PLEASE CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE!

The U.S. Supreme Court Puts the Medical Marijuana Issue in Congress' Court.
Urge Your Member of Congress to Vote for the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Medical
Marijuana Amendment!

In response to this week's Supreme Court ruling granting the Justice
Department the authority to prosecute state-authorized medicinal cannabis
patients for violating the federal Controlled Substances Act, members of
the US House of Representatives may vote as early next Tuesday, June 14th,
on an amendment to bar the US Department of Justice (DOJ) from prosecuting
patients who use medical cannabis in compliance with state laws.

Citizens in nine states and the District of Columbia have voted to protect
patients afflicted with HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other
horrible diseases from arrest and prison, and three states have enacted
medical marijuana laws though their state legislatures. National polls
consistently show that around 70% of Americans support medical marijuana
access for seriously ill patients. Yet, sadly, the federal government
continues to raid and arrest these patients.

This important bi-partisan provision, scheduled to be introduced Tuesday by
Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-NY) as an amendment to
the 2005 Justice Department appropriations bill, would prohibit the DOJ and
the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from spending taxpayers' dollars
for the purpose of pursuing "any criminal or civil penalty or remedy
against any person for the production, distribution, or use of marijuana
for medicinal purposes in a state that authorizes that production,
distribution, or use."

Writing for the Court's majority, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens
said that he longs for the day when medicinal cannabis advocates "may be
heard in the halls of Congress." The 2005 Hinchey/Rohrabacher medical
marijuana amendment does just that -- giving Congress the opportunity to go
on record to protect and support the health and safety of patients who use
cannabis therapeutically in compliance with the laws of their state.

Please call and/or e-mail your member of the US House Representatives today
and ask them to vote "yes" in favor of the Hinchey/Rohrabacher medical
marijuana amendment.

The following organizations have on line services to assist you in
contacting your representative. Select the service, please, that best meets
your needs, and act today:

The Drug Policy Alliance:

http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=25197&ms=hp

The Marijuana Policy Project:

http://hinchey.mpp.org/

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

http://capwiz.com/norml2/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=7309441