In a little over a week, we the voters will elect representatives who
will make momentous, sometimes life-or-death decisions on our behalf.
As a patient and advocate of medical marijuana, I am motivated this
election by strong, bipartisan support for this medicine — up to 80 percent
in recent polls. If you are part of the majority of Americans who
support cannabis access for medical purposes, you don’t need to be in
the three states with an initiative on the ballot to weigh in. My
organization, Americans for Safe Access,
has created a tool that allows you to make your vote for Congress a
vote for medical marijuana, by grading members of Congress on their
record on this issue: VoteMedicalMarijuana.org.
Based on their record since 1997, VoteMedicalMarijuana.org grades
Members of Congress up for reelection on a pass/fail basis. Those who
have generally voted for access to medical cannabis pass, and those who
generally vote against it fail. For example, the 72 percent of Democrats
and 29 percent of Republicans who voted this
May in favor of de-funding Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids
in medical cannabis states pass, and those who voted against it, fail.
VoteMedicalMarijuana.org also identifies key champions of medical
marijuana with the "honor roll" distinction, reserved for co-sponsors of
important legislation that protects state medical marijuana laws.
Our Congressional Representatives are our voice in Washington. By
voting for representatives who favor access, you are shaping public
policy. In just the last two years, medical marijuana supporters have
been key to statewide races,
defeating Steve Cooley in his race for Attorney General in California,
and electing Ellen Rosenblum as Attorney General of Oregon. Since
Congress holds the key to granting medical cannabis access nationwide,
supporters need to know whether or not their representative is on their
side.
You may have read about the federal lawsuit ASA v DEA
that was recently heard by the Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. We
are excited and optimistic that the courts will recognize the medical
value of marijuana and force the government to properly reclassify it.
Once this is achieved, Congress can get to work on developing the
comprehensive public health policy that every patient deserves. It is
Congress that funds the aggressive federal enforcement campaigns against
state law-abiding medical cannabis facilities. And it is Congress that
has the power to let patients use a currently prohibited "medical
marijuana" defense in federal criminal trials. Your vote for your
Congressperson — and every American outside of my hometown of D.C. has
one — can be a vote for a sensible medical marijuana policy.
If you care about medical cannabis access, please visit VoteMedicalMarijuana.org
before you cast your vote. This information is based on the
Congressional record, but it is not comprehensive. If you don’t see your
Congressional, State Legislature or City Council race on this list, we
invite you to ask the candidates yourself, and share their responses
with us.
Voters in Arkansas, Massachusetts and Montana have the opportunity to
vote for state medical marijuana laws, but voters in every state can
and should weigh in on medical marijuana policy. Don’t let your vote be
ignored, and Vote Medical Marijuana on November 6th!
