Document:California Press Release 26 April 1999 Libertarians Launch Prop 215 Web Site
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- NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
- 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 900
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- (916) 449-3941
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- For immediate release: April 26, 1999
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- For additional information:
- Juan Ros, Executive Director
- Phone: (818) 506-0200
- Mailto:director@ca.lp.org
- Web: http://www.ca.lp.org/
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Libertarians launch Prop. 215 web site inspired by Kubby arrests
SACRAMENTO -- The Libertarian Party of California has launched a new web site -- www.215Now.com -- designed to pressure government officials into fully implementing Proposition 215, the medical marijuana initiative passed by voters in November, 1996, Libertarian state chairman Mark Hinkle announced today.
"Two years, five months, and 20 days have passed since Prop. 215 went into effect, but patients and physicians continue to be harassed, arrested, and prosecuted. Enough is enough. The government must implement Prop. 215 now and stop ignoring the will of the voters," Hinkle said.
The 215Now.com site was inspired by the January arrests of Steve Kubby, the 1998 Libertarian candidate for governor, and his wife Michele. The launching of 215Now.com coincides with the Kubbys' latest pre-trial hearing, held today in Auburn.
The heart of 215Now.com is an online petition that visitors can use to send e-mail messages to targeted government officials. "We're taking matters into our own hands," added Hinkle. "Patients are running out of time. We need action now, and with the Internet we can instantaneously let the government know how we feel."
The first phase of 215Now.com -- dubbed "Reschedule Marijuana NOW!" -- will urge officials to change marijuana's legal status from a Schedule-I to a Schedule-II drug. "Marijuana's status as a Schedule-I drug is the biggest obstacle to implementing state medical marijuana initiatives like Prop. 215," Hinkle said.
Targets of this first petition are: Dr. Jane Henney, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration; Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services; Janet Reno, U.S. Attorney General; and Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Office of National Drug Control Policy Director.
215Now.com also contains a section devoted to Prop. 215 "Heroes" -- those individuals such as the Kubbys who have faced legal or criminal action since the passage of Prop. 215. "These are really the victims of the non-enforcement of Prop. 215," Hinkle charged. "But they are heroes to anyone who values compassion and health freedom of choice."
Hinkle stressed that the focus of 215Now.com will be the patients. "We urge anyone who cares about providing medicine to suffering patients to visit www.215Now.com, sign the petition, and pass word along to their friends. Hopefully we can force politicians to finally start putting patients before politics."