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WHY DO NURSES URGE A YES VOTE FOR MEASURE 91?
Urgent research needed for medical marijuana.
Schools need drug education, not drug dealers.
Mental health treatment needs funding.

As nurses we have firsthand experience with how people use marijuana. There is no question the current approach of treating it as a crime has failed. With Measure 91, Oregon has a better way forward.

PROBLEM: Medical marijuana transforms lives, but almost no research can be done on it. For patients with diseases like multiple sclerosis or cancer, medical marijuana can be the difference between a bearable and unbearable life. But because marijuana is illegal, there’s no effective system for labeling, testing and dosing. Medical studies are nearly impossible to conduct. Patients and doctors must rely on guesswork.

SOLUTION: Make marijuana legal so that medical research can be done and doctors and patients can get basic information.

PROBLEM: Schools need drug education, not drug dealers. Right now, people who buy marijuana are giving money to drug cartels and black market dealers. These dealers sell marijuana to children, making it too easy for kids to get. And they are the ones who “educate” kids about marijuana.

SOLUTION: Tax marijuana so the money goes to drug prevention, not to drug dealers and cartels. Children are more likely to say no to marijuana when they get proven drug education. With tobacco, regulation, taxation and education has been effective in reducing use.

PROBLEM: Mental health is woefully underfunded. We’re throwing people who need mental health treatment into jails and turning them into hardened criminals.

SOLUTION: Tax marijuana so money goes to mental health treatment. It’s cheaper and less cruel than addressing mental health problems by putting people behind bars.

(This information furnished by Pat E Hughes, RNC. BSN..)

To Better Protect Young People, We Need a New Approach to Marijuana

As teachers and school volunteers, we believe that marijuana isn’t a substance that should be used by young people. Yet, based on what we’ve seen in our schools, it’s clear that our current marijuana laws fail when it comes to protecting our students.

Right now, kids have an easier time getting marijuana than they should. In fact, current marijuana policy increases the risk to young people because black market sellers do nothing to avoid selling to youth.They don’t provide drug education and they don’t ask for ID.

We need to end the system that gives criminals and drug cartels control over whether and which kids have access to marijuana. We can take better care of our kids by passing Measure 91 which will strictly regulate and control marijuana.

Measure 91 also will provide desperately ­needed funding for proven drug education and prevention strategies for youth, along with treatment and support for those who need it. Right now, these programs are underfunded and not making it into classrooms and community centers where they are needed.

Taxes from marijuana will be put into a special account that, by law, is distributed as follows: 25% to fund drug prevention and treatment programs, 40% to Oregon’s public schools, and 35% to state and local police.

Voting Yes on 91 means:

• Better control of marijuana and drastically reducing the black market.
• Better, proven tools to keep kids away from marijuana.
• Better funding for prevention, treatment and schools.
• Regardless of how we feel about marijuana, we should all agree that it’s crucial to protect kids.

Bobbie Regan, school volunteer, Portland

Ginny Markell, retired high school teacher, North Clackamas

Elizabeth Kaufman, former high school teacher, Clackamas County

Mike Schwab, after­school program leader, Eugene

Christopher D. Hebbe, paraeducator, Portland

Timothy Rake, retired 4J teacher, Eugene

As a grandmother, my greatest concern is always the health and safety of my grandchildren. That’s why their
parents and I have talked with them about how people under 21 should not use marijuana. But I also know that it is
easier for kids to get marijuana than a six­pack. Trying to control marijuana through the criminal justice system
doesn’t work.

I would much rather see a system of strict regulation and control, much like we have for alcohol. Taking marijuana
production, sales and use out of the criminal market gives us a much better chance of keeping it out of the hands
of kids. Drug dealers don’t ask for ID.

As for adults using marijuana – I feel that is a choice each individual must make. But people 21 and older should
not see their lives ruined just because they used marijuana. Under our current laws, a 22­year­old student who
has a small amount of marijuana on them could be arrested, put in jail, lose their loans, be forced to drop out of
school and then have a record that follows them every time they try to get a job or housing. Our current laws go too
far.

Measure 91 has the right restrictions in place, more than any measure ever put before Oregon voters.

• Marijuana will be strictly controlled from seed to sale.
• Marijuana can only be sold in licensed, inspected and audited stores in specially zoned areas that are far
  away from schools.
• Sellers must ask for IDs. People under 21 are forbidden from even entering the stores.
• The new law will penalize access by minors, keep current laws against driving while impaired, keep
  drug­free workplace rules and prevent public use.

Our current system isn’t working. Let’s replace it with one that does.

Vote YES on Measure 91.
Martha Duff, Portland

“The examination room is a sanctuary…the war on drugs does not belong there.”

Richard Bayer, M.D., FACP

I have seen many patients benefit from the use of medical marijuana, before and after I was co­chief petitioner of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, when it successfully passed in 1998.

I support Measure 91 because it doesn’t negatively impact the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and can benefit many patients not covered or served by the medical law. Marijuana regulation is a better policy than marijuana prohibition.

Measure 91 does not impact the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act in any way.

Understandably, I am very protective of Oregon’s medical marijuana program and its patients and would not support anything that would do the medical program or its patients any harm. I can wholeheartedly support Measure 91 because it protects the program and our patients.

Medical marijuana laws are not enough for many patients.

Because of local bans, too many patients have to travel long distances to acquire medical marijuana ­ or go without. Too many patients can’t afford to pay for a state registration fee and the doctor visits necessary to acquire a medical marijuana card. Low ­income patients shouldn’t be subjected to criminal laws because of poverty.

Additionally, there is still too much discrimination against medical marijuana patients and medical marijuana research. Measure 91 will put us on a path to end that discrimination and start the serious study of medical marijuana in Oregon.

Regulation works better than marijuana prohibition.

Just as Al Capone and other mobsters profited from alcohol prohibition, drug cartels profit from marijuana prohibition today, endangering too many people. Measure 91 brings marijuana out of an unregulated market into a regulated market with the right restrictions, and creates new tax revenue for drug treatment and drug prevention programs. We have had great success decreasing teen use of tobacco with regulation, taxation, and education and we can do the same with marijuana.

Richard Bayer, M.D., FACP

(This information furnished by Dr. Richard E Bayer, MD. FACP.)

For 17 years I served as a federal prosecutor, including 7 years as the U.S Attorney for Oregon. As chief federal prosecutor, I led the prosecution of all federal drug cases in this state. I did my utmost to pursue justice and keep Oregonians safe.

I learned firsthand how our current approach to marijuana has failed. By keeping marijuana illegal, we enrich organized crime and violent drug cartels. At the same time, we distract police, who spend too much time arresting and citing people for small amounts of marijuana.

In the last decade, police in Oregon arrested or cited almost 100,000 people for marijuana violations.People of color are cited or arrested at more than twice the rate of whites, despite no difference in the rate of use of marijuana between races. Even if each arrest or citation took only 10 minutes, that’s nearly one million minutes.

One million minutes is the equivalent of two years. Every minute police and sheriffs spend on a low-­level marijuana case is time taken away from a case that truly affects public safety.

Yet, police have no choice but to go after marijuana users. Enforcing the law is their job. That’s why the law must change. Our country has spent more than 40 years and $1 trillion fighting the War on Drugs. When it comes to marijuana, the numbers make it clear it’s not working.

Measure 91 is a better way forward for Oregon. Police will have more time to focus on violent offenses. Money spent on legal marijuana will be diverted from the black market and drug cartels. Instead, it will go into legitimate businesses, and the taxes generated will go to essential public services like police, mental health and drug prevention. Plus, Measure 91’s strict regulations provide the protections we need.

Let’s improve our marijuana laws, the right way.

Vote YES on Measure 91.

Kris Olson, Former Chief Federal Prosecutor for Oregon

Travel as a Political Act: Ending marijuana prohibition in Oregon

Rick Steves, one of America’s most respected travel authorities, is launching a 6-day, 10-city tour around Oregon to talk about travel and the need for marijuana reform in Oregon.

The Yes on 91 campaign will join him. On the November ballot, Measure 91 will regulate, legalize and tax marijuana for adults 21 and older.

In “Travel as a Political Act: Ending marijuana prohibition in Oregon,” Steves will share how travel has shown him how different societies tackle the same problems. Steves co-sponsored Washington’s successful ballot measure to regulate, legalize and tax marijuana. “One thing I’ve learned in 30 years of travel is that treating marijuana as a crime does not work,” he said. “A better approach is to regulate it, legalize it and tax it. I’m an advocate for better policy, and that’s what Oregon will get once Measure 91 passes.”

To RSVP, click here. Or find an event near you below.

*Wine and Cheese Meet and Greet, $250/person (Limited space, reserve tickets in advance online) **$10/person