If you're an Iowa resident, ask your lawmakers to expand Iowa's medical marijuana program today.

Two bills to expand Iowa's low-THC medical marijuana program are working their way through the Iowa Legislature and have passed some important hurdles. On Wednesday, committees voted in favor of bills (SF 501 and HSB 244) that would make numerous positive changes to Iowa's medical marijuana program. The much-welcomed reforms include:

• Removing the three percent THC cap on medical marijuana products;
• Allowing more health professions to recommend medical marijuana; and
• Adding PTSD as a qualifying condition and expanding the definition of untreatable pain so more patients can qualify for medical marijuana.

There is a chance these bills could pass, but not without your support. According to a poll sponsored by the Des Moines Register, 78% of Iowa adults want the state to expand its medical marijuana program. Please ask your lawmakers today to support these changes to the medical marijuana program in Iowa. Together, we can help Iowa patients access the medicine they deserve.

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If you live in Colorado, ask your state lawmakers to improve Colorado's medical cannabis program.

Lawmakers presented several new measures to improve the state's medical cannabis laws – particularly for minors and for patients otherwise dependent on opioids. To support these measures supporting minors, click here.

HB 1028 would add autism and reduce the burden on patients under 18 years seeking to qualify for the program. The law would still require two physicians to support a medical cannabis recommendation for minors, but it would remove a requirement that one of the two recommending physicians be a pediatrician or child and adolescent psychiatrist as part of the individual's treatment team. The measure passed the House with a vote of 63-0, and it must now clear the Senate.

Another measure, SB 13, would establish a new type of qualifying medical condition for the medical cannabis program: any condition for which a physician could prescribe an opiate. This measure would also reduce the burden on patients under 18 years old by removing the requirement that the second physician be a pediatrician or child and adolescent psychiatrist. This measure passed the Senate with a vote of 27-7 and must be approved in the House.

A third sensible medical cannabis measure, HB 1031, would allow each parent or guardian for a person under 18 to serve as caregiver for the minor patient, creating more flexibility for those caring for seriously ill patients. Like HB 1028, this measure also passed the House with a vote of 63-0.

Please urge your state legislators to support these compassionate bills, and pass this message on to friends, family, and supporters in your network.

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Lt. governor's marijuana legalization listening tour will visit Oil City on Sunday and Collegeville on Tuesday.

Over the next week, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be hearing constituents' views on marijuana legalization in McKean, Elk, Montgomery, and Vengango counties. He also rescheduled a Perry County stop that was postponed twice due to weather. If you live in any of those counties, try to stop by to make your voice heard.

Here are upcoming stops:

Kane (McKean County)
Saturday, March 9, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Kane Area Middle School auditorium
400 W. Hemlock Avenue

St. Marys (Elk County)
Saturday, March 9, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
St. Marys Area High School
977 S. Saint Marys Street

Oil City (Verango County)
Sunday, March 10, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Oil City High School auditorium
10 Lynch Blvd.

Collegeville (Montgomery County)
Tuesday, March 12, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Perkiomen High School auditorium
509 Gravel Pike

New Bloomfield (Perry County)
Monday, March 25, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
New Bloomfield VFW
71 Soule Road
(rescheduled due to weather cancellation)

Consider arriving early: In some cases, crowds have been standing-room only.

When deciding what you'd like to say, feel free to draw from our document on the Top 10 reasons to end marijuana prohibition or other materials. You may want to consider making a pitch for an inclusive, diverse industry, for allowing home cultivation, and for expunging past convictions.

Even if you're not up for speaking in public, you can still make your voice heard. Fetterman has been asking for a show of hands for supporters and opponents, and the governor's office is soliciting feedback on the issue online.

This is a great opportunity to build momentum for commonsense, humane marijuana laws. Don't miss your chance to let your elected officials know it's time to stop branding Pennsylvanians criminals for a substance that's safer than alcohol. And please spread the word to help grow the chorus for reform.

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If you live in Georgia, click here to voice your support for HB 324 with your state senator.

Rep. Micah Gravley's bill, HB 324, which would allow in-state cultivation, processing, and sale of low-THC oil in Georgia, took major step forward this week when it passed the Georgia House of Representatives on a vote of 123 to 40. If the measure becomes law, the state would provide welcome relief for patients, who today can possess low-THC oil, but are denied any way to access it in-state.

If you support a well-regulated program to cultivate, process, and provide low-THC cannabis products for patients, click here to tell your state senator!

For a summary of many of the bill's provisions, click here. This year's bill follows a legislative study commission's recommendation published in late 2018. That study, now available online, recommended state-licensed producers to cultivate and process cannabis plants into low-THC oil, along with a limited number of retail sales locations.

Please add your voice to the large majority of Georgians who support in-state access. Patients should not have to wonder where their medicine will come from or be exposed to criminal penalties importing low-THC oil from other states. It's time for a better solution.

Please forward this message to family, friends, and supporters in your network!

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If you're a Kentucky resident, tell your state lawmakers it's time to stand up for patients and pass HB 136!

Until this week, it appeared that the prohibitionists in Kentucky's legislature might prevent the medical cannabis bill, HB 136, from even getting a vote this year. Thankfully, the wall of opposition in the House Judiciary Committee finally crumbled yesterday evening when, in a 16-1 vote, the committee passed an amended version of HB 136. Next, the bill will be considered by the full House.

Please email your state legislators and urge them to support the medical cannabis bill!

It would not have been possible to overcome this hurdle without the hard work and dedication of the bill sponsors, Reps. Jason Nemes and Diane St. Onge, and the commitment of advocates over the course of many months, years, and even decades. Unfortunately, the sponsors had to make some concessions in order to get the bill to a vote. For example, the amended bill does not allow home cultivation. However, it does include provisions that are intended to ensure that medical cannabis will be affordable for patients who face economic hardships.

There are only a few days left in the legislative session, so legislators will need to hear an outpouring of support from their constituents if the bill is going to have a chance of passing the House and Senate. After you write your elected officials, please share this message with your friends and family!

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If you live in New Mexico, contact your lawmakers today in support of marijuana decriminalization and legalization bills!

Yesterday, the New Mexico Senate overwhelmingly passed SB 323, a bill that would decriminalize the possession of up to half an ounce of marijuana. However, there is no guarantee that the House will schedule a vote on the bill.

Reach out to your lawmakers today in support of both marijuana decriminalization and legalization in New Mexico.

Marijuana decriminalization will allow for law enforcement to better prioritize their resources. It also means that otherwise law-abiding adults won't face jail time and criminal records for using a substance safer than alcohol. Last year, over 2,000 marijuana possession cases were filed in the New Mexico courts!

While decriminalization is a step in the right direction, ultimately, marijuana should be legalized for adults and taxed and regulated like alcohol. There are two legalization bills being considered, HB 356 and SB 577. The House bill, HB 356, received favorable votes out of committee and is currently on the floor calendar and may be voted on soon.

Please contact your lawmakers, urging them to support both the decriminalization bill and taxing and regulating marijuana.

Together, we can end harsh penalties for marijuana possession and finally make marijuana legal in New Mexico.

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If you live in Kentucky, tell your state representatives it's time to stand up for patients and pass HB 136!

After weeks of delays, the Kentucky House Judiciary Committee has finally agreed to discuss and vote on the medical cannabis bill this afternoon! HB 136, sponsored by Republican Reps. Jason Nemes and Diane St. Onge, is expected to receive a vote sometime late this afternoon.

Please email your representatives right now and urge them to support the medical cannabis bill!

In order for this bill to pass, legislators will need to hear an outpouring of support from their constituents. After you write your elected officials, please share this message with your friends and family!

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Lt. Gov. Fetterman stopping at Penn State Fayette tonight at 6:00 p.m., other stops scheduled for Thursday and Saturday.

This week, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be hearing how voters feel about legalizing cannabis in Fayette, Somerset, McKean, and Elk Counties. At many of his previous listening tour stops, local lawmakers joined him as well. If you live in any of those counties, try to stop by to make your voice heard.

When crafting your comments, feel free to draw from our document on the Top 10 reasons to end marijuana prohibition or other materials. You may want to consider making a pitch for an inclusive, diverse industry, for allowing home cultivation, and for expunging past convictions.

Here are upcoming stops:

Lemont Furnace (Fayette County)
Tonight, Tuesday, March 5, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Penn State Fayette, Swimmer Hall
2201 University Drive

Boswell (Somerset County)
Thursday, March 7, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
North Star High School auditorium
400 Ohio Street

Kane (McKean County)
Saturday, March 9, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Kane Area Middle School auditorium
400 W. Hemlock Avenue

St. Mary's (Elk County)
Saturday, March 9, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
St. Mary's Area High School
977 S. Saint Mary's Street

Consider arriving early: In some cases, crowds have been standing-room only.

This is a great opportunity to build momentum for commonsense, humane marijuana laws. Don't miss your chance to let your elected officials know it's time to stop branding Pennsylvanians criminals for a substance that's safer than alcohol. And please spread the word to help grow the chorus for reform.

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If you live in Oklahoma, ask your legislators to support reducing the penalty for possessing marijuana to a simple fine.

Three bills that would change Oklahoma's marijuana policies are advancing in the legislature.

HB 2614 would reduce the penalty for simple possession of cannabis to a fine of up to $400. Under Oklahoma's voter-enacted medical cannabis law, anyone possessing up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis that can "state a medical condition" is subject to a misdemeanor fine of up to $400. HB 2614 would apply even to those who cannot "state a medical condition."

Ask your lawmakers to support this modest bill. The current penalty for marijuana possession is up to a year in jail, up to a $1,000 fine, or both.

The second bill is the "unity" medical cannabis bill, HB 2612. That bill passed the House yesterday and now heads to the Senate. While some changes it proposes, such as providing for lab testing, are beneficial, others would whittle away at patient protections.

Under HB 2612, landlords could prohibit patients who are renters from vaporizing cannabis at home. It would also reduce employment protections by carving out exceptions for broadly defined "safety sensitive positions" that include driving, firefighting, and caring for children or patients. You can read our letter to sponsors here.

Finally, SB 1030, as modified by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, would reduce the penalty for possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis to up to a $400 civil fine. However, it would also add extremely broad exclusions for "safety sensitive positions," which would essentially nullify the medical cannabis employment protections. The exceptions include handling or preparing food, driving, firefighting, and caring for children or patients.

If you want to weigh in on HB 2612 or SB 1030 with your state senator, you can look them up here. You can give your state senator (the third category to appear after you fill in your address) a polite call to urge that HB 2612 and SB 1030 be amended to restore patient protections.

Finally, please share this message with other compassionate Oklahomans.

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If you live in Vermont, contact your state representatives today — tell them it's time for Vermont to finish the job and regulate cannabis in 2019!

Today, the Vermont Senate passed S. 54 in a 23-5 vote. This bill would create a regulated and taxed market for cannabis in Vermont, allowing adults 21 and older to buy cannabis from retail stores instead of the illicit market.

Please email your state representatives today and urge them to support regulating cannabis in 2019!

You can read a summary of the bill here.

After you email your state representatives, please share this message with your family and friends and encourage them to join the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana!

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