cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Advocates Submit Signatures Marijuana Advocates Submit Signatures Posted by CN Staff on July 08, 2002 at 21:27:58 PT Metro in Brief Source: Washington Post Proponents of the Medical Marijuana Initiative yesterday submitted what they said were about 40,000 petition signatures to the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics, the first step toward getting the issue on the ballot in the November election.Approval of the ballot initiative would allow doctors to give patients permission to grow and use marijuana for medicinal purposes. There will be a 10-day period during which opponents can challenge signatures on the petition. D.C. voters approved a similar measure in 1998, but Rep. Robert L. Barr Jr. (R-Ga.) introduced an amendment in Congress to block its implementation. In March, a federal court struck down Barr's amendment, but the Bush administration plans to appeal the decision.The Marijuana Policy Project, based in the District, estimates that more than 1,000 patients with HIV, glaucoma, cancer and other medical problems would benefit from legalized marijuana use. Nine states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes.Source: Washington Post (DC)Published: Tuesday, July 9, 2002; Page B03 Copyright: 2002 The Washington Post Company Contact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.com Press Release from The Marijuana Policy Project For Immediate Release -- July 8, 2002 Activists File 38,000 Signatures for D.C. Medical Marijuana InitiativeWASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Marijuana Policy Project filed petitions with 38,000 signatures today to place Initiative 63, the Medical Marijuana Initiative of 2002, on the November ballot in Washington, D.C. At least 17,455 valid signatures are required to qualify the measure. "This signature drive overcame enormous obstacles," said Robert Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project and lead sponsor of the initiative. "Our next battle will be a fight in Congress that will probably happen before the election is even held." Two court battles had to be fought and won before MPP could begin gathering signatures. First, MPP had to sue to overturn the "Barr Amendment," a measure sponsored by Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) that banned District voters from even considering a medical marijuana measure. Second, a last-minute court challenge filed in late May by five local activists further delayed the start of the signature drive. "We only had 25 days to collect all the signatures," Kampia noted. "That makes this the second-shortest signature drive in the District's history. Its success is a tribute to the tremendous effort of our staff and volunteers -- combined with the fact that D.C. voters were eager to sign our petitions to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail." District voters passed a similar medical marijuana measure with 69 percent of the vote in 1998. But Congress, in a move also led by Barr, has blocked that initiative from taking effect. "We expect the House to debate our initiative when they consider the annual spending bill for the District in September," Kampia said. "To prepare for this, we have been lobbying Congress since April not to overturn the will of D.C. voters. The public overwhelmingly supports making marijuana medically available. Now the medical marijuana debate will play out in Congress -- on national TV -- for the first time ever. Members of Congress who want to overturn the will of District voters will need to explain to the whole country why they think people battling cancer and AIDS should go to jail for trying to relieve their suffering." In a national Zogby poll released in June, 63 percent of registered voters nationwide said Congress should allow the D.C. medical marijuana initiative to take effect without interference, while only 24 percent said Congress should block the measure. Majorities in every region, age group, income level, religious preference, and party affiliation -- including Republicans and voters who supported George W. Bush in 2000 -- said that Congress should not block the D.C. medical marijuana initiative. Full poll results are available here -- http://www.mpp.org/Zogby.html The Marijuana Policy Project works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana -- both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. In association with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, MPP will hold its first national conference -- featuring a special appearance by comedian Bill Maher -- on November 8-10 in Anaheim, California.Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Group Wants Marijuana Issue on Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13139.shtmlThe Pollster Who Answered a Higher Calling http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13035.shtmlMedical Marijuana Ban Overturned in D.C. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12422.shtmlRuling May Put Marijuana Measure on Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12398.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by p4me on July 08, 2002 at 23:34:20 PT I am still amazed at the Yellowtimes article I realize I copied the wrong link in comment 2 and everyone knows I make mistakes all the time. I will put up the link again since I have returned to say my last thought before my head hits the pillow: http://www.yellowtimes.org/article.php?sid=467&mode=thread&order=0If I had the energy I would send the author a very favorable comment on her work as it may be the one best article I have ever read on MJ/hemp. I am fading fast but I hope everyone that can honors her request for comments. One last copy and paste from the bottom of the article:Kaz Dziamka encourages your comments: kazd nmia.comYellowTimes.org encourages its material to be reproduced, reprinted, or broadcast provided that any such reproduction must identify the original source, http://www.YellowTimes.org. Internet web links to http://www.YellowTimes.org are appreciated. 1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by p4me on July 08, 2002 at 22:50:04 PT Same link as comment 1 This is the same link about a great article about hemp as in comment 1: http://www.testpledge.com/companies.htm Indy Strength is in for a late night treat tonite. It is unreal how just a straightfoward article has the ring of truth to it.I came back because I loved this paragraph that follows from the article. You would think Kap, EJ, and Lehder were all consulted in its writing: Only a complete ignoramus, a religious fanatic, and/or despicable hypocrite could claim - today or in 1937 - that marijuana has "no … accepted medical use." To say that this is so is like arguing that white is black and that the Earth is flat, despite all the scientific evidence to the contrary. 1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by p4me on July 08, 2002 at 22:41:13 PT Extensive article on hemp at Yellowtimes There is a long article on the virtues of hemp: http://www.yellowtimes.org/article.php?sid=467&mode=thread&order=0I really wish I knew a store where you could get hemp oil. I have this link to test pledge companies on my favorites list: http://www.testpledge.com/companies.htm I think that stuff really must be as healthy as you can get. I wonder at what temperature it burns as my french fry cooker goes to 400 degrees. It makes me think- where is Robin Prosser and for that matter Paul Peterson.1,2 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment