1) Therapeutic Model (Washington
D.C. and Washington State)
These initiatives were modeled on the ideas embodied in the California
Compassionate Use Act (CCUA - Prop. 215) passed by California voters in
1996. These initiatives were written by the local grassroots patients
and patient advocates and put the needs of the patient first.
2) Law Enforcement Model (Alaska,
Colorado, Oregon and
Nevada)
These initiatives were written by Americans for Medical Rights to appease
law enforcement concerns about the CCUA. Since this model diverges
so greatly from the California model, many patients have serious concerns
about these initiatives.
We asked four questions about each initiative:
1) Does the initiative allow patients to possess and cultivate an
adequate supply of medicine?
The City Council of Oakland, California, adopted a standard of six
pounds of cannabis and 144 plants as necessary to maintain an adequate
supply for patients. This was based on the amount of cannabis currently
supplied by the federal government to eight patients in the Investigative
New Drug program.
2) Does the initiative allow for legal distribution to patients?
Legal distribution is important to protect patients from having to
obtain their medicine from the black market.
3) Does the initiative protect patients who are not registered with
the state?
Many of the initiatives that follow the law enforcement model require
a patient to register with the state to receive protection of the law.
Many civil libertarians and AIDS patients are concerned that the confidentiality
of the registry is not guaranteed and that law enforcement would use the
registry to target medicinal cannabis users for harrassment.
4) Is the initiative a constitutional or statutory law?
Constitutional amendments are much harder to change than statutory
laws are.
Sponsors: Yes on 59 Campaign, Wayne Turner
409 H Street, NE Suite 1
Washington, D.C. 20002-4335
Phone: 202-547-9404
Email: dcsign59@aol.com,
solution@clark.net
Web: http://www.actupdc.org/
Text of Initiative 59:
http://www.dcboee.org/htmldocs/measi59.htm
http://www.actupdc.org/text59pg.htm
Allows patients to possess and cultivate an adequate supply? YES, I 59 allows patients to possess “a sufficient quantity of marijuana to assure that they can maintain their medical supply without any interruption in their treatment or depletion of their medical supply of marijuana.”
Allows for distribution to patients? YES.
Protects patients who are not registered with the state? YES.
Constitutional or Statutory? Statutory.
DC Board of Elections
http://www.dcboee.org/
Initiative 59 is the only game in town - AMR
should leave D.C.
DC's 57 not subject to California
court restriction: ACT UP written initiative allows "not-for-profit"
corporations to provide marijuana to those with serious illnesses, ACT
UP Press Release, December 14, 1997
"A small, shivering army fights for medicinal pot", The Washington Times, December 8, 1997
"Marijuana Petitions Turned In -- D.C. Vote Sought On Medical Use", Washington Post, December 9, 1997
Americans for Medical Rights has sponsored a competing initiative in Washington, D.C. ACT UP strongly resents AMR interfering in their local politics.
AMR lies about status of D.C. initiatives