Stop the Blunt Ban!
A bulletin distributed by our friends at Philadelphia NORML:
Dear NORML members:
Previously, we had emailed you asking to help stop this Bill on November 16. We got lucky, and it did not pass unanimously as was previously thought. The Bill itself was merely amended.
We still need you to take immediate action to stop this Bill from becoming ordinance! On Thursday, November 30, the Philadelphia City Council will again have the chance to vote on "Blunt Ban," a Bill which would attempt to make illegal sales of everyday household products such as apples, paperclips, and lighters; and tobacco related products under the guise that these items are used primarily as drug paraphernalia. As the only organization for pot smokers, we have taken action in contacting local council members to voice our concerns about this legislation. We have asked them to vote "NO" on the "Blunt Ban," and we need your help!
The ordinance can be summarized as such:
It would make it illegal to sell rolling papers or blunt wraps
It would make it illegal to sell literally anything that can be defined as paraphernalia, such as apples, sandwich bags, paperclips, et al.
It would attempt to shut down lawful community staples - Wonderland and Artifax - which have had permits to sell, among other things, "drug paraphernalia," since 1982.
It would attempt to do so retroactively - charging businesses ridiculous fines for lawfully selling these products before this law would even become active.
Read the bill here http://www.phillynorml.org/bluntbill/2907.pdf
What Can I Do?
1) Send a letter to your council member! A pre-written letter has been prepared, all you need to do is fill out your name and some information and it will send it to as many council-members as you select. You may also add your own comments to the letter if you want.
2) Call your council member! The best time to call is during regular Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. business hours. Call as many of them as you can, and tell them to vote "NO" on bill 060345 when it comes to vote. It doesn't need to be a speech, a few sentences is all you need. If you like, you can use any of the following:
"Don't punish marijuana smokers by taking away their healthy choice of smoking apparel. As a citizen, the shortsightedness of this bill makes me upset. It will do nothing to combat drug use. It's unconstitutional and much more harmful to our citizens than the items it attempts to ban. Vote "NO" on the blunt ban - 060345."
"I don't do drugs or smoke cigars, but bill #060345 is ridiculous. It continues a failed policy of drug prohibition which makes our streets unsafe and our children less protected. Do the right thing and oppose the Blunt Ban, Bill # 060345."
Don't know who to call? Look below!
Frank DiCicco, 1st District, Room 332, tel: 215.686.3458 / 215.686.3459, fax: 215.686.1931, e-mail: frank.dicicco@phila.gov
Anna Verna (Council President), 2nd District, Room 490, tel: 215.686.3412 / 215.686.3413, fax: 215.686.1932, e-mail: anna.verna@phila.gov
Jannie Blackwell, 3rd District, Room 408, tel: 215.686.3418 / 215.686.3419, fax: 215.686.1933, e-mail: jannie.l.blackwell@phila.gov
Darrell Clarke, 5th District, Room 484, tel: 215.686.3442 / 215.686.3443, fax: 215.686.1901, e-mail: Clarke-5th-District@phila.gov
Joan Krajewski, 6th District, Room 506, tel: 215.686.3444 / 215.686.3445, fax: 215.686.1935, e-mail: joan.krajewski@phila.gov
Donna Reed Miller, 8th District, Room 312, 215.686.3424 / 215.686.3425, fax: 215.686.1937, e-mail: donna.miller@phila.gov
Marian Tasco, 9th District, Room 577, tel: 215.686.3454 / 215.686.3455, fax: 215.686.1938, e-mail: marian.tasco@phila.gov
Brian O'Neill, 10th District, Room 562, tel: 215.686.3422 / 215.686.3423, fax: 215.686.1939, e-mail: brian.o'neill@phila.gov
David Cohen (At-Large), Room 588, tel: 215.686.3446 / 215.686.3447, fax: 215.686.1927, e-mail: verna.brown@phila.gov (Chief of Staff)
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. (At-Large), Room 316, tel: 215.686.3414 / 215.686.3415, fax: 215.686.1928, e-mail: wilson.goode@phila.gov
Jack Kelly (At-Large), Room 594, tel: 215.686.3452 / 215.686.3453, fax: 215.686.1925, e-mail: kelly-at-large@phila.gov
James Kenney (At-Large), Room 330, tel: 215.686.3450 / 215.686.3451, fax: 215.686.2013, e-mail: james.kenney@phila.gov
Juan Ramos (At-Large), Room 590, tel: 215.686.3420 / 215.686.3421, fax: 215.686.1930, e-mail: juan.ramos@phila.gov
Blondell Reynolds Brown (At-Large), Room 580, tel: 215.686.33438 / 215.686.3439, fax: 215.686.1926, e-mail: blondell.reynolds.brown@phila.gov
Frank Rizzo (At-Large), Room 582, tel: 215.686.3440, fax: 215.686.1929, e-mail: frank.rizzo@phila.gov
After You Call:
Let PhillyNORML know if you called! We always like to hear feedback from our member base, and hope you will join us in future endeavors to reform marijuana laws here in Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, and in the entire United States of America.
Simply send an email to: co-chair@phillynorml.org - or - chair@phillynorml.org and mention what you did. You will be happy you did.
Keep checking http://www.phillynorml.org/bluntbill/ for more up-to-date information.
--
- Derek Rosenzweig
Co-Chair, PhillyNORML
http://www.phillynorml.org
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~dsonorml
co-chair@phillynorml.org
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