Urge the Governor to sign the Medical Marijuana bill – April 20, 2011

FCWPP Alert: 
Governor Gregoire is hesitating to sign the bill to regulate medical marijuana (SB 5073), which has passed both the House and the Senate, objecting that state employees might be prosecuted by the federal government for implementing the law.

Can you let the Governor know that you support a regulatory system for producing and dispensing marijuana for medical use — a use that is already legal in Washington State?

The Governor can be contacted by phone at 360-902-4111 (TTY for hearing impaired 800-833-6388).  Contact her by email via the site: http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp.

As indicated in an earlier Alert, Washington State law now permits the medical use of marijuana, but does not provide an adequate way for it to be obtained for that purpose.  This bill fills that gap, but it does much more.

FCWPP supports the bill because it would establish the principle of regulation of marijuana and the authorizing of the infrastructure necessary to support its production and distribution.  It is a significant step in the direction of replacing prohibition of marijuana with legalization and regulation together with a public health model for its misuse.

Thanks for all your help.

Sam Merrill, Legislative Clerk
Steven Aldrich, Legislative Advocate
Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy (FCWPP)