Which State Will Be The Next To Legalize Medicinal Cannabis?

April 22nd, 2009 By: Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director

A number of state legislatures are actively vying to join Alaska,California, Colorado, Hawaii,Maine, Michigan, Montana,Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,Rhode Island, Vermont, andWashington to become the fourteenth state to legalize the physician-supervised use of medicinal marijuana.

Here’s how you can help make these efforts a reality.

Illinois: This week the Marijuana Policy Project began running targeted ads in support of House Bill 2514 andSenate Bill 1381, the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Acts.Both bills have already passed various legislative committees and are expected to receive floor votes imminently. If you live in Illinois and have not yet contacted your House and Senate members in support of these measures, please do so now by going here.

Minnesota: A pair of bills (SF 97 and HF 292) seeking to allow for the use and distribution of medicinal cannabis have cleared committee and are expected to be voted on shortly by members of the full House and Senate. One potential hurdle: Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has voiced opposition to the measures. Tell the Governor that “it is unconscionable to deny this effective medicine to sick and dying patients” by going here.

New Hampshire: Members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee are expected to take action on HB 648later this week. The bill will then go before the full Senate. (The House previously passed the measure in March.) Last week the state’s largest newspaper endorsed medical marijuana. Make sure that your senator and the Governor do too. Contact information for the New Hampshire state senate and Gov. John Lynch is available here.

New Jersey: In February, members of the state Senateapproved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act by a vote of 22 to 16. Yet months later, leadership in the Assembly has still not taken any action on this measure, which has received the support of theGovernor and the Attorney General. Please contact your member of the Assembly here, and urge him or her demand that their colleagues hold hearings on medical marijuana.

New York: Lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly introduced legislation this week to legalize the state-sanctioned use and distribution of medicinal marijuana. The bills’ sponsors are confident that they have the necessary votes to pass medical marijuana law reform in both chambers. Further, according to news reports, Gov. Patterson is also privately supportive of medical marijuana law reform. If you reside in New York, please consider assisting this campaign by going here and by contacting your elected officials here.