Monday in Salem, activists from four Oregon medical marijuana groups (Oregon NORML, Voter Power, Oregon Green Free, and MAMAs) joined forces in opposing Senate Bill 388.  The act was written in cooperation with law enforcement by a fifth medical marijuana group, The Stormy Ray Cardholders Foundation, which is headed by Stormy Ray, a patient who was one of the co-chief petitioners of Oregon’s medical marijuana act.  (Oregon NORML’s complaints with the bill can be found here.)

Activists were limited by the chair to only ten minutes for testimony.  Many patients drove from long distances and took time off work to explain how the language in SB 388 would affect them.  Law enforcement was to present a PowerPoint presentation at the beginning of the hearing, but as the gavel knocked at 8am, they were nowhere to be found.

Following Stormy Ray’s testimony endorsing the bill and explaining the need for its provisions, Jerry Wade of the Stormy Ray Foundation was to testify next.  Mr. Wade asked the Chair if his testimony could follow all the testimony from other activists gathered, presumably to act as rebuttal to the opposition gathered in the hearing room and overflowing into the adjacent room.  Sen. Morrissette, the chair, granted the request.

Testimony was then heard from Oregon NORML’s Madeline Martinez, Voter Power’s John Sajo, MAMA’s Sandee Burbank, and NORML Legal Committee attorney Leland Berger, as well as many other medical marijuana patients affiliated with all these organizations plus Oregon Green Free.  Opposition to the bill was uniform throughout the remaining testimony regarding one provision or another in the bill.  Some complained that a 2oz limit on hashish will make storage and acquisition of this medicine difficult.  Others took issue with limiting caregivers and growers to 24 ounces possession total, even if they care for multiple patients.

As Leland Berger was testifying, about 90 minutes into the hearing, law enforcement showed up.  Mr. Berger generously ceded the remainder of his time for the three testifiers from law enforcement to begin their PowerPoint presentation, which is shown in its entirety below.  Law enforcement testimony took the remainder of the allotted hearing time, allowing no time for medical marijuana advocates to respond.  Chair Morrissette gaveled the hearing to a close and declared a follow-up session of testimony would be heard on Wednesday to accommodate rebuttal and patients who hadn’t had a chance to testify.

Related posts

• Oregon NORML and medical marijuana activists kill restrictive Oregon Senate Bill 388 (3)
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Download the NORML Daily Audio Stash for 2008-11-17

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Today’s Stash has a decidedly Pacific Northwest flair – Sandee Burbank from MAMAs.org is here to warn of a growing legislative threat to Oregon’s medical marijuana law, and Idaho Rep. Tom Trail discusses his proposal of a medical marijuana bill in the upcoming legislative session.

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Download the NORML Daily Audio Stash for 2008-11-12

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Today’s Stash features Dr. Mitch Earleywine discussing the random student drug testing seminar he recently attended, and Sandee Burbank from Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse tells her story of being ejected from public meetings being held by business leaders attempting to overturn Oregon’s medical marijuana law.

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