New Hampshire: Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper can be a great way to foster discussion about marijuana policy reform. While we have provided this list of talking points, we encourage you to write your own letter, as a personally-crafted message is often the most powerful.
You can visit this page to view a listing of newspapers in New Hampshire. We also have a few tips for writing an effective letter.
- Our legislature should show compassion for seriously ill patients and follow the lead of Rhode Island legislators by enacting the medical marijuana bill over Gov. Lynch's veto.
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- A 2008 Mason-Dixon poll showed that 71% of New Hampshire voters support allowing seriously and terminally ill patients to use and grow medical marijuana for personal use if their doctors recommend it. A majority of Democrats, Republicans, and independents support this policy as well.
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- In his veto statement, Gov. Lynch suggested that the medical marijuana bill does not provide adequate controls for the dispensing of marijuana to qualified patients. Yet the bill gives authority to the Department of Health and Human Services to set whatever licensing processes and standards it thinks are necessary. Since this is an executive-branch agency, Gov. Lynch would have the ability to weigh in heavily if there are specific standards he would like to see. The bill also includes several specific strict regulations, including requiring that all marijuana be cultivated in enclosed, locked locations.
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- Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri vetoed a bill to create medical marijuana compassion centers there. The Rhode Island House voted 67-0 to override the veto, and the state Senate voted 35-3 to override it. Our legislature should do the same and override Gov. Lynch's veto of HB 648 to provide relief to hundreds of suffering patients.
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- Our legislators should reject Gov. Lynch's faulty reasoning for vetoing the medical marijuana bill and vote to override his veto.
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- The House and Senate sponsors spent more than a year crafting the bill. If it becomes law it will be the tightest medical marijuana law in the country — even tighter than the laws in Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island.
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- HB 648 would create three nonprofit compassion centers, which would be licensed and regulated by the state Department of Health and Human Services. The bill gives authority to DHHS to set whatever licensing processes and regulations — including security standards — it finds necessary.
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- The bill maintains commonsense restrictions on the medical use of marijuana, including prohibitions on public use of marijuana and driving under the influence of marijuana. Employers are not required to allow patients to be impaired at work or possess marijuana at a workplace. Insurance companies would not have to cover the medical use of marijuana.
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- Compassion centers can only dispense up to 2 ounces of usable marijuana to patients and caregivers who possess state registry ID cards.
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- Marijuana has never caused a single medically documented overdose death — unlike Tylenol, which causes about 500 overdose deaths a year in the U.S. alone.
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- To protect against diversion, the bill includes a penalty enhancement for any patient, caregiver, or compassion center who transfers or sells marijuana to someone who is not allowed to possess it. And any patient or caregiver who does so would have their card revoked.
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- Numerous prestigious medical organizations support legal medical marijuana access for the seriously ill, including the American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
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- Studies have shown that marijuana relieves debilitating symptoms including nausea, appetite loss, and severe pain. It has been shown to increase the chances that HIV/AIDs and hepatitis C patients will stay on their life-saving medications.
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- Chemotherapy patients who are too nauseated to eat or swallow a pill should not have to fear arrest if they — and their doctors — find that using marijuana is the most effective means of treating their symptoms.
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- When they have their doctors' approval, patients should be able to use medical marijuana without fear of arrest and imprisonment. They should also be able to rely on a safe supply of marijuana without having to resort to the dangerous criminal market.
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- When they have their doctors' approval, patients should be able to use medical marijuana without fear of arrest and imprisonment. They should also be able to rely on a safe supply of marijuana without having to resort to the dangerous criminal market.
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- Our legislature should enact laws that protect patients from arrest and imprisonment.
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- Many otherwise illegal substances, such as cocaine and morphine, can legally be prescribed by doctors. The same should be true for marijuana.
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- Many otherwise illegal substances, such as cocaine and morphine, can legally be prescribed by doctors. The same should be true for marijuana.
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Tips for writing an effective letter
1) Keep it short and simple
Papers generally won't print anything longer than 150-200 words. It's best to make one point well, rather than trying to make every point possible. By only making one point at a time, you save your other arguments for future letters.
2) Check your spelling and grammar
Not only are newspapers more likely to print a letter containing no errors, having a spelling or grammar mistake plays into the stereotypes embraced by the opposition. We'd be glad to look over your letter if you'd like.
3) Say only what you know is factually true
Science, math, and reason are on our side; there's no need to make false claims or exaggerations. If you are unsure, check our library or ask us.
4) If possible, respond to a recent story in a timely manner
Papers are generally more likely to publish letters that are in response to recent stories, especially letters than are submitted shortly after the stories were published.
Feel free to contact us if you'd like help with your letter.
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