Robert Celt
New Member
Medical marijuana supporters will host a petition signing event from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 7 at Chahinkapa Park in Wahpeton.
Proponents of the North Dakota Compassionate Care Act, which asks voters to legalize medicinal marijuana, are seeking signatures for a petition in favor of placing the act on the ballot in the state's November elections.
"This will be our first effort in the Wahpeton area," said Rilie Ray Morgan, Fargo, co-chairman of North Dakotans for Compassionate Care. "We'll be meeting and greeting people, answering questions about medical marijuana and playing a little music."
Although not a medical marijuana user himself, Morgan said he is aware of its benefits to patients with debilitating medical conditions. These benefits are not verified through studies conducted in the United States because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies marijuana as a Class 1 drug, without medical use and on the same level as heroin, LSD or cocaine. Due to stigma surrounding the word "marijuana," supporters of its medical use often prefer to use the term "cannabis."
"We have to concentrate on the medicinal side of marijuana, not the recreational side. That's our mission and that's our goal," Morgan said.
Despite this, Morgan did say a number of North Dakotans for Compassionate Care members are in favor of recreational marijuana use. There is the possibility of petitions circulating at Saturday's event in favor of non-medicinal marijuana legalization, he said. However, his group will not be circulating those petitions.
"We don't expect any protests," he said. "People, for the most part in North Dakota, (feel that) 'if it doesn't affect me directly, I won't say anything one way or another.' Once we get the necessary signatures, we'll move to educating North Dakota on the benefits to patients."
It takes 13,452 signatures to get onto the North Dakota ballot, Morgan said, and Compassionate Care members would like 16,000 as a cushion in case the elections division of the Secretary of State's office, which the petitions are sent to, disqualifies any signatures due to illegibility or inability to verify the information. Morgan and his wife/co-chairman, Anita, will also look over the completed petitions prior to it being sent to the Secretary of State.
"If we could get 50-100 signatures (in Wahpeton), we'll be pretty pleased with that," he said.
Morgan, who has served as chairman of North Dakotans for Compassionate Care since September 2015, said that while interest in the Compassionate Care Act has been high in cities such as Bismarck and Minot, it's also communities like Beulah, North Dakota, that have giving their "extremely gratifying" support.
North Dakotans for Compassionate Care will gather near Chahinkapa Park's band shelter on Saturday. Beginning Tuesday, May 10, the group will also host signing events in Valley City, North Dakota.
Election Day in North Dakota is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: ND: Medical Marijuana Petitioners In Wahpeton
Author: Frank Stanko
Contact: Daily News
Photo Credit: Joseph Leahy
Website: Daily News
Proponents of the North Dakota Compassionate Care Act, which asks voters to legalize medicinal marijuana, are seeking signatures for a petition in favor of placing the act on the ballot in the state's November elections.
"This will be our first effort in the Wahpeton area," said Rilie Ray Morgan, Fargo, co-chairman of North Dakotans for Compassionate Care. "We'll be meeting and greeting people, answering questions about medical marijuana and playing a little music."
Although not a medical marijuana user himself, Morgan said he is aware of its benefits to patients with debilitating medical conditions. These benefits are not verified through studies conducted in the United States because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies marijuana as a Class 1 drug, without medical use and on the same level as heroin, LSD or cocaine. Due to stigma surrounding the word "marijuana," supporters of its medical use often prefer to use the term "cannabis."
"We have to concentrate on the medicinal side of marijuana, not the recreational side. That's our mission and that's our goal," Morgan said.
Despite this, Morgan did say a number of North Dakotans for Compassionate Care members are in favor of recreational marijuana use. There is the possibility of petitions circulating at Saturday's event in favor of non-medicinal marijuana legalization, he said. However, his group will not be circulating those petitions.
"We don't expect any protests," he said. "People, for the most part in North Dakota, (feel that) 'if it doesn't affect me directly, I won't say anything one way or another.' Once we get the necessary signatures, we'll move to educating North Dakota on the benefits to patients."
It takes 13,452 signatures to get onto the North Dakota ballot, Morgan said, and Compassionate Care members would like 16,000 as a cushion in case the elections division of the Secretary of State's office, which the petitions are sent to, disqualifies any signatures due to illegibility or inability to verify the information. Morgan and his wife/co-chairman, Anita, will also look over the completed petitions prior to it being sent to the Secretary of State.
"If we could get 50-100 signatures (in Wahpeton), we'll be pretty pleased with that," he said.
Morgan, who has served as chairman of North Dakotans for Compassionate Care since September 2015, said that while interest in the Compassionate Care Act has been high in cities such as Bismarck and Minot, it's also communities like Beulah, North Dakota, that have giving their "extremely gratifying" support.
North Dakotans for Compassionate Care will gather near Chahinkapa Park's band shelter on Saturday. Beginning Tuesday, May 10, the group will also host signing events in Valley City, North Dakota.
Election Day in North Dakota is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: ND: Medical Marijuana Petitioners In Wahpeton
Author: Frank Stanko
Contact: Daily News
Photo Credit: Joseph Leahy
Website: Daily News
