Greetings all.
Well, no longer breaking news, nor I guess, was it ever in our little city with big aspirations.
Iowa’s Medical Marijuana bill, SF 293, was shelved but with the following message from Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City:
“The committee members agreed that the bill needed more work and would not move forward this session but that there remains a need to continue to explore this issue. Thirteen states have allowed the medical use of marijuana. Bills have been introduced in 14 more states this year.0.
I have been overwhelmed at the response to this legislation. I have received more than 90 emails from around the state including many detailed personal health stories from Iowans suffering with extremely difficult conditions and seeking relief.
I will be working with other interested parties on an amendment to improve the bill for consideration next legislative session. It would be my hope to see if there is support next year to make progress on this issue.”
Ok Iowa, next year when the legislative session begins, I think we can do better than 90 emails. Remember, emails are good but letters have more of an impact. We have 9 months until the legislative session to get organized and start a letter writing campaign.
I want you all to write letters and then, in turn, find at least five others who can write. It’s not so hard friends, I know you all are social butterflies. I think these letters will have the greatest impact if they’re all delivered simultaneously at the beginning of the session so you guys just worry about writing the letters and finding at least 5 others, who in turn, find others.
I’ll be getting an information packet together soon for those who know me so you can distribute to those who can help. It’ll include facts about medical marijuana and other things pertinent to our cause that’ll help you write the letter. Half of the fight is combating the ignorance and misinformation that runs rampant in our homely little city.
They’ll be instructions for what to do with the letters once you get them together. If you have happened to come across this blog by chance – well lucky you – send me an email and I’ll send you the information packet via email at IMAP2009@yahoo.com (Iowa Marijuana Activism Project 2009).
Here are a few facts to think about for writing your letter. Try to make them as personal as possible, these types of letters will have the greatest impact – perhaps you know someone who uses in order to alleviate pain associated with a medical condition – I know I do.
1. 13 states have laws protecting medical marijuana patients from state prosecution – these laws are operating primarily as lawmakers intended and have not let to widespread abuses.
2. The American College of Physicians supports medical cannabis, stating, “The ACP strongly urges protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws.
3. The use of marijuana should be a public health issue and not part of the war on drugs so that doctors and patients can determine together the right course of treatment for diseases.
4. A recent national survey of U.S. physicians for the American Society of Addiction Medicine reported that nearly half of all doctors with opinions support legalizing cannabis as a medicine.
5. Some 80 state and national health care organizations, including the American Nurses Associate, American Public Health Association and the New England Journal of Medicine, support immediate, legal patient access to medical cannabis.
It is immoral to deny someone who is severely ill relief from pain and discomfort. Especially if the relief they seek does not adversely affect themselves or the community. As things stand now, people who seek relief with marijuana face criminal prosecution, loss of freedom, excessive fines, property seizure, loss of federal financial aid, job discrimination, loss of parental/custodial rights, their right to bear arms, to vote. The list of injustices goes on and will continue until we do something about it.
A medical marijuana program in our state would benefit everyone, not just the sick and even those misguided individuals who are against it.
On a lighter note, I am constantly thinking of ways to counter the arguments of my poor misguided counterparts. How would someone who was against medical marijuana in Iowa word a letter to Senater Bolkom?. I thought and I thought. Hmmm. What kind of vile, wretched individual would be against this bill? A right wing authoritarian? Maybe a government trusting conformist human/sheep hybrid? I couldn’t think of anything but this:
Dear Senator Bolkom,
It is my understanding that you are the Senator responsible for introducing Senate File 293, a bill that would allow a person in Iowa with a debilitating condition and a medical prescription to legally obtain marijuana for medicinal use. I understand that committee members agreed the bill needed more work and would not move forward this session but that you seek to reintroduce and reexamine this bill during the next legislative session.
I am writing to express my absolute opposition to this bill. You see, Senator Bolkom, I am a local drug dealer operating in the Des Moines area and this bill would negatively affect me in several ways. As it now stands, I profit enormously from current Iowa laws prohibiting the possession of marijuana and its use under any circumstances, even for the treatment of the sick and dying.
These laws insure that I am the most sensible way for many of my clients to obtain marijuana. Marijuana is a hardy, resilient plant, and it is able to grow in a wide variety of climates, even indoors. This program would allow those who qualify for a registry identification card to grow their own marijuana without risk of prosecution. If a medical marijuana program were enacted in Iowa, my business would suffer tremendously.
As it currently stands, I am able to sell marijuana at an enormous profit relative to the bulk rate at which I purchase it from my supplier, a cartel in Mexico. My employer would also suffer from a loss in revenue. Since he spends a fixed amount of money buying weapons, bribing government officials and paying violent henchmen, he will likely be forced to raise his prices on me in order to compensate.
I ask that you stem all ambitions of getting this law, or any law that travels down a similar path passed in the state. I spend a lot of money in the community on property, guns, and expensive designer athletic shoes and apparel. I do not wish to move my operation elsewhere. We must recognize the black market for marijuana is alive and well in Iowa and continue to foster its existence to ensure the survival of my business and the businesses of many of my colleagues.
Thank You.
Sincerely,
Joe the Drug Dealer.
Anyhow, I wanted to get out my first post as soon as possible so here it is. In the very near future I’ll be adding links to a lot more information and posts with varying levels of seriousness. We need to jam as much information into our little heads as possible so we can educate people every chance we get. Nine months until the next legislative session friends…lets get ready.
Oh, and btw, do you know any budding bloggers? Visit the home page of the American Medical Marijuana Society to see how you can help.
Well, no longer breaking news, nor I guess, was it ever in our little city with big aspirations.
Iowa’s Medical Marijuana bill, SF 293, was shelved but with the following message from Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City:
“The committee members agreed that the bill needed more work and would not move forward this session but that there remains a need to continue to explore this issue. Thirteen states have allowed the medical use of marijuana. Bills have been introduced in 14 more states this year.0.
I have been overwhelmed at the response to this legislation. I have received more than 90 emails from around the state including many detailed personal health stories from Iowans suffering with extremely difficult conditions and seeking relief.
I will be working with other interested parties on an amendment to improve the bill for consideration next legislative session. It would be my hope to see if there is support next year to make progress on this issue.”
Ok Iowa, next year when the legislative session begins, I think we can do better than 90 emails. Remember, emails are good but letters have more of an impact. We have 9 months until the legislative session to get organized and start a letter writing campaign.
I want you all to write letters and then, in turn, find at least five others who can write. It’s not so hard friends, I know you all are social butterflies. I think these letters will have the greatest impact if they’re all delivered simultaneously at the beginning of the session so you guys just worry about writing the letters and finding at least 5 others, who in turn, find others.
I’ll be getting an information packet together soon for those who know me so you can distribute to those who can help. It’ll include facts about medical marijuana and other things pertinent to our cause that’ll help you write the letter. Half of the fight is combating the ignorance and misinformation that runs rampant in our homely little city.
They’ll be instructions for what to do with the letters once you get them together. If you have happened to come across this blog by chance – well lucky you – send me an email and I’ll send you the information packet via email at IMAP2009@yahoo.com (Iowa Marijuana Activism Project 2009).
Here are a few facts to think about for writing your letter. Try to make them as personal as possible, these types of letters will have the greatest impact – perhaps you know someone who uses in order to alleviate pain associated with a medical condition – I know I do.
1. 13 states have laws protecting medical marijuana patients from state prosecution – these laws are operating primarily as lawmakers intended and have not let to widespread abuses.
2. The American College of Physicians supports medical cannabis, stating, “The ACP strongly urges protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws.
3. The use of marijuana should be a public health issue and not part of the war on drugs so that doctors and patients can determine together the right course of treatment for diseases.
4. A recent national survey of U.S. physicians for the American Society of Addiction Medicine reported that nearly half of all doctors with opinions support legalizing cannabis as a medicine.
5. Some 80 state and national health care organizations, including the American Nurses Associate, American Public Health Association and the New England Journal of Medicine, support immediate, legal patient access to medical cannabis.
It is immoral to deny someone who is severely ill relief from pain and discomfort. Especially if the relief they seek does not adversely affect themselves or the community. As things stand now, people who seek relief with marijuana face criminal prosecution, loss of freedom, excessive fines, property seizure, loss of federal financial aid, job discrimination, loss of parental/custodial rights, their right to bear arms, to vote. The list of injustices goes on and will continue until we do something about it.
A medical marijuana program in our state would benefit everyone, not just the sick and even those misguided individuals who are against it.
On a lighter note, I am constantly thinking of ways to counter the arguments of my poor misguided counterparts. How would someone who was against medical marijuana in Iowa word a letter to Senater Bolkom?. I thought and I thought. Hmmm. What kind of vile, wretched individual would be against this bill? A right wing authoritarian? Maybe a government trusting conformist human/sheep hybrid? I couldn’t think of anything but this:
Dear Senator Bolkom,
It is my understanding that you are the Senator responsible for introducing Senate File 293, a bill that would allow a person in Iowa with a debilitating condition and a medical prescription to legally obtain marijuana for medicinal use. I understand that committee members agreed the bill needed more work and would not move forward this session but that you seek to reintroduce and reexamine this bill during the next legislative session.
I am writing to express my absolute opposition to this bill. You see, Senator Bolkom, I am a local drug dealer operating in the Des Moines area and this bill would negatively affect me in several ways. As it now stands, I profit enormously from current Iowa laws prohibiting the possession of marijuana and its use under any circumstances, even for the treatment of the sick and dying.
These laws insure that I am the most sensible way for many of my clients to obtain marijuana. Marijuana is a hardy, resilient plant, and it is able to grow in a wide variety of climates, even indoors. This program would allow those who qualify for a registry identification card to grow their own marijuana without risk of prosecution. If a medical marijuana program were enacted in Iowa, my business would suffer tremendously.
As it currently stands, I am able to sell marijuana at an enormous profit relative to the bulk rate at which I purchase it from my supplier, a cartel in Mexico. My employer would also suffer from a loss in revenue. Since he spends a fixed amount of money buying weapons, bribing government officials and paying violent henchmen, he will likely be forced to raise his prices on me in order to compensate.
I ask that you stem all ambitions of getting this law, or any law that travels down a similar path passed in the state. I spend a lot of money in the community on property, guns, and expensive designer athletic shoes and apparel. I do not wish to move my operation elsewhere. We must recognize the black market for marijuana is alive and well in Iowa and continue to foster its existence to ensure the survival of my business and the businesses of many of my colleagues.
Thank You.
Sincerely,
Joe the Drug Dealer.
Anyhow, I wanted to get out my first post as soon as possible so here it is. In the very near future I’ll be adding links to a lot more information and posts with varying levels of seriousness. We need to jam as much information into our little heads as possible so we can educate people every chance we get. Nine months until the next legislative session friends…lets get ready.
Oh, and btw, do you know any budding bloggers? Visit the home page of the American Medical Marijuana Society to see how you can help.
Nice article...dissappointing that the bill was shelved, but look at the bright side...14 states have introduced Marijuana bills this year, and that is on top of the 13 that have already passed laws. We are inching ever closer to that proverbial tipping point.
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