Title:
Committee passes medical marijuana bill in 15-1 vote
Message:
New York's medical marijuana bill is on the move! Today, the Assembly Codes Committee voted 15-1 to pass the bill on to the Ways and Means Committee. That's two more "yes" votes than A. 5796 got in Codes last year.
With the Medical Society of the State of New York's (MSSNY's) recent endorsement of A. 5796, nearly every major medical organization in New York is behind the bill. But we still have a ways to go. A. 5796 still must pass two Assembly committees, the Assembly floor, the Republican-controlled Senate, and be approved by the governor. As we near the end of the legislative session, it is especially important that your legislators know that you want them to act on this bill.
Please take a few moments to 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.
This Tuesday, another Assembly committee—Ways and Means—is scheduled to vote on A. 5796. Last year, Ways and Means voted 24-8 to pass A. 5796, then the bill died in the Assembly Rules Committee. Rules is the last committee that A. 5796 would need to pass before getting a vote in the full Assembly.
The Codes Committee vote comes after an MPP-organized press conference and lobbying day by every major medical organization in New York—including the MSSNY—and multiple sclerosis patient Montel Williams. On May 4, Montel Williams' call for medical marijuana legislation caught the attention of Newsday, Fox News, CNN, and other major news organizations. Williams told the press, "I'm breaking the law every day, and I'll continue to break the law every day. It's the only way I can stand here now."
While the support from the MSSNY and Montel Williams was instrumental, New York's medical marijuana legislation could never have come this far without MPP's subscribers contacting their legislators. For legislators to take a compassionate stand on this issue, they need to know their constituents support medical marijuana patients. So please don't forget to visit Take Action now.
Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please tell others about this site so that even more voices can speak out for reform.
