As we’ve been sharing, the federal amendment which protects patients and providers in the 29 legal states and other jurisdictions is set to expire on FRIDAY if not renewed as an amendment to a major bill to keep the federal government from a partial shutdown.

Note: There is talk in the media that Congress is most likely to temporarily extend current law and kick the can down the road to Dec. 22nd, and then perhaps again to sometime in January, but there are no guarantees the protections will be there even next week….

…and the House version of the financing bill doesn’t have the amendment, so even when the main bill passes, there’s no guarantee (at all) that the “reconciled” version will include the amendment which is in the Senate version.

Here’s an excellent article about what the impact of all this has been, what could be next and why all people who understand the real issues in the medical cannabis story need to be concerned about the positions and intentions of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The article is by Beth Arrigo Collins of Americans for Safe Access (and please note that TRUCE is a proud ASA affiliate).

Excerpt….

“On an August morning in 2011 Rhonda Firestack-Harvey and two of her girlfriends were enjoying the warm day until 10 cars came careening up her driveway. Before Rhonda knew what was happening, 20 officers jumped out, guns drawn and began running around her property in Kettle Falls, a rural area in Washington state.

Terrified, Rhonda sat shaking as men searched every inch of her house, while those outside yelled and pulled up the cannabis plants she and her family were growing legally under Washington’s medical cannabis program.

She produced the family’s medical cards as soon as the officers asked, but they continued the search for hours, ultimately confiscating her 4-wheeler, her hunting rifles and all her cash with no explanation of what would happen next.

The experience was shocking, but it was just the beginning. A week later…..”

Read on.

The rights of all patients, caregivers, producers and supportive physicians are at stake… …and you may well wish to express yourself to Congressional leadership (names in the article).

How to contact Senators: http://ift.tt/tTJdhf

How to contact House members:
http://ift.tt/2zlY4ws

#MMJ

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See full article – America isn’t ready to let Sessions off his leash