Summary of 2009 Assembly

Grassroots Campaign Yields Extraordinary Legislative Effort
Study Commission Bill Falls Victim to Budgetary Constraints

Dear Supporter,

The Maryland legislative session has come to an end. Regretfully, the ASA driven House Bill 1339 died in Committee. HB1339 would have established a Task Force to evaluate whether Maryland's current state medical marijuana law is effective, fair, and equally enforced across all jurisdictions. It also dealt with other issues concerning the limited, therapeutic use of cannabis. Unfortunately, the bill required the Department of Health and Hygiene to spend money to staff the task force; thus, like many other bills this session, HB1339 fell victim to the state's budgetary constraints. For more info visit: Americans for Safe Access Maryland.

This is a minor setback for medical marijuana patients and advocates, but with your support ASA-Maryland will fight on! What started a little more than a year ago as a small handful of advocates, has evolved into a statewide network of patients and supporters dedicated to improving Maryland's medical marijuana law. Thanks to your involvement, ASA-Maryland is now stronger than ever.

Grassroots supporters deserve the lion's share of the credit for getting HB1339 so far this year. ASA members and allies generated an avalanche of emails, calls, letters, and district office visits in support of the bill. And, in an unprecedented demonstration of support, more than a dozen people provided testimony in support of medical marijuana reform before the House Judiciary Committee, including seven medical marijuana patients.

The staff in Delegate Heller's office worked tirelessly on this bill and also helped ASA-Maryland volunteers navigate the intricacies of legislative politics in Annapolis. We have been energized and inspired by the extraordinary advocacy conducted by scores of volunteers across the state to support HB1339. Most importantly, we are building a community across the state that will become the foundation for change in Maryland.

While the fate of HB1339 is disappointing, we have seen that persistent and strategic work by ASA – supported by our robust grassroots effort – can get results. In a different economic climate, perhaps we would have succeeded this year. For now, we are focused on redoubling our effort so that we can try again next year. To get involved in our effort to fix Maryland 's medical marijuana law, send an email to md4safeaccess@gmail.com.

Many thanks to everyone who helped out; please do not be discouraged by this delay. The fight for patients' rights is still on and we are going to win! Together, we can make a difference.

Tony Bowles, Lead Organizer, ASA-MD

Americans for Safe Access is the nation's largest organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.