Dare Generation Diary

The NH Senate wouldn't budge on overriding Gov. Patrick Lynch's veto of the law which had passed both the House and Senate earlier this year. The 14-10 vote was in favor of the bill but didn't give the 2/3 majority needed for the override.

Matt Simon, executive director NH Compassion ran a fantastic campaign that brought medical marijuana legislation farther than it had ever been in the state. When Gov. Lynch said that he had 11 concerns with the bill that if left unaddressed, would leave him to veto the bill, NH Compassion compromised and addressed all of the points. Still, Lynch carried out this veto threat despite medical marijuana legalization having the support of 71% of NH residents.

SSDP chapters at Franklin Pierce University, Keene State College, UNH, Southern NH University, and Nashua High School South did all they could to draw attention to the need for legislation to help protect sick and dying NH residents who found marijuana helped to improve their quality of life.

For the past year, NH Compassion told the stories of numerous ill people in NH and the positive impact medical marijuana has had on their lives. Sadly, one of those NH residents, Scott Turner, passed away before the override vote had happened. Please read more about the patients that Gov. Lynch and NH Attorney General Kelly Ayotte believe NH should waste tax dollars and law enforcement resources to put behind bars.

We'll be back to ensure that these people will not face arrest for trying to improve their lives.

A huge thank you from SSDP goes out to Matt Simon and all NH medical marijuana patients.

Last week Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) vetoed a medical marijuana bill that would have protected terminally ill patients - despite the bill passing the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives

The bill was watered down to help ease concerns that the governor had about the bill. Ultimately, the House decided to narrow it down to only protect those that are terminally ill from being arrested for using marijuana to relieve pain and suffering.

Astonishingly, Pawlenty didn't think that even terminally ill Minnesota citizens should be spared from prosecution for using marijuana.

“While I am sympathetic to those dealing with end-of-life illnesses and accompanying pain, I stand with law enforcement in opposition to this legislation,” Pawlenty said in his veto letter.

Sympathetic? How could you be sympathetic and then decide that dying people should be arrested and even jailed just because law enforcement officials want to arrest them? This is some seriously pathetic stuff here folks. This isn't California's medical marijuana legislation. Again - this bill would have only protected terminally ill people from arrest.

Here is an example of the people that Minnesota law enforcement and Gov. Pawlenty feel should be arrested for using marijuana:

Joni Whiting, whose testimony of finding marijuana for her dying daughter brought tears to many legislators’ eyes, had harsh words for Pawlenty.

“The governor thinks I’m a criminal for allowing my daughter some comfort during the last months of her life,” she said. “I don’t know how he sleeps at night, but I do know I’m not giving up until others in my daughter’s situation are protected.”

The fight isn't over though. SSDP has started new chapters in MN this year and we expect to see even more come September.

“Since the governor has refused to listen to reason or to the overwhelming majority of Minnesotans, we have no choice but to bypass him and take this directly to the people through a constitutional amendment,” said Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing.

MN polls show that over 60% of MN residents supported the bill. Instead of allowing common sense legislation to take place - legislation that would have been the country's most restrictive medical marijuana bill - Pawlenty just made himself look like a heartless, nonsensical demagogue and I don't think it will be too long until we see medical marijuana in MN.