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Stand for reform at your County/SD Convention!

Thank you for taking an active role in the political process! Here’s how you can help advance marijuana law reform by submitting resolutions at your local County/SD Convention:

SHOW UP! These will occur around the state on March 24th at a time and location set by your local Republican leadership. Call your County Chairman or check the county website to find the time and location. ()

Republican Party of Texas Convention Training Video:

Resolutions

In preparation for the County/SD Convention, you should familiarize yourself with and print FOUR printed copies of any/all of the following marijuana policy-related resolutions:

States’ Rights: Marijuana should be regulated at the state level, not federally.

Medical Freedom: Matters of Health Should be Decided by Doctors and Patients

Enacting Sensible Penalties for Marijuana Possession

Industrial Hemp Cultivation, Manufacturing and Retail Sales

Putting forward these resolutions will provide an opportunity for discussion with other Republican activists. Even if the resolution did not pass at your precinct convention you can bring it to the temporary or permanent resolutions committee for consideration. You can also bring it to the floor for debate.

You can bring up all Resolutions for consideration, but they have to be presented/voted on individually.

When it’s time during your Precinct Convention for resolutions to be considered, you will say:

“Mr/Madame Chair, I move we adopt the following resolution regarding __________ (Title of Resolution). I have brought FOUR printed copies and will read it aloud.”

After you read the resolution, you can say, “I move that we adopt the resolution.” Discussion about the resolutions can take place now, such as you explaining the motive behind the resolution or someone disagreeing with the resolution. (Pro-tip: Use the “Whereas” statements as talking points.)

A vote will take place after discussion where a majority will determine if it is adopted (by “Aye” votes) or opposed (by “Nay” votes). Make sure to have printed copies ready for people to see the exact language.

Thank you for your dedication to Liberty and sensible marijuana policy in Texas!

States’ Rights: Marijuana should be regulated at the state level, not federally.

WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment of the US Constitution states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

WHEREAS, twenty-nine states have begun regulating the cultivation and sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes; eight states also allow retail sales for adult use.

WHEREAS, 91% of Americans support patient access to medical cannabis and 70% of Americans support states’ rights on the issue and agree that should marijuana be regulated at the state level, not federally. (Quinnipiac University -- Jan. 2018[1]).

WHEREAS, 61% of Americans support legalization (Pew Research Center -- Jan. 2018[2]), including for the first time 51% of Republicans (Gallop Poll -- Oct. 2017[3]).

WHEREAS, US Senator Ted Cruz agrees that marijuana policy is a states’ rights issue: “I actually think [marijuana legalization] is a great embodiment of what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis called ‘the laboratories of democracy,’” Cruz replied. “If the citizens of Colorado decide they want to go down that road, that’s their prerogative.” (Conservative Political Action Conference, February 2015.)

WHEREAS, President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed support for states right on marijuana policy:

In a television interview on July 29, 2016 with KUSA-TV in Colorado, Trump said: "I wouldn’t [use federal authority to shut down recreational marijuana], no … I wouldn’t do that … I think it’s up to the states, yeah. I’m a states person. I think it should be up to the states, absolutely."

In a radio interview with WWJ Newsradio 950 in Michigan on March 8, 2016, Trump said "I think it certainly has to be a state — I have not smoked it — it’s got to be a state decision … I do like it, you know, from a medical standpoint … it does do pretty good things. But from the other standpoint, I think that it should be up to the states."

At a campaign rally in Sparks, Nevada on Oct. 29, 2015, Trump said: "I think medical should happen...and then I really believe we should leave it up to the states…[Marijuana legalization] should be a state issue, state-by-state."

WHEREAS, Governor Greg Abbott signed the Texas Compassionate Use Act in 2015 and this program will require protection in the event of federal government interference.

WHEREAS, The Republican Party of Texas has expressed support for medical access to cannabis in their 2016 Platform: “Compassionate Use Act - We call upon the Texas Legislature to improve the 2015 Compassionate Use Act to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis to prescribed patients.”

WHEREAS, The National Conference of State Legislatures passed a resolution stating: “The Controlled Substances Act should be amended to remove cannabis from scheduling”...”in allowing each state to craft its own regulations we may increase transparency, public safety, and economic development where it is wanted. (NCLS Resolution, August 2017.[4])

RESOLVED

Congress should remove Cannabis from the Controlled Substance Act and allow states to regulate marijuana policies.

Texas lawmakers and our state’s executive leadership should take any necessary action to protect Texas’ Compassionate Use Program as well as the individual patients and physicians who are participating.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: A copy of this resolution be sent to the ____________ Senatorial/County Convention Resolutions Committee from Precinct #______of the _____________County Republican Party, with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the State Convention Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas.

Medical Freedom: Matters of Health Should be Decided by Doctors and Patients

WHEREAS, the 2016 Republican Party of Texas Platform states: "Health care decisions, including routine preventative care such as immunizations, should be between a patient and health care professional and should be protected from government intrusion.”; and

WHEREAS, physicians, in conjunction with their patients, should be allowed to make medical decisions and explore all potential treatment options including medical cannabis/marijuana;

WHEREAS, state Republican parties such as Texas have placed support for medical marijuana in their state platform.[5]

WHEREAS, 29 states have passed medical marijuana freedom laws with several more likely to do so by the end of 2018;[6]

WHEREAS, President Donald Trump has supported and campaigned on medical marijuana being available to all;[7]

WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Compassionate Use Program during the 2015 legislative session providing access to low-THC cannabis oil for patients with intractable epilepsy;

WHEREAS the Department of Public Safety set license fees at $488,000 per company and issued only three licenses, all in central Texas, after 43 companies across the state applied; and

WHEREAS this excessive regulation has limited access to the Compassionate Use Program, causing Texas parents to take their children to other states to obtain marijuana to effectively treat epilepsy; and

WHEREAS, one recent study reported survey data from patrons of Michigan medical marijuana dispensary suggesting that medical cannabis use in pain patients was associated with a sixty-four percent reduction in opioid use;[8]

WHEREAS, the US is facing an unprecedented opiate epidemic. Studies have shown significantly fewer (25%) opioid related deaths in states that allow medical marijuana;[9]

WHEREAS, The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) have found that marijuana has been shown to help cancer patients with chemotherapy induced vomiting and nausea;[10] while other studies show it can help with chronic pain in adults[11] and reduce prescription medication use;[12]

WHEREAS, polling has shown large majority support for medical marijuana including up to 93% support in a recent Quinnipiac poll;[13]

WHEREAS, The New England Journal of Medicine found 76% of doctors support medical marijuana;[14]

WHEREAS, the American Legion passed a resolution in August 2017 calling on Veteran Affairs doctors to be able to discuss medical marijuana options with patients;[15]

WHEREAS, according to the United States Sentencing Commission and the FBI, ninety-nine out of every one-hundred cannabis arrests in the United States are made under state law, rather than under federal law. Consequently, changing State law will have the practical effect of protecting from arrest the vast majority of seriously ill people who have a medical need to use cannabis also those who produce or are a caregiver supplier of cannabis;[16]

BE IT RESOLVED, the Texas Legislature should improve the Compassionate Use Program to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis for their patients.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Department of Public Safety should reduce excessive licensure fees and authorize more companies to enter the market so that medical dispensaries can open and ensure reasonable access for patients all across the state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: A copy of this resolution be sent to the ____________ Senatorial/County Convention Resolutions Committee from Precinct #______of the _____________County Republican Party, with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the State Convention Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas.

Enacting Sensible Penalties for Marijuana Possession

A Resolution to recognize that current penalties for marijuana possession are disproportionately harsh and ineffective in their goals to reduce consumption.

WHEREAS, enforcement of marijuana prohibition costs an enormous amount of money and

law enforcement resources, but fails to achieve success in reducing marijuana use and

availability.

In 2016, Texas police officers arrested nearly 68,000 people for marijuana; 98% of those arrests were for possession alone. Every 10 minutes, a Texan is arrested for marijuana possession, diverting valuable criminal justice resources away from real crime.

WHEREAS, according to 2016 Department of Public Safety arrest statistics, 61,716 individuals were arrested for marijuana possession. Of those, 33,816 were under the age of 24.[17] Fifty-five percent of those arrested for marijuana possession were minors and early twenties. Each arrest costs taxpayers an estimated $10,000,[18] more than we spend to educate students each year.[19] During this same time period, 89% of all burglaries, over 60% of all reported rapes, and 33% of all murders in Texas went unsolved.[20]

WHEREAS, marijuana prohibition is harming the futures of our youth. In Texas, minors and

adults under 25 make up 55% of all marijuana possession arrests. African

Americans in Texas are twice as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession though

black and white usage rates are equal[21]. These youths are then branded with criminal

records, loss of scholarships and job opportunities, and many face jail time.

WHEREAS, criminal and arrest records limit future employability, educational opportunities, and housing options, causing perpetual harm to families and communities.

WHEREAS, 74.5% of voters in Texas support a change in the law to reduce the maximum punishment for possessing small amounts of marijuana to a citation and a fine. (Texas Lyceum -- September 2015)[22]

WHEREAS, a civil penalty bill was presented in 2017’s 85R Legislative session. The fiscal note estimated that such a change would save the state more than $4 million over two years.[23]

WHEREAS, studies show marijuana is less toxic, less addictive, and less dangerous than alcohol. Imposing possible jail time and the lifelong stigma of a criminal record for possessing marijuana is disproportionate and unfair.

WHEREAS, citing and releasing those who possess small amounts of marijuana — and allowing defendants to simply pay the fine by mail — would allow police, prosecutors, and courts to spend more resources on preventing and solving crimes with victims.

WHEREAS, Republicans know that resources are limited, precious, and demand to be spent on the highest priority uses.

THEREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED: Precinct #______of the _____________County Republican Party supports a change in the law to make it a civil, not criminal, offense to possess two ounces or less of marijuana for personal use, punishable by a fine of up to $100, but without jail time.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the ____________ Senatorial/County Convention Resolutions Committee from Precinct #______of the _____________County Republican Party, with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the State Convention Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas.

Industrial Hemp Cultivation, Manufacturing and Retail Sales

A Resolution to recognize industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity; to acknowledge that allowing Texas farmers to produce industrial hemp will improve the balance of trade by promoting domestic sources of industrial hemp; and urging our Texas Legislature to institute state regulation of the commercial production of industrial hemp.

WHEREAS, industrial hemp refers to the non-drug oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis which are cultivated exclusively for fiber, stalk and seed, and are genetically distinct from drug varieties of Cannabis (also known as marihuana) and have less than three tenths of one percent (0.3%) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and

WHEREAS, the flowering tops of industrial hemp cannot produce any drug effect when smoked or ingested; and

WHEREAS, American companies are forced to import millions of dollars worth of hemp seed and fiber products annually from any of the 30+ countries, including Canada, Europe, and China, thereby effectively denying American farmers an opportunity to compete and share in the profits; and

WHEREAS, nutritious hemp foods can be found in grocery stores nationwide and retail sales for hemp products are estimated to be over $688 million in 2016.

WHEREAS, industrial hemp is a high-value low input crop that is not genetically modified, requires little or no pesticides, can be dry land farmed, and uses less fertilizer than wheat and corn.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: Precinct #______of the _____________County Republican Party recognizes industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity and acknowledges that allowing Texas farmers to produce industrial hemp will improve the balance of trade by promoting domestic sources of industrial hemp; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: We support the current RPT Platform Plank #206: “Hemp Cultivation- We support legislation allowing for industrial hemp cultivation in Texas.”

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: We urge Republican lawmakers to pass legislation regulating the cultivation, manufacture, and sale of industrial hemp and hemp products.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: A copy of this resolution be sent to the ____________ Senatorial/County Convention Resolutions Committee from Precinct #______of the _____________County Republican Party, with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the State Convention Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas.

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[10] Compassionate Use Act - We call upon the Texas Legislature to improve the 2015 Compassionate Use Act to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis to prescribed patients.

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[12] Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia. Also, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam.

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[14] “The marijuana thing is such a big thing. I think medical should happen right? Don’t we agree? I really think so. And then I believe we should leave it up to the states.”

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[34] Texas Department of Public Safety, “Texas Arrest Data,” Texas Department of Public Safety,

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[38] Texas public schools spent only $9,471 to educate one child for one year, ranking 36th in the nation, pg. 91, .

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[40] Texas Department of Public Safety, “The Texas Crime Report,” Texas Department of Public Safety,

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[42] American Civil Liberties Union. The War on Marijuana in Black and White. p 178. June 2013.

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