Arkansas' legislative session ends without protection for medical marijuana patients

The legislative session came to a close this month without a law to protect the state's medical marijuana patients. H.B. 1321, which was defeated by a House committee, would have benefited hundreds of seriously ill medical marijuana patients across the state. Instead, these individuals will continue to face criminal penalties for using their medicine.

Thanks to Rep. Jim Lendall (D-Mabelvale), Arkansas legislators were forced to address this important issue. The House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor heard testimony from several supporters on March 11, including former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders (/AR/news3555.html). The bill died in the committee.

Despite the bill's defeat, medical marijuana's popularity is on the rise: According to the latest Time/CNN poll, 80 percent of Americans support medical marijuana. With vast public support, this issue will surely come up again.

It is up to you to urge your legislators to introduce medical marijuana legislation next session: Only you can convince them that this issue is vitally important to Arkansans.

Please take a few moments to Take Action. After you choose your favorite pre-written letter and type in your address, our site will automatically e-mail your letter to your legislators … all with the click of a few buttons. The whole process takes less than two minutes, but it makes a world of difference. Also, you can print the letters and send them to your legislators through regular mail.

Members of the Arkansas Legislature must act to protect the state's seriously ill patients who need marijuana as their medicine.

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