Encourage your legislators to support marijuana policy reform

Rhode Island's state legislators have been meeting in the State House since January 8. Unfortunately, no marijuana-related legislation was introduced before the deadline late last year.

Still, it is never too late to let your representative and senator know that marijuana policy is an important issue.

The state wastes valuable resources when it arrests and imprisons nonviolent marijuana users. Without a medical exception to the marijuana laws, cancer and AIDS patients are denied access to a drug that can alleviate pain and nausea.

There are two ways you can help.

Please visit /RI to read tips on building support for marijuana law reform by writing a letter to the editor of a state or local newspaper.

Also on the Rhode Island Web site, you can automatically send e-mail messages to those who represent you in the State House, encouraging them to sign on to a letter that urges President Bush to show compassion to seriously ill patients who need to use medical marijuana.

Thank you for taking action in support of a more reasonable marijuana policy. Please forward this alert to others in Rhode Island, and visit /RI today.