Action-packed week for marijuana policy reform

[Fairlight]

Rhode Island enacts MPP's medical marijuana law
This week has been an action-packed one for marijuana policy reform.
First, Rhode Island made its medical marijuana law permanent when 88% of the Senate and 84% of the House voted to override Gov. Donald Carcieri's (R) June 4 veto of MPP’s bill. Click here to read some of the news coverage about this triumph.
Our exciting victory in Rhode Island caps years of work by MPP's lobbyists, testimony from brave Rhode Island patients, and organizing by the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition; as a result, medical marijuana is now legal in 12 states. But this victory in Rhode Island wouldn't have been possible without the support of MPP members. We will continue working toward the 13th, 14th, and 15th medical marijuana states.
And in New York, MPP's medical marijuana bill has made more progress than ever before. In an historic vote on June 13, the Assembly passed MPP's bill by a 93-52 vote, and the Senate leadership — as well as the state's governor — all agree that New York should have a medical marijuana law.
Although the New York Legislature adjourned on Thursday without a Senate vote on the bill, there is still a good chance that New York will pass a law protecting patients from arrest this year: There will likely be a special session of the legislature later this summer, during which we will continue to push hard to pass the bill. Getting the law passed this year is crucial, since our task will be tougher next year — an election year — so we'll be making the final barrage of activity needed to bring medical marijuana access to New York.
Sadly, hope for a Connecticut medical marijuana law this year died when Gov. Jodi Rell (R) vetoed the bill on Tuesday. The reasons she offered for the veto were either patently false or completely irrelevant. MPP and our allies are working to let her — and other prohibitionist politicians — know that policymakers who refuse to support sensible, compassionate marijuana policies do so at their peril.
A Better Way Foundation and the Drug Policy Alliance led the effort to enact Connecticut's bill this year, and they were able to move the bill further than ever before.
I want to thank MPP's 23,000 dues-paying members for supporting MPP’s work. You make everything we do possible.
Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.