Title:
Bring direct democracy to New York
Message:
With 80 percent of the national population supporting medical marijuana, do you ever wish that the people themselves—not their legislators—could vote on medical marijuana legislation?
A. 9790 would give New Yorkers that chance by amending New York's constitution to allow for citizens' initiatives. But, in the meantime, your e-mails and phone calls to elected officials are still your best way to influence policy. So please contact your legislators and ask them to bring the initiative process to New York.
Please visit Take Action. After you choose your favorite pre-written letter and type in your address, our site will automatically e-mail your letter to your legislators … all with the click of a few buttons. The whole process takes less than two minutes, but it makes a world of difference. Also, you can print the letters and send them to your legislators through regular mail.
In seven of the eight states with effective medical marijuana statutes, the laws were passed by the citizens themselves. In Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, voters enacted laws protecting medical marijuana patients from arrest and prosecution.
The New York initiative bill, A. 9790, already has 14 cosponsors, but it needs much more support to become part of New York's constitution. This bill was introduced by Assembly members Tom Kirwan (R-100th Assembly District), Pat Casale (R-108th Assembly District), Robert Warner (R-126th Assembly District), Andrew Raia (R-9th Assembly District), David McDonough (R-19th Assembly District), and Sandra Lee Wirth (R-142nd Assembly District). Its multi-sponsors are Tom Alfano (R-21st Assembly District), Marc Butler (R-117th Assembly District), James Conte (R-10th Assembly District), Brian Kolb (R-129th Assembly District), Robert Prentiss (R-109th Assembly District), Teresa Sayward (R-113th Assembly District), Robert Straniere (R-62nd Assembly District), and David Townsend (R-115th Assembly District).
A. 9790 would give citizens the opportunity to vote on single-subject constitutional and statutory initiatives, as well as referendums and recalls. For a statutory initiative to appear on the ballot, its proponents would need to collect signatures equalling five percent of all gubernatorial votes cast in the last election. A constitutional initiative's proponents would need signatures equalling eight percent of those votes.
Give New Yorkers the chance to decide their state's marijuana policy. Please Take Action now.
Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this information on so that even more voices for reform can be heard.
