OK Medical Marijuana Bill (Feb. 6) and Med. Marijuana Day (April 20) at Oklahoma Capitol

The Oklahoma Legislature is back in session February 6, 2012. 

The Drug Policy Reform Network of Oklahoma has changed plans for a rally at the Capitol.

Instead, we are planning to combine the medical marijuana day with a full drug policy reform/end prohibition rally. We believe a rally outside and a lobbying day inside will get the most participation and coverage.  You can “roar” with the crowd outside and/or just quietly visit your legislators inside the capitol.  This event is scheduled for April 20, 2012 (a.k.a. 4:20)

That doesn’t mean we aren’t going to be busy before April 20.  Starting Feb. 6, you (yes, you) need to contact your state senator and ask them to support Senator Constance Johnson’s Senate Bill 573 (The Compassionate Use Act of 2011).  This is a basic medical marijuana bill, allowing medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation.  The bill is currently assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee.  Please contact the Chairman of the committee as well. 

To indentify your state senator, call your local "Board of Election/Election Board", or the State Election Board (405) 521-2391.  You can also find this information online at www.lsb.state.ok.us

Health and Human Services Committee Chairman, Senator Brian Crain: (405) 521-5620, crain@oksenate.gov

We are still going to the Oklahoma Capitol!  It is time to tell our elected officials that we want medical marijuana to be available right here, right now! We did it in 2010 and had a great lobbying day at the Capitol.  Patients and medical marijuana supporters visited their elected officials and presented them with medical marijuana information.  OETA and News 4 did great television news stories on the event. View the News 4 story at http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-medical-marijuana-story,0,4726019.story

On Friday, April 20, 2012, 1pm-4:20pm, we are going to do it again!

We will meet at the capitol steps, to have a brief discussion, before visiting our senators and representatives.  If it is raining, we will meet on the second floor rotunda.  There will always be a volunteer at one location or the other to give you directions.  We will be presenting our legislators with written information about medical marijuana and requesting their support for medical marijuana legislation.  Any loud chanting or guest speakers will be outside at the rally.

It doesn't matter if you are a potential medical marijuana patient or just someone who wants to see medical marijuana available in Oklahoma; we need you to attend this event.

Please attempt to arrange a meeting with your state senator and representative by calling their office.  Arrange the   meeting between 1:00-3:00 p.m., April 20. 

 It isn't a problem if you can't arrange a meeting with your elected official.  We are going to visit their office anyway.

If we can't speak directly to our elected officials, we will leave the information with their staff. 

 No one will have to visit their legislators alone.  Our volunteers will gladly go along to support you.  We will stick together to demonstrate that many good people support medical marijuana in Oklahoma.

If you can't make it to the Capitol that day, please contact your legislators anyway.  Please call, email, fax and/or write letters today!  Let them know that they can meet actual medical marijuana patients during our visit to the capitol. 

It is important to include the following information when contacting your representative and senator:

1.) If calling, politely ask for the legislator and ask to leave a message if he/she is not available (almost always).
2.) Ask the person’s name that you are leaving a message with.  Repeat their name to indicate that you might be             

     writing it down.  This encourages them to actually deliver your message.
3.) Give your name and address listed on your voter registration.  Make it clear that you are an active voter.

4.) Ask them to deliver the following message to your senator or representative:
    “Please cosponsor the Compassionate Use Act of 2012”

5.) If they say, “What legislation?” or otherwise try to disregard your request, say:

     “I want legislation that allows patients to use medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation,

       and establishes cultivation and distribution regulations.”
6.) Ask them to repeat your message (read it back).

7.) Ask them: “If the legislator is too busy, will you please contact me with his/her response?”

8.) Using their name again, thank them.

Please make contact with your senators and the Chair of the committee as soon as the session begins.  We must put the pressure on these people, so they realize that Oklahomans want medical marijuana too.

To learn more about our campaign for medical marijuana go to: www.OKmedicalmarijuana.org

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SB 573 - Update

Friends,

Senate Bill 573 did not receive a hearing this session.  It will not move forward.  This was expected. 
It has been obvious, for many decades, that the Oklahoma Legislature is more socially conservative than the average Oklahoman.  

2/3 of the medical marijuana bills, which have passed in other states, have been through ballot initiatives (vote of people).  Oklahoma allows for ballot initiatives.  It is most likely that a petition drive and ballot initiative will ultimately be the only way to pass medical marijuana in Oklahoma.

Regardless, Senator Constance Johnson has done a great service for the medical marijuana movement in Oklahoma.  She is the first state legislator, brave enough and compassionate enough, to introduce a true medical marijuana bill.  She is the kind of leader I salute.

Now we must not lose our momentum.  It is time for true commitment to our mission.  

This year we must work harder to persuade our doctors to endorse this campaign.

This year we must work harder to improve media coverage of our campaign.

This year we must cough up a little more personal time to help with the movement.

This year we must learn to raise money, so we can afford statewide publicity.

Liberating medical marijuana will be rewarding, but be prepared to work much harder this year.

Peace 2 ya,
Jeff Pickens
DPRNOK/OK CCC
President

Med. Marijuana Deadline, 2/28

Med. Marijuana Deadline, 2/28 

 

Compassionate Use Act 2011: Deadline Feb. 28

Senator Constance Johnson (OKC, District 48) is the only senator brave
enough and compassionate enough to introduce a real medical marijuana
bill in Oklahoma.

The Compassionate Use Act of 2011, Senate Bill 573 (medical marijuana
with a doctor's recommendation) , has reached the second stage in the
Oklahoma Senate! The bill has been assigned to the Health and Human
Services Committee.

For the bill to continue on the process of becoming law, it must be
approved for a hearing. The committee Chairman, Sen. Brian Crain
(Tulsa, District 39) has indicated

that no bills will be heard in the committee this session! If the bill
is not approved for

hearing, before Feb. 28, it will be dead for the session. This would
mean that we would have to start all over next session.

People, who need medical marijuana, are suffering right now! We
don't have time to wait for Sen. Crain to be in the mood to hear our
bill.

There is a way! The top ranked senator, the Senate Pro Tem, Brian
Bingman (Sapulpa, District 12) can override Senator Crain and approve
the bill for hearing.

We must contact Senator Bingman now! Call his office and email him as
much as possible between now and Feb. 28. Ask him, or leave a message,
to "approve Senate Bill

573, the Compassionate Use Act of 2011 for a hearing."

Senator Brian Bingman

(405) 521-5528
bingman@oksenate. gov bingman@oksenate. gov>

I have pasted some basic advice about speaking to his office, below this
message. I have

pasted a copy of the actual proposed legislation (Senate Bill 573), so
you can review it.

You should definitely read something before you ask your elected
officials to support it.

We are closer to real marijuana reform than we ever have been in
Oklahoma. Senator Johnson has made a great contribution to our movement
by introducing this bill, but

we must make the real effort to convince the politicians that the time
for change has come. Make those calls today, or you have no one to
blame except yourselves.

It is important to include the following information when contacting
your senator:

1.) If calling, politely ask for the Senator and ask to leave a message
if he/she is not available (almost always).
2.) Ask the person's name that you are leaving a message with.
Repeat their name to indicate that you might be writing it down. This
encourages them to actually deliver your message.
3.) Give your name and address listed on your voter registration. Make
it clear that you are an active voter.

4.) Ask them to deliver the following message to your senator or
representative:
"Please approve sb573 (The Compassionate Use Act of 2011), allowing
medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation" , for a
hearing.

5.) If they say, "What legislation? " or otherwise try to
disregard your request, say:

"Senator Constance Johnson's legislation allowing medical
marijuana with a doctor's recommendation, it has been assigned to
the Health Committee."
6.) Ask them to repeat your message (read it back).

7.) Ask them: "If the legislator is too busy, will you please
contact me with his/her response?"

8.) Using their name again, thank them.

If contacting them in writing (email, fax, letter), it is important to
state your request clearly and make sure you properly identify yourself.
They only care about real Oklahomans that are registered to vote!

Peace 2 ya,

Jeff Pickens

President

DPRNOK

P.O. Box 10641

Midwest City, OK 73140

405-506-DRUG

SB 573 Update from Senator Johnson - Crain refuses to hear any bills - we need pressure!

"The bill is in Sen. Crain's committee where he has decided he's not hearing any bills. I'm asking around (other committee chairs) to see if anyone will hear it. It's not dead as of yet because the deadline is 2/28--and certainly not because of a short session--

Please encourage members to keep the pressure on. I will visit w/ the Business and Commerce chair (Newberry) but I don't expect much.

So yes, ultimately it could become dormant as of the 28th, but it's still not dead yet. The bill is still alive for next year.  Then there's the amendment process in which an amendment can be offered on the floor assuming we can locate a bill that is germane. Of course, they control that too. A fall back plan could be to introduce a simple resolution (no force/effect of law), but they could also block that. 

I know none of this is encouraging, but voters should make sure their legislators understand how they feel about their refusal to consider this issue for discussion. "