Oklahoma SB 573 Would Make Medical Marijuana A Reality
Oklahoma doesn’t get enough attention in the news. It’s not a place that most people think of when they think of marijuana, but there is actually a lot going on. Take a look below:
The Drug Policy Reform Network of Oklahoma and sponsor of the Oklahoma Compassionate Care Campaign to legalize medical marijuana, is planning to combine a 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 Wednesday, April 18, 2012.
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. Also 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 18. 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.
Before April 18th, 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, [email protected] 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.
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 53rd Legislature (2011)
SENATE BILL 573 By: Johnson (Constance)
An Act relating to medical marijuana; creating the Compassionate Use Act of 2011; providing short title; clarifying scope of act; prohibiting penalties against physicians in certain circumstances; exempting certain provisions of law in specified circumstances; defining term; providing for codification; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2-800 of Title 63, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Compassionate Use Act of 2011”.
B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede laws or regulations prohibiting persons from engaging in conduct that endangers others, nor to condone the diversion of marijuana for nonmedical purposes. In addition, this section shall not affect any other rule or law that regulates:
1. Penalties for sales to minors;
2. Penalties for the possession of marijuana by minors;
3. Driving under the influence;
4. Workplace protections against accommodations for marijuana use; or
5. Health insurance or pharmacy policies.
C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no physician in this state shall be punished, or denied any right or privilege, for having recommended marijuana to a patient for medical purposes.
D. The provisions of Section 2-402 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes relating to the possession of marijuana and Section 2-509 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes relating to the cultivation of marijuana shall not apply to a patient, or to a patient’s primary caregiver, who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician.
E. For the purposes of this section, “primary caregiver” means the individual designated by the person exempted under this section who has consistently assumed responsibility for the housing, health or safety of that person.
