Targeted States
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Maryland
This year, we worked hard to end mandatory minimum sentencing in the
state. We made some great new allies on this controversial issue
but ultimately came up one vote short in committee.
We have provided speakers for guest sermons and church forums all
over the state and have convinced a number of religious groups to
join the campaign and send representatives to testify in front of
the legislature. We persuaded the Maryland Catholic Conference and
other religious groups to lobby on behalf of the bills. IDPI’s
executive director Charles Thomas testified before both the House
and Senate Judiciary Committees along with prominent leaders that
we lined up from the United Church of Christ.
Please write
a letter to your legislators today.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference in building
support for next year.
News Releases:
Religious
Denominations Oppose Mandatory Minimums- February 2, 2005
Faith Groups
Call for Compassionate Alternatives to the Drug War- June 4, 2004
Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative Testifies in Maryland House Judiciary
Committee for Mandatory Minimum Repeal Bill- March 18, 2004
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Connecticut
We were so close to protecting medical marijuana patients from arrest
in Connecticut last year, but we didn’t quite do it. This year
we are pulling out all the stops for a win.
Our colleagues at the Drug Policy Alliance are leading the campaign
effort.
We recently persuaded the conference minister for the United Church
of Christ in Connecticut to deliver a letter to each of the legislators
detailing the UCC’s supportive position on medical marijuana
and relating his own story of his own debilitating and chronic disease.
Also, we convinced the United Methodist bishop for the area to deliver
a letter to the legislature outlining his denomination’s support
for medical marijuana.
Please visit http://www.mpp.org/CT/action.html
to send a letter to your legislator. Also, please visit http://www.thealliancect.org/action.html
for more detailed information about drug policy reform efforts in
Connecticut.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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Illinois
We were poised to pass a medical marijuana bill this year
in Illinois. But unfortunately, the White House flew in John
Walters, the director of National Drug Control Policy, in the last
minute to testify against this state bill. Despite the outcry
from people at the inappropriateness of a White House officer in charge
of federal efforts interfering with the state legislative process,
he succeeded in scaring enough legislators that we lost by one vote
in committee.
IDPI targeted three swing legislators and had ministers from their
districts lobby them in favor of the legislation.
Our colleagues at the Marijuana Policy Project are leading the medical
marijuana effort.
Please visit http://www.mpp.org/IL/action.html
for more information on the campaign and to send a letter to your
legislator to build support for next year’s efforts.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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New
Mexico
The people in New Mexico are knowledgeable about drug policy reform
because former two-time Republican governor, Gary Johnson, made national
headlines when he called the war on drugs a disastrous failure and
called for a wide range of alternatives. We are working to make good
on Gov. Johnson’s commitment by passing some much needed reforms.
The medical marijuana bill passed out of committee unanimously and
looked like it was destined to become law. But New Mexico has
a very short legislative season and every year many bills just don’t
ever make it to a full vote. Despite a large margin of anticipated
victory, the bill was never voted on, so we will have to wait for
next year. IDPI sent a direct mail piece to over 500 clergy
in New Mexico asking them to sign a letter to the legislators and
the governor. We got a great response and followed up personally
with each of the responders to ask them to make a personal call
to their legislator. Our colleagues at the Drug Policy Alliance
New Mexico are leading this effort.
Please visit http://www.drugpolicy.org/about/stateoffices/newmexico/
for more information on the campaign and to send a letter to your
legislator.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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New
York
New York is a very important state this year because the legislature
will be debating both sentencing reform and medical marijuana.
New York is infamous for its draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws which
give low-level drug offenders obscenely long prison sentences. A
large coalition of groups has been gaining steam for years at overturning
these mandatory sentences. We made progress late last year when
the legislature finally made some changes, but the changes were
too little, too late and the effort to repeal these laws is stronger
than ever.
IDPI recently got Rev. Herbert Daughtry of The House of the Lord
Pentecostal Church to speak at a Mother’s Day news conference
on the steps of New York City Hall to draw attention to the mothers
of those incarcerated. We also got a letter
to the editor published in the NY Daily News that was signed
by a number of New York religious leaders.
Our colleagues at Real Reform are leading the sentencing reform
effort.
Take action at http://www.realreformny.org/index.html.
Then contact us to discuss how you and your congregation can make
a unique difference.
Last year, the lobbying campaign for medical marijuana legislation
resulted in widespread legislative support for medical marijuana
bills -- with 43 cosponsors in the Assembly alone. Despite the tremendous
progress, the Assembly bill never made it to the floor, and we still
need bipartisan support in the Senate. But legislators need to hear
from their constituents.
Medical marijuana bills have been introduced in both houses this
year and there is good hope for success. IDPI worked with
New Yorkers for Compassionate Care to send a mailing signed by a
Catholic priest to 5,000 religious leaders in New York.
Our colleagues at the Marijuana Policy Project are leading the medical
marijuana effort.
Help make this year a success by taking action at: http://mpp.org/NY/action.html.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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Alaska
Alaska is an important state for marijuana regulation and taxation.
The governor recently tried to pass a bill that would have massively
increase marijuana penalties and overturn an Alaska Supreme Court
decision that recognizes the constitutional right of Alaskans to possess
up to four ounces of marijuana in the privacy of their homes. Our
efforts succeeded in getting this bill tabled. The session adjourned
and they never voted on it. Small amounts of marijuana in your
home are still legal in Alaska.
Our colleagues at the Marijuana Policy Project are leading this effort.
Please take action immediately by visiting http://www.mpp.org/AK/action.html
to send a letter to the governor and your legislator.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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Alabama
Alabama is a very important state this year because the legislature
will be debating both sentencing reform and medical marijuana. The
state is in a financial crisis and the racial disparity in sentencing
is among the worst in the nation. If we succeed in passing either
bill it will be a huge victory because Alabama is not the most progressive
state.
Our colleagues at the Drug Policy Alliance are leading the efforts
there.
To learn more and take action go to http://www.drugpolicy.org/statebystate/alabama/.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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Minnesota
The Minnesota State Legislature is considering a medical marijuana
bill. We made it out of committee with IDPI’s help.
IDPI got clergy to contact a few key legislators to encourage them
to support the bill.
Our colleagues at the Marijuana Policy Project are leading the effort
in Minnesota. You can learn more and take action at http://www.mpp.org/MN/index.html.
Then contact us to discuss
how you and your congregation can make a unique difference.
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Wisconsin
Our colleagues at the Drug Policy Alliance are leading this effort.
Learn more and take action at http://www.drugpolicy.org/statebystate/wisconsin/.
Then contact us to discuss how you and your congregation can make
a unique difference.
Interfaith
Drug Policy
Initiative, P.O. Box 6299, Washington,
D.C. 20015
Phone: 301-933-7681 Fax:301-933-7682 |
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