Supporters of marijuana’s legalization need to develop political skills and learn more about what it takes to be successful advocates and influential citizens. Public opinion is moving in the direction of reform; this is a good time to increase the pressure on our Congressional representatives to consider the legalization option. The persistent use of marijuana in the United States provides constant pressure on Congress to recognize the failure of prohibition, as does the widespread cultivation of marijuana throughout the country. Confronting Congress with public support for legalization, though, is necessary to develop cannabis reform as an important political priority.
In many respects marijuana’s legalization is a simple numbers game. When enough people contact Congress in favor of legalization, Congress will act. It’s really as simple as that. There are 22 million adults in the United States who use marijuana in the course of any year. We need to convince 1% of them to contact their Congressional Representatives at least once a year as well. That will take some time, organization, and persuasion.
There are 435 Congressional Districts represented in the Congress. On average there are 50,000 marijuana users in each district. Some states have more users per district, such as New York (58,000) and Oregon (71,000) and others have less, such as Indiana (46,000) and Alabama (40,000). If 1% of marijuana users contacted their Congressional Representatives in favor of legalization, that’s 220,000 direct appeals in favor of ending prohibition. It may seem like a difficult objective, but it’s actually only 500 people from each Congressional District, and that’s only 50 people each convincing 10 friends to take a stand.
It’s not going to happen overnight, and that’s why the HIGH TIMES 420 Campaign will roll on all year, every year, until we get the job done. Below are five easy steps you can take to contact your Congressional Representative. All you have to do is look up your complete zip code on the web, go to the Web site of Congress, look up your Congressional Representative, and send them an email to let them know you recommend they consider marijuana’s legalization.
Here is short sample message you should send your Representative today:
State and local police departments arrest over 700,000 individuals each year on marijuana charges. However after decades of arrests marijuana remains uncontrolled, widely available, and increasingly profitable. In the last 25 years marijuana cultivation developed into a massive, illicit, and untaxed market worth tens of billions of dollars. In my opinion marijuana law enforcement diverts important criminal justice resources from more important efforts to fight violent crime. A federal tax on marijuana sales would be a valuable source of revenue for drug treatment and other under-funded social programs. Most important, regulation of marijuana can decrease teenage access to the drug, something prohibition has failed to do over the last 35 years. It is time for the Congress to consider marijuana’s legalization in the United States. Where do you stand on the issue of marijuana law reform? Do you support the continuation of our current failed policies, and if so, why? Or are you willing to consider new approaches to control the marijuana market and reduce marijuana’s availability to teenagers and children?
Follow the steps below and when you get to step #5 either write your own message or copy the message above and paste it into the text box at the Congressional Web site. In any event, it’s time for you to “Send Your Message” to your Congressional Representative and let them know you support marijuana’s legalization.
Then, email the link to this column to all your friends and encourage them to also send a message to Congress in support of marijuana’s legalization!
Arresting people for marijuana use is stupid and wrong. So is failing to take action to stop it. Be smart. Roll on with The 420 Campaign and help bring about the end to marijuana prohibition in the United States. Contact Congress Today.
Contacting your Congressional Representative:
1. If you don’t know the four digit extension of your zip code, look it up here.
2. Go to this Web site provided by the House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
3. Follow the instructions under the banner “To contact your Representative:” First, select your state of residence from the pull down menu. Second, enter your zip code and your four digit extension. Third, click the “Contact your Representative” button.
4. On the next screen, fill in your name, address, phone number, and email address. Then click the button that says “Continue to Text Entry Form.”
5. Enter your message in the text box on the screen and then click the 'Send Your Message' button to submit.
