Protect medical marijuana patients tomorrow; vote "yes" on Proposal M

Are you outraged that seriously ill medical marijuana patients—like Matthew Barber of Traverse City—are prosecuted for using their medicine? Are you ready to do something about it?

If so, now's the time to act. Tomorrow, August 3, you'll have the historic opportunity to change Detroit's city code to allow patients to use medical marijuana, in accordance with their medical professionals' advice. Please get to the polls and vote "yes" on Detroit's medical marijuana initiative—Proposal M. While you're at it, please urge every Detroiter you know who favors Proposal M to vote.

Your efforts to Get Out The Vote could make all the difference. Primary elections usually attract fewer—and more conservative—voters. So we have to do everything we can to get Proposal M's supporters to the polls. Please pass this on to everyone you know and have them pass it on to every favorable voter they know. And if you don't know where your polling place is, please call the Detroit elections line at 313-876-0190.

If Proposal M passes, it will create a medical exception to Detroit's city-level prohibitions on possessing marijuana and paraphernalia. Though it will not change federal or state law, it will offer real protection for Detroit's patients who treat their nausea, pain, spasms, or glaucoma with marijuana. And it would do so immediately.

The debate about Proposal M heated up in recent weeks. The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News came out against the initiative, but a flurry of letters-to-the-editor suggested that readers disagreed. Meanwhile, the Metro Times supported not only the initiative, but broader reform as well. The City Council held hearings on medical marijuana and voted down a resolution opposing Proposal M by 8-1. Thanks to all of you who helped shape the debate by taking the time to write letters-to-the-editor or to contact your council members.

If Detroit passes Proposal M, it could set the stage for statewide protection of medical marijuana patients and inspire other cities and states to do so. Nine states already protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and prosecution, and the state of Montana will vote on this issue in November.

Your efforts tomorrow could make a tremendous difference in the lives of your seriously ill friends, relatives, and neighbors. Proposal M would protect people like MS patient and Detroit resident Rochelle Lampkin. After using prescription medicines with little success, she found that medical marijuana helped to ease her pain and maintain her sight. "I don't want sympathy, I just want to be able to fight for my quality of life."

No government—city, state, or federal—should make people like Ms. Lampkin criminals for treating their suffering. With your help, starting tomorrow, another city will cease this inhumane practice. Please remember to turn out to vote tomorrow and bring your friends.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please forward this e-mail to your friends, family, neighbors, and e-mail lists to help Detroit pass its medical marijuana initiative.