State & Local Legislatures

The Marijuana Policy Project will be working with other groups in Massachusetts to explore the possibility of placing a "decriminalization" initiative on the November 2008 ballot. To kick everything off, MPP executive director Rob Kampia will be meeting with supportive groups and individuals at a fundraising party in Boston on Thursday, February 22.

Come to the Statehouse to take part in the VT Senate Judiciary Committee public hearing on two drug-related bills being considered. One is to decriminalize marijuana and the other to toughen penalties for trafficking of heroin and cocaine.

Legislators and patients will launch what they expect to be the final push for passage of bipartisan medical marijuana legislation in Minnesota at a statehouse press conference. The Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee will hold a hearing on the bill, S.F. 97, at 12:30 p.m. A previous version of the bill passed the Minnesota Senate as well as every House committee, but did not receive a House floor vote. Presenters include bill sponsors Sen. Geoff Michel (R-Edina), Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing) and Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia); K.K. Forss of Ely, who has used medical marijuana to relieve pain from multiple neck surgeries; Dr. George Wagoner, physician from Manitee, Mich. (and formerly licensed in Minnesota), whose wife used medical marijuana during her battle with ovarian cancer and who campaigned for the Michigan medical marijuana initiative that passed in November with 63 percent of the vote. Also testifying at the hearing will be Joni Whiting of Jordan, whose daughter's battle with malignant melanoma was made bearable by using medical marijuana, and Kathy Rippentrop of Lakeville, whose mother used medical marijuana during her treatment for liver cancer. Written testimony from other patients will be presented to the committee and will be made available to the media.

Please join Berkeley Patients Group, Patients Care Collective, and the Cannabis Buyers Coop of Berkeley for our presentation tonight at the City Council Subcommittee meeting on Medical Cannabis.

The Illinois Cannabis Patients Association and Americans for Safe Access will host an informative meeting and discussion on Senate Bill 1381, the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Ac

New Hampshire’s Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1653, a bill that would remove criminal penalties for possession of up to one-quarter ounce of marijuana, and replace them with a

Medical cannabis patients and their supporters will hold a rally at Lafayette Park in support of the FDA's rescheduling of cannabis' medicinal use under the Controlled Substance Act.