81% of the Rhode Island House votes for medical marijuana; Senate vote tomorrow

Great work! In an 50-12 vote, the Rhode Island House of Representatives voted today to make Rhode Island's medical marijuana law permanent. Please help keep the momentum going ... Tomorrow afternoon, the Senate will vote on the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act. Please call your state senator to ask him or her to vote to make the medical marijuana law permanent before it expires on June 30.

You can visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/mpp/directory/statedir.tt?state=RI to look up your state senator and his or her number. When you call, you can keep your message simple. After saying your name and town, urge the senator to vote for S. 791, the Senate version of the medical marijuana act. You could also mention that the law is protecting very ill patients, without hurting anyone. Or, note that it is supported by the state medical society, the state nurses association, and 79% of voters.

If you reach your senator, please e-mail me at karen@mpp.org to let us know any feedback you receive. With your help, we can make sure that Rhode Island patients will never again face arrest under state law for the doctor-advised medical use of marijuana.

Thank you so much to all of you who helped pass this bill through the House by an 81% veto-proof margin. Patients with Crohn's disease; multiple sclerosis; AIDS; intractable, excruciating pain; and other debilitating conditions testified at the legislative hearings and attended the vote. Several doctors and representatives of medical organizations added their voices to the call to pass this compassionate bill. And at least 70 of you took the time to contact your legislators.

Although this win is heartening, our work is not done. Please don't forget to call your state senator. Then, please pass this message on to your friends and family to ask them to do the same. If you want to do even more to help out, you can write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Thank you for your support and compassion.