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Hinchey Medical Marijuana Amendment 2005
On June 6, 2005, the US Supreme Court, unfortunately, upheld the power of the federal government to ban medical marijuana. On Tuesday, June 14, Congress will vote on an amendment that if passed would give patients the protection the court has denied.
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Subject: Vote YES on Hinchey-Rohrabacher Medical Marijuana Amendment
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
On June 6, 2005, the US Supreme Court made a ruling upholding the power of the federal government to ban medical use of marijuana. While this ruling does not change law in the states that have passed medical marijuana protections, it does mean that the federal government -- unfortunately -- will still have the power to use its resources to undermine the will of the voters or legislatures of those states.
I think that is wrong, and I urge you to take an important opportunity coming up to set things right. The Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, to be considered this month (probably Tuesday, June 14) in the debate over the Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations bill, would prohibit the federal government from arresting, raiding or prosecuting patients who are abiding by state medical marijuana laws.
Please vote YES when the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment comes to the floor. Medical marijuana patients and their providers should not have to live in fear that police will break down their doors and take them to jail because of their choice of medicine, certainly not in states whose voters or legislators have voted to protect them. That is a horrendous state of affairs, and it is irrational to divert federal resources to attacking patients that could otherwise be used to protect the nation from terrorists who want to attack us.
Voting YES on Hinchey-Rohrabacher is the only responsible choice that you can make on this amendment.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 06, 2005
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Since medical marijuana initiatives were first passed nine years ago, the DEA has conducted raids against medical marijuana clinics in California, recently with increasing frequency, forcing hundreds if not thousands of patients to procure marijuana in the black market instead. In a ruling issued on June 6, 2005, the US Supreme Court upheld the government's power to do this.
While this doesn't change anything -- state laws protecting medical marijuana patients and their providers still are binding upon state and local law enforcement authorities -- it is a missed opportunity for the Court to rein in federal overreaching and help some of our society's most vulnerable members.
Fortunately, Congress will have a chance this month -- probably Tuesday, June 14 -- to set things right. The Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, to be considered during the debate on the Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations bill, would prohibit the federal government from arresting, raiding or prosecuting patients who are abiding by state medical marijuana laws.
Your help is needed to get it passed. Please visit http://stopthedrugwar.org/medicalmarijuana/ to support the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment and medical marijuana patients today! When you are done, please visit http://www.raichaction.org to find out about a demonstration supporting Hinchey-Rohrabacher at the local office of your member of Congress.
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