Portrayed as a compromise, the bill was actually a sellout to
law enforcement, giving them most of what they wanted with nothing in return.
(WILLIAMS, Ore.)
- It seems to be a record. This legislative session there were over two dozen
bills introduced which would change our landmark Oregon Medical Marijuana Act!
Ranging the whole gamut from good to bad to ugly, the number of
bills portended a hectic session. But after only two hearings, one in the House
and one in the Senate, the only ones left moving were HB 2881 and SB 388. All
the action centered on SB 388.
SB 388, a product of private talks between Stormy Ray and varied
law enforcement representatives, was introduced on January 28 and immediately
drew howls of outrage from the larger medical cannabis community.
Portrayed as a compromise by Ray, it was actually a sellout to
law enforcement, giving them most of what they wanted with nothing in return.
By the time the March 2 hearing took place before the Human
Services and Rural health Policy Committee, the opposition was so vast that it
took two days of hearings to take all the testimony.
Right after that, SBs 956-960, which in sum would essentially
change the OMMP to a non-functional bystander, were introduced by the cops.
Amendments to SB 388 were quickly offered by both sides and
after much silence and work behind closed doors, a hearing was scheduled for
April 20 for a combined version of all bills and amendments.
This hearing only took two hours but the result was the
same-rejection of the bill by all of the medical cannabis community.
With a Work Session scheduled for April 27, work proceeded
furiously to produce a bill which was supportable. It seemed that a new version
appeared every day right through the weekend before the Work Session, each
somehow different and each unsupportable.
The Work Session started on time that Monday with several bills
on the agenda. The Chair, Senator Morrisette, after calling the hearing room to
order made an astonishing announcement.
The Oregon Legislature is holding a hearing regarding Senate Bill 388 at 8:00 am on 4/20/09. Once again, law enforcement and other opponents of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act will be attempting to mandate garden inspections, decrease the amount of hash and other cannabis mixtures and preparations patients may possess and pass other provisions harmful to patients and their providers.
If you need a ride to the hearing or can provide transportation to others please email me at
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Please attend if you can and contact the Senate Human Services and Rural Health Policy Committee members and let them know that you oppose Senate Bill 388 as drafted because our state does not need to spend more money arresting, prosecuting and jailing patients and their providers, which is exactly what Senate Bill 388 will do. Please forward any correspondences with the legislators to
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Senate Human Services and Rural Health Policy Committee members
Senator Bill Morrisette
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1706
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-207, Salem, OR, 97301
Email:
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Senator Jeff Kruse
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1701
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-316, Salem, OR, 97301
Email:
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Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1725
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-413, Salem, OR, 97301
Email:
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Senator Chris Telfer
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1727
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-423, Salem, OR, 97301
Email:
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Senator Joanne Verger
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1705
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE., S-401, Salem, OR, 97301
Email:
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Date: Monday-April 20
Time: 8:00 A.M.
Room: HR B
Work Session
SB 158 Imposes requirements on ambulatory surgical centers and providers.
SB 388 Permits medical marijuana cardholders to possess certain amounts of hashish and food and tincture that incorporate marijuana or hashish.
Staff respectfully requests that you submit 25 collated copies of written materials at the time of your testimony.
Persons making presentations including the use of video, DVD, PowerPoint or overhead projection equipment are asked to contact committee staff 24 hours prior to the meeting.
Federal medical marijuana patient Elvy
Musikka, holding a tin containing marijuana grown and distributed by
the United States government, along with patient and activist, Jennifer
Valley, following Monday's hearing on Senate Bill 388.
Patients, activists and concerned citizens filled Hearing Room B at
the State Capitol early Monday morning, March 2nd to oppose Senate Bill
388. The Oregon Human Services and Rural Policies committee heard
about two hours of testimony regarding the bill. So many people signed
up to speak that the committee will continue the hearing on Wednesday.
SB 388 was formed after a series of meetings between the Stormy
Ray Cardholders Foundations, law enforcement officials and other
government officials. Curiously, no one spoke in favor of SB 388 as
written as the Oregon State Police remain neutral on the bill and
Stormy Ray testified that she wants changes to the bill, for instance
she wants provisions that allow for random inspections of gardens and
limit patients possession of marijuana edibles and tinctures to the
vague amount of a "four-month supply."
Voter Power Executive
Director John Sajo reminded the committee members that a historic
policy change occurred last week when the Obama Administration
announced that it would yield medical marijuana jurisdiction to the
states, ending the Bush Administration policy of raiding medical
marijuana dispensaries and providers in states that had legalized the
medicine under state law.
Sajo provided the committee members
with polling showing that 63% of Oregonians support the Oregon Medical
Marijuana Act and taht 59% support Initiative 28, the Regulated Medical
Marijuana Supply System Initiative that would legalize licensed and
regulated medical marijuana dispensaries. Sajo, Clinic Director Geri
Kulp, Legal Counsel Leland Berger, and others urged the lawmakers to
move forward with policies that will help patients acquire medical
cannabis and generate millions of dollars for the state.
A
crowd favorite was Voter Power Board Member, Elvy Musikka, one of the
few remaining federal medical marijuana patients. Elvy brought along
one of her newly acquired tins, containing medicine grown for her by
the United States government. Elvy informed the legislators of the
very poor quality of medicine the government provides and urged them to
consider policies that increase the supply of medicine.
The
medical marijuana community represented well, but will have to keep up
the hard work. Law enforcement officials showed the legislators a
Power Point presentation that they say illustrates rampant "abuse" of
the OMMA. Also, Katie Suver, of the Oregon District Attorneys
Association, announced that law enforcement officials have filed 5 more
bills that will restrict the OMMA.
The Wednesday hearing was more of the same with most patients and activists opposing the bill. Law enforcement did not come back to finish their presentation. The meeting was adjourned without the committee voting on the bill. Check back for updates regarding this and other
important bills this legislative session.
Medical marijuana patients and activists in Oregon are celebrating the federal
government's decision to yield medical cannabis laws to the states ("The
DEA will no longer conduct medical marijuana raids," Feb. 28).
However, those same patients and activists are also working hard to protect
and improve the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA).
Unfortunately, there are still thousands of sick and disabled patients
without any medical cannabis, a nontoxic remedy recommended by their doctor.
Initiative petition 28 can solve that problem as it establishes a regulated
supply system that will ensure that patients have access to medicine and
generate millions of dollars for Oregon.
Now that the federal government will allow Oregon to develop its own medical cannabis
laws, our state should lead the way and ensure that patients have medicine and
utilize medical cannabis revenue to help solve our current budget crisis.
ANTHONY JOHNSON
Co-Chief Petitioner, Initiative 28 Southeast Portland
Posted by Sarah Duff , Southeast Portland,
March 02, 2009 8:00PM
Initiative
petition 28 will easily garner our state millions of dollars in revenue
by taxing and regulating the profits of nonprofit medical cannabis
dispensaries and providers.
As your paper noted, the DEA will now halt medical marijuana raids.
Oregon lawmakers should seize this opportunity by passing I28 as a
bill.
A regulated supply system can help our state during this economic
crisis and provide a safe and effective medicine for thousands of
patients battling severe debilitating medical conditions. If the
legislature leads on this issue, then millions of dollars can be used
to expand the Oregon Health Plan, fund more drug treatment programs and
help law enforcement officers combat violent criminals.
If lawmakers choose not to lead, then
citizen activists will once again be forced to fill the void, but
hopefully not, as the legislative process allows for all interested
stakeholders to craft beneficial legislation.
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