Tell the DC City Council Patients Deserve Better!

In a preliminary vote last week, the D.C. City Council unanimously approved Bill 18-622, "Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative Amendment Act of 2010" to control and regulate medical marijuana in accordance with a 1998 ballot initiative adopted by 69% of D.C. voters. However, ASA is concerned the legislation may fall short of meeting patients' needs.

The City Council has an opportunity to make important changes to the legislation before they are required to vote again next month. Local patients and advocates are leading the call for sensible and responsible changes to the legislation and they need your help.

Phone calls and emails make a difference!

ACTION: PHONE IN SCRIPT:

Hello! My name is (Your Name) and I live in Ward (Your Ward #). I would like to thank Councilmember (Your Councilmember) for a unanimous vote to approve legislation to control and regulate medical marijuana in the District as required by the 1998 ballot initiative adopted by 69% of D.C. voters. Unfortunately, I am concerned the legislation will fall short of meeting patients' needs. Specifically, I am concerned about:

(PICK A SINGLE TALKING POINT OR PROVIDE YOUR OWN COMMENT)

· Prohibiting patients from being able to cultivate their own medical marijuana. Personal cultivation allows skillful patients to select and cultivate strains of cannabis that meet their need and encourages self-sufficiency for those who require long-term or chronic care. Also, personal cultivation guarantees reliable and consistent access to cannabis in the event of unwarranted federal interference. I think patients should be allowed to cultivate a personal amount of cannabis individually or in small groups if they agree to reasonable standards and licensing procedures.

· Arbitrarily restricting patients to a limit of 2-ounces of medical marijuana every 30-days. Many patients prefer to vaporize or cook with their medical marijuana. Unfortunately, these safer alternatives often require more than 2-ounces in 30-days to meet therapeutic need. I am afraid this limitation will restrict the freedom of patients to choose alternatives to smoking. Even worse, this provision may force some patients to ration their supply of medicine or resort to the underground market to meet their dosage requirements.

· Encouraging for-profit medical marijuana businesses. I want the medical marijuana businesses that operate in the District to serve only the needs of patients, not the interests of public shareholders. It is important that the Council follow the best practices in other states, but only Colorado has for-profit dispensary centers and legislation is pending before the state’s legislature to change that behavior. I think authorizing for-profit corporations is a mistake that will bring unwelcome controversy to the District’s medical marijuana law, and may result in unwarranted federal interference.

The Council has an opportunity to make necessary changes before they vote again next month. I hope I can count on the Councilmember to support these necessary changes.

ACTION ALERT TARGETS

Vincent C. Gray, Council Chairman
(202) 724-8032

David A. Catania, Councilmember (At Large)
(202) 724-7772

Phil Mendelson, Councilmember (At Large)
(202) 724-8064

Kwame R. Brown, Councilmember (At Large)
(202) 724-8174

Michael A. Brown, Councilmember (At Large)
(202) 724-8105

Jim Graham, Councilmember (Ward 1)
(202) 724-8181

Jack Evans, Councilmember (Ward 2)
(202) 724-8058

Mary M. Cheh, Councilmember (Ward 3)
(202) 724-8062

Muriel Bowser, Councilmember (Ward 4)
(202) 724-8052

Harry Thomas, Jr., Councilmember (Ward 5)
(202) 724-8028

Tommy Wells, Councilmember (Ward 6)
(202) 724-8072

Yvette M. Alexander, Councilmember (Ward 7)
(202) 724-8068

Marion Barry, Councilmember (Ward 8)
(202) 724-8045

When you're done, send an email through our online action center.