Support historic legislation to end marijuana prohibition in California
Last update: June 2, 2009
On February 23, 2009, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) introduced groundbreaking legislation that would remove state-level penalties for responsible marijuana use in California. The bill, A.B. 390, would not only allow personal use and cultivation of marijuana but would also set up a legal system to tax and regulate it similarly to alcohol.
Please take three simple actions to help move this legislation forward:
- Write your legislators in support of A.B. 390 by using our simple online action center.
- Ask every Californian you know to join you in taking action.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Topics of good letters in support of ending marijuana prohibition and A.B. 390 might include raising serious tax revenue for the state, eliminating incentives for criminals to grow environmentally harmful marijuana gardens on public land, or de-funding violent Mexican drug cartels. For help writing a letter or for a sample letter, contact MPP's Aaron Smith at asmith@mpp.org.
If you are a health care professional, law enforcement officer, parent, member of a civic organization, or someone else who has seen the adverse effects of marijuana prohibition first hand, it's even more important that you become involved in this effort. To find out how you can be of special assistance, please contact Aaron Smith at asmith@mpp.org.
A.B. 390 will likely receive its first hearing in the Assembly Public Safety Committee early next year and there will be more opportunities to help build support for the bill throughout the year.
Make sure you are signed up for MPP's California e-mail alerts so that we can keep you informed about this important bill.
High court refuses to hear challenge to medical marijuana law
On May 18, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will not be taking up a case lodged by the counties of San Diego and San Bernardino aimed at gutting California's medical marijuana law. The two counties claimed that the federal law banning all marijuana trumped the state's law that required them to issue medical marijuana identification cards to qualified patients and caregivers.
The challenge was initially filed in 2006 at the San Diego County Superior Court, where a judge sided with patients and state law by strongly denying the counties' claim. Last year, a state appeals court also ruled against the counties and the state Supreme Court refused to hear their appeal. Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided against hearing the case, it's clear that local officials in California must follow the state's compassionate medical marijuana laws — regardless of federal law.
Please call your member of Congress to let him or her know about this important legal victory and to express your support for a federal law that would allow patients to use medical marijuana.
California's medical marijuana ID card program
Visit our FAQ page to learn more about California's medical marijuana ID card program. If your county isn't issuing the state ID cards, contact MPP's California policy director, Aaron Smith to find out how you can help bring this important program to your area.
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