Decriminalization Campaign

[Derek Rosenzweig]

Dear Fellow NORML Members:

As you all know, PhillyNORML's mission is to educate the public about the consequences of Cannabis prohibition and the benefits of alternative policies; and to provide a catalyst for the public to express their concerns to elected officials. For the last five years we have been attempting to lay the groundwork necessary to achieve our over-reaching goals of reforming marijuana laws.

Because state law trumps local law, we can not get marijuana outright legalized and regulated in just the city. PA4MMJ has been working to make marijuana legal and regulated for medical use state wide, but that will not protect non-medical users. To that end, PhillyNORML has looked into the issue, and we've come up with a workable, short term solution.

We are proud to announce PhillyNORML's campaign to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of cannabis inside city limits to a $0 fine. In order to achieve this goal, we need to collect 20,000 valid petition signatures from Philadelphia residents. Once we get the signatures, we can get a referendum on the next election ballot asking the general public if they think cannabis should be decriminalized.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

This is a massive effort, and will take careful planning and organizing, time, energy, and people. We have the support of the public, and it's time to start turning that support into change. Please visit http://www.phillynorml.org/decrim_petition.php to volunteer for this effort. We will be hitting up most parts of the city to collect signatures, as well as public events and other venues.

With enough people, we can have these signatures collected within a few months. So visit http://www.phillynorml.org/decrim_petition.php today and lets finally start to change the laws which put over 6,572 Philadelphians in jail in 2006. It's time for change, and Philadelphia is ready.

AFTER SIGNING UP

After you sign up to volunteer, we will be in contact to determine to most effective way to get you involved, and once we have sufficient people we will have a meeting to discuss the logistics.

[jackcat]

Since I'm too far away to participate, I'll offer a couple of suggestions as to where to get a good diverse gather of signatures.  Malls (get permission), and supermarkets (again get permission).  Have a sign or somehting to show what the mission is.  Register voters if they aren't registered.  Get the signature sheets notorized.  They must be legally registered voters.

And I believe you can do it if you get out the troops.  Not bragging, but I got 1500 give or take a few once in just a couple of weeks in grad school, only a couple of days a week.  Supermarkets and Town Squares.   

[Derek Rosenzweig]

Since I'm too far away to participate, I'll offer a couple of suggestions as to where to get a good diverse gather of signatures.  Malls (get permission), and supermarkets (again get permission).  Have a sign or somehting to show what the mission is.  Register voters if they aren't registered.  Get the signature sheets notorized.  They must be legally registered voters.

And I believe you can do it if you get out the troops.  Not bragging, but I got 1500 give or take a few once in just a couple of weeks in grad school, only a couple of days a week.  Supermarkets and Town Squares.   

Great idea about the notarization. I think that will make a huge difference!

[420freedom.org]

 

              What's up Derek, It's Bones from 420 Freedom.org. Do you know anything about a rally in Albany on  the 17th of April?

[ChelleBell]

I wish Philly were closer or there were an devision of NORML nearby.  It is hard to help with this issue, regardless of how strongly I feel from here.  Does anyone know of anything in State College area?

[Chief Packin Pipe]

20k for the city limits? What would it take for the state or the whole country?

[Itsawayoflife]

the link to the website comes up as an error 404???