November 1, 2018
Everyday NORML Chapters from around the country invest countless hours in advocating for meaningful marijuana law reforms on the local, state and federal level! Below is a brief rundown of some of their most recent accomplishments.
Arizona NORML’s Candidate Report Card Takes Center Stage Before Midterm Elections
“The latest poll conducted on cannabis legalization in Arizona indicates 63 percent of Arizonans support adult-use cannabis legalization, according to OH Predictive Insights in February. This is way up from 2016, when an Arizona Republic poll showed just 50 percent of voters in favor of legalization.”
Read more from Tucson Weekly!
Follow Arizona NORML on Instagram and Twitter and become a member today!
Members of Indiana NORML testified before Indiana’s Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services
Steve Dillon, Executive Director, Indiana NORML
“Medical marijuana could reduce opiate overdose deaths, said attorney Steven Dillon, chairman of Indiana NORML. Last year, 1,840 Hoosiers died from opioid overdoses, an 18 percent increase over the previous year, he said. There was a 25 percent decrease in opioid overdoses in medical marijuana states.”
Read more from the Tribune Star!
Follow Indiana NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
David Phipps, Communications Director, Indiana NORML
“Giving that vague response, that is lighting a fire under the public and that is encouraging them to get more involved going into the General Assembly and that’s where I think the magic will happen.”
Read more from News and Tribune!
Follow Indiana NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Members of Indiana NORML Host Community Discussion About Medical Marijuana
“Jack Cain, vice chair of the Indiana chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, which has been lobbying for changes in marijuana laws, said Indiana lawmakers won’t abandon their opposition until they begin hearing from their constituents.”
Read more from The Goshen News!
Follow Indiana NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Members of Springfield NORML Host Town Hall Meeting to Discuss Amendment 2
“At the town hall were t-shirts, buttons, and flyers; all up for grabs to advertise the need for medical marijuana. While there are three different medical marijuana measures on the ballot, most of the advocates at the town hall are for Amendment 2”
Read more from Ozarks First!
Follow Springfield NORML on Facebook and become a member today!
NORML Women of Washington Expands Efforts With New Chapter
“In recent years, the groups have promoted a need for people to legally grow their own plants at home; removing non-violent marijuana convictions handed down prior to legalization; and updating employment protections for responsible cannabis use by adults.”
Read more from The Spokesman Review!
Follow NORML Women of Washington on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Members of Texas NORML’s Veterans Outreach Rally in Support of Access to Medical Marijuana
“The group believes marijuana is a better medicine to help manage PTSD and other disabilities veterans often face. More than two out 10 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder also have substance use disorder.”
Read more from Spectrum News Austin!
Follow Texas NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
NORML Leaders in the Media
Ashley Weber, Executive Director, Colorado NORML
“That narrative is “demonizing cannabis” and unfairly feeding “reefer madness” in the state, said Ashley Weber with Colorado NORML, a pro-marijuana organization that advocates for cannabis law reforms.”
Read more from The Gazette!
Follow Colorado NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Brian Seamonson, Board Member, Madison NORML
“This is changing people and actually saving people’s lives everyday. It’s time that Wisconsin steps up and gives us an opportunity like that, too,”
Read more from 27 News!
Follow Madison NORML on Facebook and become a member today!
Brian Seamonson, Board Member, Madison NORML
“They vary from strict recreational questions, to medicinal questions. Some of the referendums have both a medicinal and a recreational question on them,” said Brain Seamonson with Madison NORML.
Read more from NBC 15!
Follow Madison NORML on Facebook and become a member today!
Chris Goldstein, Executive Director, South Philly NORML
“There is a capricious and arbitrary nature to this that plays out every day,” said Chris Goldstein, an area organizer with NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Read more from The Inquirer!
Follow South Philly NORML on Facebook and become a member today!
Corey Mendes, Executive Director, Southeast Texas NORML
“Corey Mendes is the Executive Director of the non-profit organization NORML, he believes people should not be arrested for possession of marijuana, but says the governor’s proposal is a good step forward.”
Read more from KFDM News!
Follow Southeast Texas NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Dale Geringer, Executive Director, California NORML
“Nowhere does Prop 64 say that it is intended to impede free donations of medicine to needy patients. The purposes and intents section of the initiative is clear that it pertains only to adult-use marijuana, and does not override Prop 215,”
Read more from The Bay Area Reporter!
Follow California NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Dan Linn, Executive Director, Illinois NORML
“It’s going to be part of a broader wave of young people going to the polls,” Linn said. “When there’s such an obvious difference between the two major party candidates, this issue will cause a lot of younger people to support the Democrat.”
Read more from the Chicago Tribune!
Follow Illinois NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Edward Wicker, Executive Director, San Diego NORML
“I think that the mayor was pretty clear that he has no genuine interest in having a dialogue that would better inform him and city officials about the benefits of having a regulated cannabis business,” Wicker said. “His mind appeared to be closed.”
Read more from The Coast News Group!
Follow San Diego NORML on Facebook and become a member today!
Eric Marsch, Executive Director, Southeastern Wisconsin NORML
“It would mean it’s a lot easier to pressure legislators to legalize cannabis here,” Marsch said. “It’s going to help move the ball forward.”
Read more from TMJ4 Milwaukee!
Follow Southeastern Wisconsin NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Eric Marsch, Executive Director, Southeastern Wisconsin NORML
“I really do think we’re coming to a turning point,” says executive director of SE WI NORML Eric Marsch. “The number of positive responses we’ve gotten is very encouraging.”
Read more from Urban Milwaukee!
Follow Southeastern Wisconsin NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Evan Nison, Executive Director, New Jersey NORML
“Cannabis consumers are not looking to dose children with cannabis,” said Evan Nison, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of NORML, a group pushing marijuana legalization, the Associated Press reported last year. “That is not something that I’ve ever heard of anybody ever being interested in doing or wanting to do or would think is ethical.”
Read more from The Kansas City Star!
Follow New Jersey NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Jack Porcari, Executive Director, Western New York NORML
“When people look at the stereotype of lazy stoner. If we get rid of prohibition, then we will allow people to have higher level jobs.”
Read more from WIVB 4!
Follow Western New York NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Jack Porcari, Executive Director, Western New York NORML
“Jack Porcari, the executive director of the Western New York chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said Thursday currently legal substances, such as alcohol, present the same, if not more substantial risks in the same categories.”
Read more from the Niagara Gazette!
Follow Western New York NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Jax Finkle, Executive Director, Texas NORML
“He said he doesn’t want people sitting in jails, and we agree with that. People should not be in jail for possession of a plant, and so we look forward to those conversations with his office.”
Read more from the Texas Standard!
Follow Texas NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Jay Selthofner, Executive Director, Northern Wisconsin NORML
“I’m advocating for voting yes because it’s the right thing to do,” explained Selthofner. “Nobody should go to jail for a plant. This is cannabis, this is marijuana. This is not a dangerous substance.”
Read more from Fox 11 News!
Follow Northwest Wisconsin NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Jeri Shepard, Board Member, Colorado NORML
“The so-called Drug War has nothing to do with sobriety and everything to do with control AND is designed to go after people of color and poor people. Note that law enforcement and the private prison industry have incentives to lock people up.”
Read more from Herald and News!
Follow Colorado NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Kevin Oliver, Executive Director, Washington NORML
“Kevin Oliver, executive director of the Washington chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said the sudden nature of the announcement, and the targeting specifically of candy and not other products that would also appeal to children, made the liquor board’s actions suspect.”
Read more from The Spokesman Review!
Follow Washington NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Matthew Abel, Executive Director, Michigan NORML
“The point is to design a system that encourages people to come into the legal, regulated marketplace and design the economics so that there’s less incentive to participate in the black market.”
Read more from Hometown Life!
Follow Michigan NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Matthew Abel, Executive Director, Michigan NORML
“Legalization does not increase youth access. We now have more than 10 peer-reviewed studies which found that liberalized marijuana laws do not lead to increased teen use. Licensed merchants check for ID — bootleggers do not.”
Read more from Petoskey News-Review!
Follow Michigan NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Matthew Abel, Executive Director, Michigan NORML
“Medical is not affected by legalization. It specifically is protected. So patients and caregivers will maintain all the rights and options that they currently have,”
Read more from the Morning Sun!
Follow Michigan NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Matthew Abel, Executive Director, Michigan NORML
“Even if there are more people in accidents with cannabis in their system, the drug is not necessarily to blame for those accidents,”
Read more from Spartan Newsroom!
Follow Michigan NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
Mikel Weisser, Executive Director, Arizona NORML
“The meeting, he said, spelled the end for the 24 bills NORML had worked on for the past year, which included mandatory testing, lower card fees and other reforms to the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act.”
Read more from Tucson Weekly!
Follow Arizona NORML on Instagram and Twitter and become a member today!
TJ Desormeaux, Deputy Director, Southeast Texas NORML
“We want to help the community with factual-based knowledge and letting them know what they can and cannot do,” says Desormeaux. “Again, try to get it where doctors can prescribe patients marijuana if needed.”
Read more from 12 News Now!
Follow El Paso NORML on Facebook and Twitter and become a member today!
For more than 45 years NORML chapters have been the driving force behind policy decisions on the local and state level. Have you connected with your local NORML chapter? If there isn’t one in your community, please email NORML Outreach Director Kevin Mahmalji at KevinM@NORML.org for help with starting your own!
Ready to start a NORML chapter in your hometown? Click here to find out how!
