The National Black Police Association announced its support Monday for voter passage of Initiative 59, the “Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1998.”
“We believe this medical initiative is about providing a helping hand to those who are living with AIDS and other terminal diseases,” stated NBPA Executive Director Ronald Hampton. “Initiative 59 is not promoting recreational drug [use] or the legalization of marijuana.”
The NBPA’s support position came one day prior to a vote by the Major City Chiefs Association opposing medical marijuana. The NBPA represents more than 30,000 law enforcement officials nationwide.
Initiative 59 seeks to exempt patients who use marijuana under a doctor’s supervision from the District’s criminal marijuana penalties.
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre of The NORML Foundation @ (202) 483-8751 or Wayne Turner of ACT-UP @ (202) 547-9494.