The grand opening is approaching faster than we could have imagined. Even though we are still weeks from the July 14, 2013 Grand Opening we are already seeing a steady stream of worker bees visiting the office, completing tasks and helping establish FLCAN’s place in the community.
Here is a short video showing how the office is coming together and thanking the folks who helped.
We are really excited about the roster of programs and activities planned for the office. If you are already out talking publicly about the need to change Florida cannabis laws, we want you in the Network. United we are invincible.
Here is a webpage where you can see what we need and how you can still help to get the office ready.
Showing posts with label FLCAN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FLCAN. Show all posts
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
What’s Next for FLCAN
Even though lawmakers did not take up the Cathy Jordan
Medical Cannabis Act in 2013, Florida CAN isn’t daunted or distracted from our
mission. We are more determined than ever to see safe, therapeutic access to
cannabis for people in Florida.
You can check out our reports about the legislative session but in short it was exciting, eye opening and encouraging. One southwest Florida lawmaker started our meeting by saying he KNEW cannabis was Safer than alcohol. A second owns a nursery business, he knows cannabis is an up and coming market and he wants in too. The battle was half won – at least they know the truth and for some of them its important. Now, getting them to act on the truth… another in a series of challenging things for CAN to accomplish.
For now, Florida CAN is ready for the next chapter.
The addition of Florida trial attorney, John Morgan, onto the list of Floridians actively working to change cannabis laws puts Florida squarely on course for some sort of legal medical cannabis scheme. Whether through an act of the Feds, through our state legislature or by popular vote in November 2014, legal medical access is coming to Florida.
To support the efforts of Floridians to change cannabis laws, we took a lease on a wonderful office just west of US 1 in Melbourne, FL. We need help now getting the place ready for the public. You can follow our progress here on our blog, on this page dedicated to opening the office, on our website or on Facebook.
Whether it is a gathering place for training, a collection site for petitions, a workspace for talented writers, graphic artists, would be video producers or a fun place to host a Sunday members-only pot-luck dinner, the office is going to be a great addition to the Florida reform efforts.
You can check out our reports about the legislative session but in short it was exciting, eye opening and encouraging. One southwest Florida lawmaker started our meeting by saying he KNEW cannabis was Safer than alcohol. A second owns a nursery business, he knows cannabis is an up and coming market and he wants in too. The battle was half won – at least they know the truth and for some of them its important. Now, getting them to act on the truth… another in a series of challenging things for CAN to accomplish.
For now, Florida CAN is ready for the next chapter.
The addition of Florida trial attorney, John Morgan, onto the list of Floridians actively working to change cannabis laws puts Florida squarely on course for some sort of legal medical cannabis scheme. Whether through an act of the Feds, through our state legislature or by popular vote in November 2014, legal medical access is coming to Florida.
To support the efforts of Floridians to change cannabis laws, we took a lease on a wonderful office just west of US 1 in Melbourne, FL. We need help now getting the place ready for the public. You can follow our progress here on our blog, on this page dedicated to opening the office, on our website or on Facebook.
Whether it is a gathering place for training, a collection site for petitions, a workspace for talented writers, graphic artists, would be video producers or a fun place to host a Sunday members-only pot-luck dinner, the office is going to be a great addition to the Florida reform efforts.
Our soft opening is June 19.
By the soft opening, we plan to have programs in place, jobs for
volunteers and an idea what hours make sense for our volunteers and staff. We
hope the public will embrace our July 14 grand opening. Our grand opening
ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 12:30 July 14. We hope you’ll mark your
calendar and make an extra effort to be counted among the faithful who will see
cannabis safe, legal and available in Florida.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Where are We Now?
Day 42 of the 60 day Legislative Session brings a sense of anticipation. Last week four Republican Representatives said if the Florida Medical Association won’t get on board; we should go for legalization and they would support a system of regulation and control!
To those who have taken the time this legislative session to send an e-mail or make a phone call, I cannot thank you enough. Being so close to the process, spending every day in Tallahassee listening to the lawmakers, it is easy to see how much of a difference you are making. Lawmakers are getting the message loud and clear. Incoming Speaker Crisafulli assures me that reforming cannabis policy is a conversation happening at the highest level of Florida government.
The legislative process is slow and cumbersome. Just like it takes time to change the direction of a great ship; so it is with the moving the great state of Florida. I have come to believe this group of elected officials in Tallahassee is ready to right the wrongs of their predecessors, but it is a slow going. Nowhere is the law of unintended consequences more strongly felt then in cannabis policies; and many of our lawmakers get it. Where the intent may have been to protect the most vulnerable; the reality is those who could most use access to cannabis are made fodder for the criminal justice system.
Florida CAN has made the case for sensible reforms before the decision makers in our state. We have brought an incredible cast of characters to Tallahassee to speak on your behalf– and we are not done yet! This week, The Black Tuna Robert Platshorn, host of “Should Grandma Smoke Pot?” is joining me for a day at the Capitol.
Over the past weeks we have introduced lawmakers to senior citizens Cathy Jordan, Bob Jordan, John Chase, and Frank Dougherty. Most people have heard the story of Cathy Jordan, but few recognize the sacrifice Bob made in Vietnam. In March, Bob and Frank spent several days walking point for veterans in Florida. Florida is home to 1.6 million veterans. The VA – the only federal agency that practices medicine – has a directive allowing the use of cannabis where lawful under state statutes. John Chase of Pinellas has studied the harms of alcohol prohibition and used his time in Tallahassee to talk about the harms associated with this policy of prohibition.
Neill Franklin of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition joined FLCAN staff at the Capitol March 19th. Neill was on a two-week tour of Florida speaking about the unintended consequences of prohibition. Also representing sensible cannabis policies in Tallahassee that week was Ethel Rowland – woman of many hats; Jeff Borg – ACLU Board of Directors and Eric Stevens - FLCAN’s legislative liaison. Ethel and Eric bring great drug policy credentials to the table. Eric, a south Florida activist, was trained by American’s for Safe Access to advocate for cannabis reform. Ethel is a seasoned activist artist who uses her time and talent to expose the consequences of prohibition.
When we asked supporters to reach out to Representative Roberson, Chair of the House Quality Sub-Committee, more than a 1,000 of our supporters responded. Though he ultimately ran out of time for the workshop, when we cornered Representative Roberson he said if he had done a workshop on the “Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act” that would have been the only thing reported that day. While it works for me, apparently, what Representative Roberson is doing was bigger than our need for safe, legal access to cannabis without fear of a jail cell.
This past week, we asked you to write Senator Bean and encourage his committee to host a workshop to hear expert testimony on therapeutic access to cannabis. The Senator was on board to workshop the bill when President of the Senate, Don Gaetz, – Republican from Niceville, added a number of bills to the committee, putting ours off the agenda!
What did Don Gaetz think is more important than making sure people who may lose their life or their senses have access to cannabis? One bill making its way through the legislature deals with what color you can dye baby chicks at Easter.
Last week was a tipping point in the minds of many Florida lawmakers. Irv Rosenfeld, one of four surviving patients who receive cannabis from the Federal Government joined Cathy Jordan and the FLCAN team in Tallahassee. Tony Clymer of the Silver Tour and NORML of Florida was part of our team walking door-to-door with Eric Stevens, Cathy Jordan, Irv Rosenfeld and myself.
With the prosecutor accepting Cathy has a medical need for cannabis even lawmakers are beginning to wonder how we can continue to give cannabis to one man, Irv and deny it to Cathy.
There are still rules that will allow the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act to go to the floor for a vote this year, but the changes are slim. Once in a while, the long shot wins and we all love to watch the story unfold.
Even as I write, several opportunities still exist for us to pass a bill this session that will allow safe access to cannabis before November of 2013. Patients out of time cannot wait another year for lawmakers to find the will or voters to pass a constitutional amendment; they need access now without fear of arrest. Rest assured, FLCAN will continue to explore every avenue available to assure that those you love have access to this plant.
We invite those who want to be sure we get access to therapeutic cannabis to do more than just wait for someone else to act. FLCAN has provided you with all the tools you need to pass a resolution of support in your home town or county. Passing resolutions of support in Florida puts pressure on the state to create safe access but it also puts pressure on the Federal Government to untie the hands of the states hesitant to step outside federal guidelines on cannabis.
FLCAN has one more opportunity to move decision makers into championing our cause. Friday, April 19, 2013 the Republican Party of Florida is hosting a walk to raise money for the cure to ALS – Lou Gehrig ’s disease. For three months, Cathy has been a living, breathing example of a patient who may have a key to the cure.
You can be part of the historic opportunity to energize leaders of the Republican Party to take the steps necessary to give patients access to cannabis now! They can remove the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act from its committees of reference and send it to the Floor. It requires the will of the President of the Senate and Speak of the House to happen- they will not do this if they think it is safe to ignore this issue.
If enough people come forward demanding access to cannabis there is one last tactic the leadership can use to grant us immunity from prosecution while we create a system that allows therapeutic access. Lawmakers can create a committee bill that will strike cannabis from section 893 of the Florida Statute.
Everyone who can read knows cannabis does not belong in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substance Act. This is it, with only days to go, activate your phone tree, share our messages with friends and keep those calls and letters coming!
This year I’ve raised the battle cry from Key West to Pensacola- “No surrender, no retreat” we are right and the people need us to stay the course. Victory is ours….
Jodi James, Executive Director
FLCAN continues to fight the good fight. Will you dig deep and make a contribution today to assure we can be a leading voice in creating responsible cannabis policies for Florida?
To those who have taken the time this legislative session to send an e-mail or make a phone call, I cannot thank you enough. Being so close to the process, spending every day in Tallahassee listening to the lawmakers, it is easy to see how much of a difference you are making. Lawmakers are getting the message loud and clear. Incoming Speaker Crisafulli assures me that reforming cannabis policy is a conversation happening at the highest level of Florida government.
The legislative process is slow and cumbersome. Just like it takes time to change the direction of a great ship; so it is with the moving the great state of Florida. I have come to believe this group of elected officials in Tallahassee is ready to right the wrongs of their predecessors, but it is a slow going. Nowhere is the law of unintended consequences more strongly felt then in cannabis policies; and many of our lawmakers get it. Where the intent may have been to protect the most vulnerable; the reality is those who could most use access to cannabis are made fodder for the criminal justice system.
Florida CAN has made the case for sensible reforms before the decision makers in our state. We have brought an incredible cast of characters to Tallahassee to speak on your behalf– and we are not done yet! This week, The Black Tuna Robert Platshorn, host of “Should Grandma Smoke Pot?” is joining me for a day at the Capitol.
Over the past weeks we have introduced lawmakers to senior citizens Cathy Jordan, Bob Jordan, John Chase, and Frank Dougherty. Most people have heard the story of Cathy Jordan, but few recognize the sacrifice Bob made in Vietnam. In March, Bob and Frank spent several days walking point for veterans in Florida. Florida is home to 1.6 million veterans. The VA – the only federal agency that practices medicine – has a directive allowing the use of cannabis where lawful under state statutes. John Chase of Pinellas has studied the harms of alcohol prohibition and used his time in Tallahassee to talk about the harms associated with this policy of prohibition.
Neill Franklin of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition joined FLCAN staff at the Capitol March 19th. Neill was on a two-week tour of Florida speaking about the unintended consequences of prohibition. Also representing sensible cannabis policies in Tallahassee that week was Ethel Rowland – woman of many hats; Jeff Borg – ACLU Board of Directors and Eric Stevens - FLCAN’s legislative liaison. Ethel and Eric bring great drug policy credentials to the table. Eric, a south Florida activist, was trained by American’s for Safe Access to advocate for cannabis reform. Ethel is a seasoned activist artist who uses her time and talent to expose the consequences of prohibition.
When we asked supporters to reach out to Representative Roberson, Chair of the House Quality Sub-Committee, more than a 1,000 of our supporters responded. Though he ultimately ran out of time for the workshop, when we cornered Representative Roberson he said if he had done a workshop on the “Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act” that would have been the only thing reported that day. While it works for me, apparently, what Representative Roberson is doing was bigger than our need for safe, legal access to cannabis without fear of a jail cell.
This past week, we asked you to write Senator Bean and encourage his committee to host a workshop to hear expert testimony on therapeutic access to cannabis. The Senator was on board to workshop the bill when President of the Senate, Don Gaetz, – Republican from Niceville, added a number of bills to the committee, putting ours off the agenda!
What did Don Gaetz think is more important than making sure people who may lose their life or their senses have access to cannabis? One bill making its way through the legislature deals with what color you can dye baby chicks at Easter.
Last week was a tipping point in the minds of many Florida lawmakers. Irv Rosenfeld, one of four surviving patients who receive cannabis from the Federal Government joined Cathy Jordan and the FLCAN team in Tallahassee. Tony Clymer of the Silver Tour and NORML of Florida was part of our team walking door-to-door with Eric Stevens, Cathy Jordan, Irv Rosenfeld and myself.
With the prosecutor accepting Cathy has a medical need for cannabis even lawmakers are beginning to wonder how we can continue to give cannabis to one man, Irv and deny it to Cathy.
There are still rules that will allow the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act to go to the floor for a vote this year, but the changes are slim. Once in a while, the long shot wins and we all love to watch the story unfold.
Even as I write, several opportunities still exist for us to pass a bill this session that will allow safe access to cannabis before November of 2013. Patients out of time cannot wait another year for lawmakers to find the will or voters to pass a constitutional amendment; they need access now without fear of arrest. Rest assured, FLCAN will continue to explore every avenue available to assure that those you love have access to this plant.
We invite those who want to be sure we get access to therapeutic cannabis to do more than just wait for someone else to act. FLCAN has provided you with all the tools you need to pass a resolution of support in your home town or county. Passing resolutions of support in Florida puts pressure on the state to create safe access but it also puts pressure on the Federal Government to untie the hands of the states hesitant to step outside federal guidelines on cannabis.
FLCAN has one more opportunity to move decision makers into championing our cause. Friday, April 19, 2013 the Republican Party of Florida is hosting a walk to raise money for the cure to ALS – Lou Gehrig ’s disease. For three months, Cathy has been a living, breathing example of a patient who may have a key to the cure.
You can be part of the historic opportunity to energize leaders of the Republican Party to take the steps necessary to give patients access to cannabis now! They can remove the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act from its committees of reference and send it to the Floor. It requires the will of the President of the Senate and Speak of the House to happen- they will not do this if they think it is safe to ignore this issue.
If enough people come forward demanding access to cannabis there is one last tactic the leadership can use to grant us immunity from prosecution while we create a system that allows therapeutic access. Lawmakers can create a committee bill that will strike cannabis from section 893 of the Florida Statute.
Everyone who can read knows cannabis does not belong in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substance Act. This is it, with only days to go, activate your phone tree, share our messages with friends and keep those calls and letters coming!
This year I’ve raised the battle cry from Key West to Pensacola- “No surrender, no retreat” we are right and the people need us to stay the course. Victory is ours….
Jodi James, Executive Director
FLCAN continues to fight the good fight. Will you dig deep and make a contribution today to assure we can be a leading voice in creating responsible cannabis policies for Florida?
Sunday, March 17, 2013
HB 1139 and SB 1250, The Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act
Status of the Bills
HB 1139
Introduced and Referred to
Committees:
·
Health Quality Subcommittee
·
Business & Professional Regulation
Subcommittee
·
Appropriations Committee
·
Health & Human Services Committee
SB 1250
Introduced and Referred to Committees:
·
Committees: Health Policy (HP)
·
Judiciary (JU)
·
Criminal Justice (CJ)
·
Appropriations (AP)
What YOU CAN Do
·
Help the bill get a fair hearing in its
committees. Call the leadership of both chambers and the committees to which
the bills are currently assigned.
·
Call the chairman of the Health Policy Senate
Committee:
Senator Aaron Bean, (850) 487-5004.
·
Call Representative Ken Roberson’s office,
chairman of the Health Quality House Subcommittee: (850) 717-5075
·
Have the bill pushed through committee or heard
in the General Assembly
·
Contact the Senate President Don Gaetz and tell
him why we need this bill: (850) 487-5001
·
Contact the Speaker of the House Will Weatherford
and tell him why this bill should be heard on the floor of the house: (850)
717-5038.
·
Sign on for Actoin Alerts at http://www.flcan.org.
What CAN Happen
Authorizing a qualifying patient to possess and administer
medical cannabis, and possess and use paraphernalia for a specified purpose,
etc. as of this year, if the bill passes. If the bill gets a hearing this year,
then we can expect it to go much farther next year, with an even greater chance
of passing..
Bipartisan Support
Medical cannabis has the support of all parties because
anyone has the potential to need this medicine, and nearly everyone knows
someone who could benefit or who could have benefited from this medicine.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Cathy and Bob Jordan work on Florida Cannabis Bills HB 1139 and SB 1250
Join Cathy and Bob Jordan as they travel to the Capitol to encourage support for HB 1139 and SB 1250. This is actually the fourth day of session.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Mary Lynn Mathre of Patients Out of Time
Mary Lynn Mathre is co-founder of Patients Out of Time, Registered Nurse, Master of Science, Specialty Degree in Addictions Nursing and has been an Addictions Nurse over 2 decades.
She is also a veteran and extremely knowledgeable about the science behind cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, as Jodi pointed out.
She is also a veteran and extremely knowledgeable about the science behind cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, as Jodi pointed out.
Oil of Life
Days in Tallahassee 21
Remaining Committees 7
Remaining Days for the bill to be heard 26
Remaining days of funding 9
At the January presentation of the “Silver Tour” Mary Lynn Mathre spoke about cannabis as the Oil of Life. Mary Lynn was an early adopter; that’s what you call the ones who catch on early; I guess she is still an early adopter.
When I first met Mary Lynn, she was hosting a luncheon for patients from around the country who were involved in a Federal Class Action suit to allow therapeutic access to cannabis. As a registered nurse, she was the first medical professional I heard speak about cannabis. I was so overwhelmed. I knew cannabis was medicine for me; I’d even met hundreds of activist patients. But she knew the science behind why it made me feel better.
Mary Lynn Mathre and her husband, Al Byrne are trail blazers. Their organization, Patients Out of Time hosts a therapeutic cannabis conference biannually. The next conference, this April in Arizona may very well be ground breaking. Attendees will likely hear more about the Oil of Life.
Cathy Jordan joined me in Tallahassee for the Students for Sensible Drug Policy Southern Region conference on Sunday. Yesterday, we joined the Democratic Women’s Club of Florida for meetings and a visit with Vice-President Joe Biden. Today it was back in saddle, this time with Cathy in the lead.
From office to office, Cathy shared the narrative of her disease, championed soldiers -- for whom anti-depressants are deadly, and empowered everyone she met to speak loud and proud about their support for legal access to cannabis. With Cathy as the focal point and her amazing story of survival to set the stage, everyone who listened learned about the Oil of Life.
I did my very best to do justice to Mary Lynn’s description of this life giving medicine.
She explained, as human beings we need four things: we need to be able to have restful, restorative sleep; we need nutritious food; protection from disease and in a real sense. We also need to forget. The ability to forget the little wounds we inflict upon one another every day keeps a functional society and in the case of PTSD; forgetting is about survival.
Cannabis provides all these things to the body. Restful sleep, increased appetite, a necessary neuroprotectant – new science even shows that cannabinoids boost the natural immune response and the research on cannabis and the memory mechanism shows its incredible power to help transition people through those traumatic experiences into a healthier prospective. See her presentation at the Silver Tour at http://youtu.be/PAy47ShTohQ.
No one we spoke to in the last 48 hours disagreed with us. We said thank you to a couple co-sponsors, but otherwise, in every republican office, the aide we spoke with 100% agreed that cannabis is medicine. Our last office, an influential senate member’s legislative director was quite positive about the future of our issue.
One of my favorite new Representatives told me how many of his colleagues are telling him that if a cannabis bill to protect patients was on the floor, they would vote for it. We like that sort of hearsay; but, it does nothing to protect the patients who will face the choice of breaking the law or suffering.
We’ve learned a lot this session about how the legislature works, who can make things happen and what it is going to take to move this issue. Certainly, it is going to take each of us giving this issue the time it deserves. We’ll have to get over our fears and preconceived notions, and then take our issue to the lawmakers. FL CAN has a plan; we hope you’ll be part of the team that says, “Florida can change cannabis laws and I can help!”
Remaining Committees 7
Remaining Days for the bill to be heard 26
Remaining days of funding 9
At the January presentation of the “Silver Tour” Mary Lynn Mathre spoke about cannabis as the Oil of Life. Mary Lynn was an early adopter; that’s what you call the ones who catch on early; I guess she is still an early adopter.
When I first met Mary Lynn, she was hosting a luncheon for patients from around the country who were involved in a Federal Class Action suit to allow therapeutic access to cannabis. As a registered nurse, she was the first medical professional I heard speak about cannabis. I was so overwhelmed. I knew cannabis was medicine for me; I’d even met hundreds of activist patients. But she knew the science behind why it made me feel better.
Mary Lynn Mathre and her husband, Al Byrne are trail blazers. Their organization, Patients Out of Time hosts a therapeutic cannabis conference biannually. The next conference, this April in Arizona may very well be ground breaking. Attendees will likely hear more about the Oil of Life.
Cathy Jordan joined me in Tallahassee for the Students for Sensible Drug Policy Southern Region conference on Sunday. Yesterday, we joined the Democratic Women’s Club of Florida for meetings and a visit with Vice-President Joe Biden. Today it was back in saddle, this time with Cathy in the lead.
From office to office, Cathy shared the narrative of her disease, championed soldiers -- for whom anti-depressants are deadly, and empowered everyone she met to speak loud and proud about their support for legal access to cannabis. With Cathy as the focal point and her amazing story of survival to set the stage, everyone who listened learned about the Oil of Life.
I did my very best to do justice to Mary Lynn’s description of this life giving medicine.
She explained, as human beings we need four things: we need to be able to have restful, restorative sleep; we need nutritious food; protection from disease and in a real sense. We also need to forget. The ability to forget the little wounds we inflict upon one another every day keeps a functional society and in the case of PTSD; forgetting is about survival.
Cannabis provides all these things to the body. Restful sleep, increased appetite, a necessary neuroprotectant – new science even shows that cannabinoids boost the natural immune response and the research on cannabis and the memory mechanism shows its incredible power to help transition people through those traumatic experiences into a healthier prospective. See her presentation at the Silver Tour at http://youtu.be/PAy47ShTohQ.
No one we spoke to in the last 48 hours disagreed with us. We said thank you to a couple co-sponsors, but otherwise, in every republican office, the aide we spoke with 100% agreed that cannabis is medicine. Our last office, an influential senate member’s legislative director was quite positive about the future of our issue.
One of my favorite new Representatives told me how many of his colleagues are telling him that if a cannabis bill to protect patients was on the floor, they would vote for it. We like that sort of hearsay; but, it does nothing to protect the patients who will face the choice of breaking the law or suffering.
We’ve learned a lot this session about how the legislature works, who can make things happen and what it is going to take to move this issue. Certainly, it is going to take each of us giving this issue the time it deserves. We’ll have to get over our fears and preconceived notions, and then take our issue to the lawmakers. FL CAN has a plan; we hope you’ll be part of the team that says, “Florida can change cannabis laws and I can help!”
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Succession Planning
Days in Tallahassee 19
Remaining committees 7
Remaining Days for bills to be heard 28
Remaining days of funding 11
Although the legislators were back in the district this weekend, I stayed in town to be part of the Southern Region Students for Sensible Drug Policy Conference hosted by the Florida State University SSDP/NORML chapter.
What a great group; over 30 student leaders from Atlanta to Miami made the long haul to Tallahassee. Saturday night Sabrina from FAU led an awareness building exercise and a few fun and informative icebreakers. Today’s program featured excellent workshops created and facilitated by students.
The well-thought out program gave chapter leaders real skills, a minute to vent and time to discuss moving the conversation of drug policy. It was a time for community building; with the Internet, Skype and social networking our community may be borderless, but those face-to-face meetings are priceless.
One of the repeating themes of the day was succession planning. In their case, it was about making sure the college chapter lasts through the next graduating class. For people like me, succession planning is investing in Student’s for Sensible Drug Policy and the NORML University groups. They are my succession plan. We need to protect their financial aid and make sure they can get through college without a felony conviction.
Investing in college students is also about raising the bar for drug policy reform. They are smarter than we were when we started. We can give them insight and guidance. They may stand on the shoulders of giants; they will be able to take us further.
Today, we were reminded the struggle for human rights isn’t over. The civil rights movement is certainly not finished or over; but a new generation must be engaged and prepared or we’ll stand to lose precious gains.
Drug policy made inroads this year in Tallahassee. We’ve watched a rejection of private prisons, seen the Good Samaritan 911 bill move through the House and Senate. Mandatory minimum sentences were challenged for the second year and found favor in several committees and sensible cannabis policy has a voice. The struggle isn’t over, but we are an unstoppable force.
Remaining committees 7
Remaining Days for bills to be heard 28
Remaining days of funding 11
Although the legislators were back in the district this weekend, I stayed in town to be part of the Southern Region Students for Sensible Drug Policy Conference hosted by the Florida State University SSDP/NORML chapter.
What a great group; over 30 student leaders from Atlanta to Miami made the long haul to Tallahassee. Saturday night Sabrina from FAU led an awareness building exercise and a few fun and informative icebreakers. Today’s program featured excellent workshops created and facilitated by students.
The well-thought out program gave chapter leaders real skills, a minute to vent and time to discuss moving the conversation of drug policy. It was a time for community building; with the Internet, Skype and social networking our community may be borderless, but those face-to-face meetings are priceless.
One of the repeating themes of the day was succession planning. In their case, it was about making sure the college chapter lasts through the next graduating class. For people like me, succession planning is investing in Student’s for Sensible Drug Policy and the NORML University groups. They are my succession plan. We need to protect their financial aid and make sure they can get through college without a felony conviction.
Investing in college students is also about raising the bar for drug policy reform. They are smarter than we were when we started. We can give them insight and guidance. They may stand on the shoulders of giants; they will be able to take us further.
Today, we were reminded the struggle for human rights isn’t over. The civil rights movement is certainly not finished or over; but a new generation must be engaged and prepared or we’ll stand to lose precious gains.
Drug policy made inroads this year in Tallahassee. We’ve watched a rejection of private prisons, seen the Good Samaritan 911 bill move through the House and Senate. Mandatory minimum sentences were challenged for the second year and found favor in several committees and sensible cannabis policy has a voice. The struggle isn’t over, but we are an unstoppable force.
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