Despite hours of negative testimony from David Murray, a representative of the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, our medical marijuana bill passed its final committee in the Senate by a vote of 7-3!  The room was full of people who support the issue - we are a force for change!  Your calls, letters, and visits are making a difference.  Thank you!  Also, a special "thank you" to the class of graduating nurses who came to show their support - we hope that you can come again!
 
The next step is a vote on the Senate floor, and your work can help it pass.  Please call your senator at his or her capitol office as soon as you can and tell him or her that you support the Lynn Pierson Compassionate Use Act, Senate Bill 258.  You can find contact information for your senator here.  The floor vote in the Senate could happen as early as Tuesday, Jan. 31st, so your senator needs to hear from you right away.
 
Once SB 258 passes the Senate, it will head to the House.  We will be hard at work to make sure the bill passes there, but we can't do it without you.  Please begin calling your representatives and stay tuned as we move forward! 

Our polls show that over 80% of New Mexicans support making medical marijuana legally available for seriously ill people.  That's because you and your neighbors value reason, compassion, and justice when it comes to our state's drug policies.  Please let your state legislators know that you care about medical marijuana today!

Tips on Making a Call

Most legislators' staff answer their phones during the session and log all of the messages. A call will only take about a minute.

• Be courteous, positive, and brief.
• Identify yourself and mention if you are a constituent.
• Ask the legislator to support Senate Bill 258, the Lynn Pierson Compassionate Use Act.
• Feel free to briefly tell them why you personally support the bill.

In Brief

This bill would allow qualified patients suffering from certain serious illnesses such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and epilepsy - to use marijuana for relief from their symptoms. Feel free to refer to our fact sheet or talking points before you call.

Thanks so much for calling - and please feel free to forward this information to other individuals and email lists that might be interested. The more voices that speak up for this legislation, the more likely it is to become law.

Sincerely,

Reena Szczepanski
Director, Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico

Learn More About the Bill

The Lynn Pierson Compassionate Use Act would allow qualified patients suffering from certain serious illnesses - such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and epilepsy - to use marijuana for relief of their symptoms. The law would require a patient to receive a recommendation for cannabis (i.e., medical marijuana) from his/her provider. The patient could then apply to participate in the program through the Department of Health, and an independent review board of doctors would consider each application. Upon approval by the board, the patient would receive a registry identification card from the New Mexico Department of Health, certifying that he/she was a participant in the Lynn Pierson program. By registering in this way, the patient and the patient - primary caregiver would be allowed to possess only enough cannabis to treat the patient. Only medical providers who already can prescribe controlled substances could recommend patients for the program. The Department of Health will develop regulations for licensed producers within the state, identifying standards for safety, security, and distribution.

The new law would not allow medical marijuana use in public, and would penalize lying to a law enforcement officer regarding the medical use of marijuana. The Department of Health would keep a registry of participants so that law enforcement officers could confirm the validity of a patient's registration card. Patients under 18 years old could only participate with parental consent