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MPP is moving medical marijuana bills forward in Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New York, with very real chances of each passing this year. This would be the most progress we've ever made in state legislatures in a single year … and if all four bills pass, a full 38% of Americans would live in states with medical marijuana laws (up from 25% currently).

This spring, MPP needs to keep pushing hard to propel these bills to passage. Would you please consider automatically donating $5 or more on your credit card each month to support our long-term state legislative efforts?

In Minnesota, MPP's medical marijuana bill has made significant progress: The bill was recently passed by the toughest committee it had to face in the Minnesota House, despite local law enforcement's efforts to stop it. The bill is now on the brink of being sent to the full House for consideration — and on the Senate side, it's heading for a vote from the full Senate, where its chances of passing are strong.


In Illinois, for the first time ever, a medical marijuana bill passed out of the House committee, and we expect the full Senate to vote on the bill within weeks. We have legislative leadership on our side: Last year's Senate sponsor is now the Senate president, the current Senate sponsor is a former prosecutor, and the primary House sponsor is the deputy majority leader.

We have a real shot of enacting the law this year, but we don't yet have all the votes we need. We've generated more than 1,500 calls from supporters, put up hundreds of yard signs, and generated more than 1,300 e-mails to legislators. We need to ramp up the pressure with TV ads and even more grassroots support, but we need to raise the funds to do it. You can watch a video of some of the patients who are counting on our help here.


In New Hampshire, for the first time ever, a medical marijuana bill has passed the House. The bill, sponsored by a legislator who is a former medical marijuana patient herself, passed with 63% of the vote. MPP has retained a top lobbying firm and funded a skilled grassroots organizer who has debated the attorney general's office, generated compelling patient testimony, and mobilized hundreds of supporters. Now, the bill will make its way through the Senate.


In New York, in both 2007 and 2008, the state Assembly overwhelmingly passed MPP's medical marijuana bill, but the Senate's then-Republican leadership refused to bring it to a vote. However, control of the Senate has shifted to the Democrats, who overwhelmingly support the bill, so we're pushing hard to get it passed. Additionally, virtually the entire state medical community, including the state medical society, nurses' association, and the deans of the state's medical schools, support medical marijuana access. And 76% of New Yorkers also support the bill, including 55% of Conservative Party members (the state party to the right of Republicans).
As you can see, MPP has been extremely busy — and making progress — this legislative session. Our lobbying efforts in Minnesota, Illinois, New Hampshire, and New York are costing quite a bit of money, but it's all paying off. Would you please donate today so we can continue pushing hard in these states?

Make a one-time donation to our work

Become a monthly pledger to provide us with ongoing funding for our work

Together, we're on the path to victory, but we need your help to keep going.

Thank you,


Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

if I could I would get american just to vote !
do it!
wish you good luck over there

I have been smoking for over 40 years and it is sloooooowwwllyyyyy changing.
May not happen soon, but it is happening.

Nice to hear good news.

Thanks, Twitch.

Doesn't look like Obama has the balls to confront the issue head on. What a disappointment. At least he's working behind the scenes by pulling the feds off the medical clinic busts.

Yeah, figured once he got in he'd back off a little and he did, but at least he's allowing states to do their own thing.
Have to admit he has other things on his plate.

It's somewhat of a polical suicide issue, still. We can't under estimate the power of the religious right, tobaco, textile and drug lobbies and the fear mongerers. Let's hope for a second term initiative.

You're right about a few more important issues on his plate right now.

I hear that a large percentage of the email questions from his recent prime time press conference were about our favorite subject and he chose not to address them for now. I wish I were a more patient person.

chilly1952 wrote:It's somewhat of a polical suicide issue, still. We can't under estimate the power of the religious right, tobaco, textile and drug lobbies and the fear mongerers. Let's hope for a second term initiative.

You're right about a few more important issues on his plate right now.

I hear that a large percentage of the email questions from his recent prime time press conference were about our favorite subject and he chose not to address them for now. I wish I were a more patient person.

As a Brit, I live in a country where the government has consistently refused to listen to any comprehensive and reasoned argument for the decriminalisation (nevermind legalisation) of cannabis. In fact, the official sentiment here is quite the opposite with regrading from a Class C to a Class B drug. It seems gratifying to see that you guys over the Pond have a system which, albeit at odds on a federal/state level sometimes, is moving forward. A small glimmer of hope for us over here would be if that second term initiative did happen.

I have to admit I was surprised to see it reclassified Class B on your side of the pond.
There are times when American leads and other countries follow, hope this is one of them.
If we can continue to loosen up under Obama I think we will eventually decriminalize in most states if nothing else.
Will take a long time for Federal to change. A long, long time.