let us know if you can throw something in to be raffled off later this year. Just click reply and let us know.
- Volunteer: Interested in distributing handbills, putting up posters, playing in a band, working the door, rallying the troops? Let me know.
- Write a letter to the editor. Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your friends. Ask your boss how she feels about a legal regulated market for marijuana for adults. Report back your results. Get people thinking, talking. Come out of the closet.
Subchapters
A great way to get involved this year will be to form your own chapter of NORML in your neck of the woods. We are still ironing out details, but if you can form a group of at least three people in your town who are interested in working for marijuana reform, get in touch and we’ll figure it out. New subchapters will get a packet of NORML goodies, of course!
Medical Marijuana Week
Americans for Safe Access, one of the most prominent medical marijuana organizations nationwide, recently announced Medical Marijuana Week 2010. Here’s something simple you can do:
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. You may think this has little impact, but the important thing to remember is that not only does your message get out to the community, but also the newspaper editors (whose job it is to keep the pulse of the community), and most importantly. lawmakers who figure that for every letter to the editor they read, there are hundreds of other citizens who feel the same way but didn’t take the time to write.
Do this. Most newspapers offer an email address or form, and here are some of the big ones:
- http://www.missoulian.com/app/opedform/
- http://bozemandailychronicle.com/webmaster/
- http://www.helenair.com/app/contact/letters_to_editor/
- http://www.greatfallstribune.com/customerservice/contactus.html
- http://www.billingsgazette.com/app/letters/
- http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/main/page/contact_us/
Send us a copy so we know you’re listening.
And now, the news.
Regional Marijuana News
- Missoula: SWAT Team raids nursing home over medical marijuana. No crimes committed, so they head back to HQ. Oops.
- We’re told that Roundup has passed a temporary marijuana business ban.
- Lewistown’s ban is 180 days.
- Billings has formed a marijuana committee to figure out what to do next. Good idea!
- What exactly does the Great Falls medical marijuana business ban mean? They’re not sure.
- Photojournalism student Kip Sikora is doing a documentary on medical marijuana as a self-determination topic. If you’re a patient, caregiver, or advocate who would like to be interviewed, call him at 713.542.7698. I’m doing it.
- A Colorado bill moved forward to greatly reduce their medical marijuana program. This is the sort of thing we need to be prepared for in 2011!
- One of these days, some brave politician will pick up marijuana as an economic development topic. Denver has started to.
- What actually happens when we legalize? That depends. National NORML analyzes the topic here.
That’s all for tonight.
Let us know how you can help.
