Marijuana Policy Project

(from January/February 1996 Marijuana Policy Report)

The MPP has been diligently lobbying in support of medicinal marijuana bill H.R. 2618 since it was introduced by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) on November 10, 1995. The bill would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients with life- or sense-threatening conditions. The MPP's approach involves meeting with congressional staffers and facilitating letter-writing from constituents. Three new co-sponsors have recently signed on — U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-California), U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-California), and U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) — bringing the total to nine. In order for hearings to be held, the MPP estimates that several dozen U.S. representatives will first need to sign on to H.R. 2618. [Click here for a current list of co-sponsors.] Republican support is also necessary to get the bill moving through the 104th Congress; therefore, the MPP is targeting 36 Republicans who are most likely to support medical access to marijuana. Several Republican offices have expressed approval of the concept of the legislation, but thus far all of the nine co-sponsors are Democrats. A stronger showing of constituent support may be necessary to convince the first brave Republican to lead the way by co-sponsoring H.R. 2618.

Opposition

Meanwhile, the most hard-line prohibitionists are fighting to deprive patients of medical access to marijuana. U.S. Rep. Gerald Solomon (R-New York) responded to the bill by giving a speech, "Side With the Doctors and Scientists, Not the Dope Smokers," on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on November 28, 1995. (Congressional Record, page E2240) Citing misinformation from the radical prohibitionist Drug Watch International's (DWI's) medicinal marijuana position paper, Rep. Solomon argued that marijuana has no medical value, is completely opposed by the medical community, and is instead harmful to patients. He claimed that the only supporters are "conspiracy theory dope smokers" who are "intentionally exploiting the pain and suffering of others ... to legalize marijuana." Solomon also distributed a "Dear Colleague" letter to all members of the House that was nearly identical to his Congressional Record remarks. Shortly thereafter, a few MPP supporters who had written to their members of Congress received letters of response expressing opposition to H.R. 2618, citing the same misinformation that Solomon apparently provided.

MPP Response

The MPP prepared a formal response to Solomon's speech and distributed it to all of the H.R. 2618 co-sponsors and the staffers with whom we have already met. Though Solomon's speech was less than 500 words, it was so riddled with distortions and misinformation that it took four full pages to respond. The MPP plans to give a copy of the response paper to each congressional office that we lobby. Now more than ever, it is crucial for constituents to provide the truth about medicinal marijuana to their members of Congress. Reformers must match the lobbying intensity of Rep. Solomon, DWI, and other prohibitionists.