Mississippi medical marijuana bill needs your help to move forward

For the fourth consecutive year, Rep. Erik Fleming (D-72nd District) has sponsored a medical marijuana bill, H.B. 53, in the Mississippi House of Representatives, which convened on January 3. In the three previous years, the legislature has disregarded his legislation, failing to even hold a hearing in the Judiciary Committee on the issue. The legislature’s indifference to seriously ill patients in Mississippi is unacceptable. We need you to speak out for patients today to ensure the legislature takes action this year.

Please take action today by urging the committee chairs, Reps. Edward Blackmon (D-57th District) and James Simpson (R-120th District), to hold a hearing on this bill. This link will take you to letters that our automated system will send to the representatives for you. The whole process only takes three minutes. State legislators truly do listen to their constituents. By expressing your disappointment with the legislature’s inaction in the face of overwhelming scientific and popular support for medical marijuana, you can help move this important issue forward.

After you have e-mailed the representatives, please follow up with a phone call. You can reach them at:

Rep. Blackmon – (601) 359-1541

Rep. Simpson – (601) 359-4082

The legislation also needs co-sponsors to follow Rep. Fleming’s lead. Please write your representative and urge him or her to support medical marijuana legislation.

Please contact them. Fleming’s courageous bill will protect patients who use medical marijuana from arrest and prison. It is time for Mississippi to join the 11 sensible, compassionate states that have already enacted medical marijuana legislation. Polls consistently show massive public support for this issue. Clearly, supporting medical marijuana is not only an act of compassion; it is also a popular political move.

Please take action today.

If you would like more information or would like to find out how you can get involved, please contact Jonas Singer at JSinger@mpp.org or 202-462-5747 ext. 125.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this message on to your friends and family around the state so that even more voices for reform can be heard.