S-0642.1  _______________________________________________

                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8005

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Kohl‑Welles, Thibaudeau, Kline, Wojahn, Spanel, McCaslin, Franklin, Winsley, Prentice, Fairley and Finkbeiner

Read first time 01/18/1999.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Urging Congress to downgrade marijuana to a Schedule II controlled substance.

    TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, Some studies have shown that some seriously ill patients may benefit from the medical use of marijuana to relieve symptoms and suffering which accompany cancer chemotherapy, AIDS wasting syndrome, glaucoma, muscle spasms induced by epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, and some forms of intractable pain; and

    WHEREAS, Those seriously ill patients should be exempt from criminal prosecution for limited personal possession and use of marijuana, as should physicians who authorize those patients to use marijuana to relieve symptoms and suffering;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress pass and the President approve legislation removing marijuana from the list of Schedule I controlled substances and placing it on the Schedule II list of controlled substances.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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