Good evening troops,
This was a momentous week, with 4/20 and all. And it’s not slowing down for a while. Next week, we have an important legislative committee meeting, and of course the Worldwide Marijuana March on May 1st.
Legislative Committee Meeting
On Tuesday, April 27th, 2010, the Children, Families, Health, and Human Services Interim Committee will meet beginning at 8AM in Room 137 of the State Capitol in Helena and discuss medical marijuana around 9:45 (Agenda). The committee is not convening in order to repeal our medical marijuana law. However, significant changes will be discussed, in an effort to regulate an industry-gone-wild. If you have specific ideas for how to improve the law, submit your comments to: mmcomment@mt.gov
In your email, be respectful, relevant, brief, and substantive. Spellcheck. There’s no need to tell the story of your personal medical marijuana miracle; just propose how the law should be changed and why, to calm the perception that the program is ‘out of control’. This law will change next year, and your comments can make it more likely that it changes for the better.
Law enforcement’s biggest concern is about diversion — the transfer of medical marijuana to people without cards. So, any proposed changes should take that into account. Simply asking for higher plant counts and new qualifying conditions will not work. We need to help the committee figure out a tolerable compromise. Here’s the background material they’re digesting (PDF) prior to the meeting. (Of course my advice will be that they adopt an adult marijuana regulation bill, regardless of medical condition. More on this later.)
Worldwide Marijuana March
Every year, citizens in hundreds of cities worldwide march together in solidarity, demanding the end of cannabis prohibition. I hope you’ll join us as we participate in this annual international event, right here in Montana onSaturday, May 1st. Here are some local details:
Missoula: March commences at 4:20 at Jacob’s Island/ Bark park near the UM Footbridge. Contact:norml@montananorml.org / 542-8696 (Can you volunteer to help organize and promote this event? Can you hang posters? Let me know asap!)
Bozeman: March commences at 4:20 at the court house, Contact: bonusattheboz@hotmail.com
Great Falls: March commences at 3:00PM at Gibson Park. Contact: huckleberries4us@yahoo.com /http://mmpamt.org/
Flathead — I am awaiting details from the organizers.
Montana Marijuana News
- Havre: We’re told the city council is quite hostile to mmj and is considering an outright ban. Leave a polite message for Mayor Tim Solomon at tsolomon@ci.havre.mt.us or the city switchboard at 406-265-6719.
- Kalispell: City Council passed a ban on all new marijuana businesses in deference to federal law. They have one more meeting to seal the deal – we’re told May 5th. Flathead residents should get in touch and express their views.
- Butte: Arletha Davis has a 4000 sq ft space for lease and would consider renting it to a marijuana business. Contact: ARLETHADA@aol.com / (720) 276-8233
- Missoula: Marijuana discussed on campus at Marijuana Education Day.
- Montana NORML Blog: “Getting Past Medical“: Marijuana certainly has medical benefits for many people. But the question of “is this person’s use medical enough?” cannot be answered objectively. The solution? A regulated market for all adults.
National Marijuana News
- What happens if California legalizes in November? Well, here’s a quick graphical summary of the economic impacts. What will the feds do? Maybe, just maybe, Obama will fall back on the oft-forgotten strategy of telling the truth.
- Colorado House passes medical marijuana regulation bill on 4/20.
- The Hill’s Congress Blog: It’s high time to end marijuana prohibition
- CNBC: MASSIVE special report on the economics of marijuana legalization. 30+ articles & slide shows!
- Poll: Majority of Americans Say Pot Should Be Treated Like Booze (just like the survey we commissioned way back in 1998)
- WSJ: “Grass on the Field“, about professional football players and marijuana use.
I leave you tonight with a message that Jack Herer impressed upon activists frequently over the decades.
The two most important truths for anyone involved with cannabis activism:
The first is that marijuana is not going to legalize itself and anyone interested in re-legalization must register to vote (and promote the registration of like minded folk) as the highest political priority.
The second is that those interested in re-legalization will spend hundreds of dollars on a bag, but not donate two cents or two minutes to reform, and, that unless this fact changes, re-legalization will simply never occur.
You can support reform by volunteering, writing a letter to the editor, coming to events, talking to your friends about marijuana law reform, or donating money by clicking the yellow donate button on our website.
