The Key To Legalization: "Medical" Marijuana

Legalization of marijuana strategy: "The key to it is medical access, because once you have hundreds of thousands of people using marijuana under medical supervision the whole scam is going to be bought. Once there's medical access...then we will get full legalization."

Richard Cowan, Former Director of the National Organization for the Reform Of Marijuana (NORML). Statements contained in the furnished CD.

The Marijuana Policy Project has contracted with an Illinois lobbyist to pursue the legalization of "medical" marijuana. They are working with Illinois Drug Education and Legislation (IDEAL) Reform to pass Senate Bill #2568.

Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)

MPP Mission Statement (portion):

The Marijuana Policy Project believes that the best interim policy -- and an essential element of any successful long-term strategy -- is to allow responsible adults to cultivate small amounts of marijuana in their homes for personal use, subject to appropriate regulations and restrictions. http://www.mpp.org/mission.html

MPP's Objective: Build a state-wide coalition to tax and regulate marijuana (http://www.mpp.org/grants/statewide/index.html) by:

Issuing Grants for projects to reform marijuana policy through (1) local ballot initiatives and (2) local legislation via city councils, county boards of supervisors, or other local government structures. The types of local initiatives and legislation that are eligible for funding fall into these general categories:

  • Change local ordinances to reduce or remove the threat of arrest entirely for medical marijuana use/cultivation and for marijuana use/cultivation generally. http://www.mpp.org/grants/local/
  • Forbid local officials from cooperating with the federal government on medical marijuana law enforcement and marijuana generally. http://www.mpp.org/grants/local/
  • Make medical marijuana and marijuana generally the lowest law-enforcement priority for local police and prosecutors. http://www.mpp.org/grants/local/
  • Pass a non-binding resolution urging the state and/or federal governments to remove criminal penalties for medical marijuana and marijuana generally. http://www.mpp.org/grants/local/

Organizing

  • Grassroots organizing in key states to pass legislation to regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol. http://www.mpp.org/grants/organizing/
  • Organizing in congressional districts to pressure targeted members of Congress to support the Hinchey-Rohrabacher (a bill which would bar the DEA from raiding seriously ill patients) amendment to de-fund the federal government's war on medical marijuana. http://www.mpp.org/grants/organizing/
  • Letter from Ron Kampia-12/2005 stating the MPP Plan. http://www.mpp.org/2006plan/

Funding


Source: Educating Voices, Inc., P.O. Box 6084, Naperville, IL 60567
Phone: (630) 420-9493, Fax: (630) 420-9904
E-Mail: evi@educatingvoices.org

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