Excellent response to alert opposing legislation that would make Florida's marijuana laws tougher than current federal law!

Many thanks to everyone who took action in response to the previous alert; so far, hundreds of Floridians have contacted their legislators in opposition to HB 173. There is a companion Senate bill — SB 390 — but legislators have wisely not moved it as far along as HB 173.

Now that you have contacted your state senator and representative about the House bill, we'd like you to send an e-mail to the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee, where SB 390 is currently awaiting action.

As mentioned in the last alert, these bills seek to lower the standards for establishing prima facie evidence of intent to sell or distribute marijuana. Under the proposed provisions of HB 173 and SB 390, any person found to be in possession of 25 plants or more would automatically be assumed to be trafficking marijuana, regardless of any actual proof to establish such an accusation.

The corresponding federal threshold is set 75 plants higher at 100 plants!

After you have sent an e-mail, please call the committee members at (850) 487-5140 and ask them to oppose SB 390. If you are directed to voicemail, your message can be as simple as, "Hello, my name is _______, and I oppose SB 390, which seeks to lower the trafficking standard to 25 marijuana plants. Please put a stop to this bill, which would send many innocent people to jail whose only real crime is growing and using marijuana for personal reasons."

Below are some talking points to help you discuss this issue with a committee member should you be able to get through:

• Distribution of 25 plants is a felony in third degree, punishable by 5 years in prison and $5,000 in fines.

• Florida courts currently recognize a medical necessity defense for medical marijuana patients. If HB 173 passes, legitimate medical marijuana patients who grow their own medicine could be wrongly accused of distributing marijuana.

• Florida's already overcrowded jails do not need to be filled with nonviolent offenders whose only crime is growing marijuana for personal use.

• In Florida, a person can already be sentenced to one year in jail and fined $1,000 for possessing under 20 grams (less than one ounce) of marijuana. This makes Florida one of the nation's leaders when it comes to cruel and unusual punishment of marijuana users — there is simply no need for Florida to continue down the failed path of prohibition.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project and opposing this legislation. Please forward this e-mail others in Florida so they can take action as well.