Medical marijuana bill cross-filed in House of Delegates; legislation will receive hearing in Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

On Thursday, February 6, Del. Dan Morhaim (D-Baltimore) cross-filed the Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act, H.B. 702, in the Maryland House of Delegates with a record 54 co-sponsors. Your efforts to contact your legislators contributed to this unprecedented support. The bill has since been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

On Sunday, February 9, medical marijuana received a strong show of support as the Baltimore Sun editorialized in our favor. This major endorsement is another sign that this is the year to pass medical marijuana legislation in Maryland.

In the Senate, the Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act, S.B. 502, is scheduled to have a hearing in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on February 26. Right now it looks like the Committee could go either way on the bill.

We need your help to keep the strong protections for medical marijuana patients in the Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act and to pass it through to the Senate floor.

It is extremely important that you personally call Committee Chair Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery) and three other key committee members. Urge them to pass the Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act with its original language intact.

You can call the committee members toll-free by dialing 1-800-492-7122 and using the extensions in the table below. It will only take a few minutes but will have a tremendous effect.

Senator (PARTY-DISTRICT)	EXTENSION
Brian E. Frosh, Committee Chair (D - District 16: Montgomery)	ext. 3124
John A. Giannetti, Jr. (D - District 21: Anne Arundel and Prince George's)	ext. 3141
Nancy Jacobs (R - District 34: Cecil and Harford)	ext. 3158
Ralph M. Hughes (D - District 40: Baltimore City)	ext. 3656

Please tell each senator: "I understand that the Senate Judiciary Proceedings Committee will vote on the Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act. Please vote yes on S.B. 502 and resist any change of its content. It is essential that medical marijuana patients be protected from arrest."

If a legislator is not available to take your phone call, leave the above message with the senator's assistant or answering service. Further, if you live in a committee member's district, be sure to tell him or her that you are a constituent.

The Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act would allow patients with cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other serious medical conditions to grow and possess limited quantities of marijuana for medical use upon the recommendations of their physicians. The bill would also establish a research program that would gather basic information on the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana treatment, the results of which would be reported to the governor and General Assembly.

Your phone calls could help alleviate the suffering of countless cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis patients in Maryland. Please call today and then pass this message on to other compassionate Marylanders. The more concerned citizens who voice their support for the Darrell Putman Medical Marijuana Research Act, the more likely committee members are to pass it.