GRP member initiates ballot question on medical marijuana

Green-Rainbow Party member John Leonard, of Hingham, along with Scott Mortimer and Maddy Websterof the Drug Policy Forum of Massachusetts, got an advisory ballot question on medical marijuana on the ballot in 15 Massachusetts towns.

Created by eli_beckerman. Last modified on 2008-11-03 21:10:52

We kicked off a campaign of marijuana reform local elections every two cycle since 2000, in coalition with several other marijuana reform groups. By November 5th of this year, we will have run various marijuana reform questions in 45 state representative and senate districts. That comprises approximately 38% of the state. We have never lost an election. Our string of election successes here is the reason that the Marijuana Policy Project landed here from Washington, D.C. and launched binding statewide Question 2 to decriminalize personal possession of marijuana. They will have spent almost a million dollars by the time of the election.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2008

Contact: Scott Mortimer 978-463-378

Maddy Webster 617-776-8344 Bill Downing 781-944-2266

Medical Marijuana Initiatives on the Ballot November 4th,2008

Voters in 15 towns to decide Medical Marijuana Public Policy Questions

Boston - Drug Policy Forum of Massachusetts announces that, for the 5th consecutive election cycle, Massachusetts citizens will vote on marijuana reform Public Policy Questions. Since 2000, voters in over 125 towns representing one-third of the Commonwealth have voted overwhelmingly in favor of marijuana reform (see http://www.dpfma.org for detailed election results).

For the 2008 election, activists from DPFMA and MassCann/NORML have placed four Public Policy Questions in State Representative districts concerning the medicinal use of marijuana. Voters in 15 towns will be able to decide the following ballot question: "Shall the State Representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of legislation that would allow seriously ill patients, with their doctor’s written recommendation, to possess and grow small amounts of marijuana for their personal medical use?"

1st Middlesex Representative Robert S. Hargraves Question 4 – Towns of Ayer, Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell, and Townsend.

13th Norfolk Representative Lida E. Harkins Question 4 – Medfield, Needham, andprecincts 1 and 2 of Dover. (The PPQ will appear as Question 5 in Needham)

21st Middlesex Representative Charles A. Murphy Question 4– Bedford, Burlington,precinct 3 of Wilmington.

6th Plymouth Representative Daniel K. Webster Question 4– Hanson, Pembroke, precincts 2,3,4,5 of Duxbury, precinct 2 of Halifax.

In January 2008 the American College of Physicians released a landmark position paper endorsing full legal protection for medical marijuana patients. (report available at http://www.acponline.org/acp_news/medmarinews.htm)The ACP represents 124,000 member doctors and is the second largest physician group in the US.

Since 2000 Massachusetts votershave passed 41 marijuana reform PPQs by a wide margin, 68% yes for medical marijuana and 62% for decriminalization. This year all Massachusetts voters will also vote on Question 2, a binding referendum that will make simple possession a civil offense with $100 fine.

DPFMA has been working with the state legislature to pass H.2247, "An Act to Regulate the Medical Use of Marijuana by Patients Approved by Physicians and Certified by the Department of Public Health" sponsored by Rep. Frank Smizik. Currently twelve states including Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine have passed similar legislation to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and imprisonment.

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