Medical marijuana hearing in New Jersey Senate June 8 -- speak out today!

Medical marijuana patients in New Jersey have a new reason to be hopeful, now that Sen. Nicholas Scutari's (D-Linden) medical marijuana bill, S. 88, has been scheduled for an informational hearing before the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. This is an important step toward protecting patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other serious illnesses from arrest and prison in New Jersey, and we need your help to ensure that this bill passes.

Please click here to send a letter to the committee members, urging them to support this vital legislation. With just a few clicks, our automated system will allow you to send pre-written letters to legislators, or you can compose the letters yourself.

One dirty little secret of politics ' especially true at the state level ' is that legislators really do listen to constituents. According to former U.S. Congressman Billy Evans (D-GA), “Legislators estimate that 10 letters from constituents represent the concerns of 10,000 citizens. Anybody who will take the time to write is voicing the fears and desires of thousands more.” So please write to the committee members today.

Then, please send a letter-to-the-editor to your local papers, expressing your hope that lawmakers will end New Jersey’s cruel policy of criminalizing the seriously ill by passing S. 88. Our automated system will easily allow you to send a letter to newspapers in New Jersey. The issue has already received impressive media coverage ' including positive editorial endorsements ' so please feel free to write a letter in response to articles that have been published.

Furthermore, if you or someone you know is suffering from a debilitating condition or is a medical professional, member of law enforcement, or public official who would be willing to testify at hearings, lobby lawmakers, or assist in some other way, please e-mail adam@mpp.org today.

Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge), the Senate health committee chair, recently scheduled the hearing for June 8. This will mark the first time that a medical marijuana bill has received a legislative hearing in New Jersey in recent years. Although this is only an informational hearing during which S. 88 will not receive a vote, it still demonstrates that legislators are taking this issue seriously. A. 933 ' the bipartisan companion bill to S. 88, sponsored by Assemblymen Reed Gusciora (D-Trenton) and Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morristown) ' has not been heard since its referral to the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee.

Please write to the committee members and send a letter-to-the-editor today, so that seriously ill New Jerseyans can eventually get the protection they deserve.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this message along to your friends and family in New Jersey so that others can stand up for the state’s most vulnerable residents.