From: LVNORML420@aol.com Subject: From MPP
Dear Friend:
Yesterday's 15-10 vote in favor of the medical marijuana bill in the Hawaii Senate is making the news.
MPP assisted a well-organized coalition of Hawaii organizations -- including the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Hawaii Nurses Association, and the Hawaii Kokua Council of Senior Citizens -- that successfully pushed the bill through the leislature. The governor will sign the bill sometime in the next couple of months.
This victory was four years in the making, comprising the second wave of the campaign to protect medical marijuana users. The first wave was the passage of state ballot initiatives, the second is state legislation, and the third will be federal legislation.
I expect positive medical marijuana bills to be introduced in more than 20 state legislatures in early 2001, so MPP is already preparing to build a critical mass of support behind a couple of these bills that have the best chance of passing.
A full report on the Hawaii victory, the failed legislation in Maryland, and other key states will be featured in our newsletter, the Marijuana Policy Report, which is mailed to all dues-paying members.
For the text of the Hawaii bill and other information, please see <http://www.mpp.org/Hawaii
Sincerely, Robert D. Kampia Executive Director Marijuana Policy Project
NEWS COVERAGE
In addition to a host of local news coverage in Hawaii ...
* CNN reportedly ran a story or stories on the Hawaii vote this morning.
* The Associated Press wire service ran a story last night: http://www.mpp.org/Hawaii/news/ap042500.html
* The New York Times ran a story this morning: http://www.mpp.org/Hawaii/news/nyt042600.html
* Reuters wire service ran a story this afternoon: http://www.mpp.org/Hawaii/news/rts042600.html
* And, tomorrow morning, CBS's morning show with Bryant Gumbel is expected to air a story.
HOW DOES HAWAII COMPARE TO OTHER STATES?
As soon as Governor Ben Cayetano (D) signs the medical marijuana bill (S.B. 862) into law, patients who use and grow medical marijuana with their doctors' approval will no longer be subject to arrest and imprisonment under state law. The new law will also protect physicians from being penalized for recommending the medical use of marjuana.
This puts Hawaii in the same league as Alaska, California, Maine, Oregon, and Washington state, where voters have passed ballot initiatives that provide similar protections to patients and doctors in those states. Hawaii is the first state to enact such a law through the state legislature. (And Colorado and Nevada voters are likely to pass similar ballot measures this coming November.)
This is only the third time in history that both chambers of a state legislature have passed legislation to protect patients from state- level prosecution: Maine did so in 1992 and California did so in 1995. Unfortunately, the governors of both states vetoed those bills. A veto will not occur in Hawaii, however, as the Hawaii governor actually introduced the medical marijuana legislation in the first place!
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On March 7, the Hawaii House of Representatives passed the medical marijuana bill by a 32-18 vote. That same day, the Hawaii Senate passed a slightly different bill by a 13-12 vote.
On April 11, the Hawaii House of Representatives passed the final version of S.B. 862 -- the version that the Hawaii Senate just passed -- by a 29-20 vote.
Medical marijuana legislation had also been introduced during the 1995-96 and the 1997-98 legislatures in Hawaii, but those bills failed to garner a majority of votes in both the House and Senate.
HOW TO SUPPORT THE MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT
MPP is funded entirely by the contributions of its dues-paying members nationwide. To support MPP's work and receive the quarterly newsletter, "Marijuana Policy Report," please send $25.00 annual membership dues to:
Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) P.O. Box 77492 Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. 20013 202-232-0442 FAX
Because MPP devotes 100% of its efforts toward influencing public policy, contributions are not tax-deductible. The following on-line membership form allows you to make tax-deductible contributions: <http://www.mpp.org/join-mpp.html>