Dear NORML members:
We need you to take immediate action to stop a bill from becoming ordinance!
On Thursday, November 30, the Philadelphia City Council will be voting on a bill dubbed the "Blunt Ban," which would attempt to make illegal sales of everyday household products such as apples, paperclips, and lighters; and tobacco related products under the guise that these items are used primarily as drug paraphernalia. As the only organization for pot smokers, we have taken action in contacting local council members to voice our concerns about this legislation. We have asked them to vote "NO" on the blunt ban, and we need you to help!
The ordinance can be summarized as such:
- It would make it illegal to sell rolling papers, blunt wraps, or singly-sold blunts/cigars
- It would make it illegal to sell literally anything that can be defined as paraphernalia, which would technically include apples, sandwich bags, paperclips, et al.
- It would attempt to shut down lawful community staples - Wonderland and Artifax - which have had permits to sell, among other things, "drug paraphernalia," since 1982.
- It would attempt to do the previous three things retroactively - charging businesses ridiculous fines for lawfully selling these products before this law would even become active.
Read the actual bill here (PDF)
What Can I Do?
1.) Send a letter to your council member! A pre-written letter has been prepared, all you need to do is fill out your name and some information and it will send it to as many council-members as you select. You may also add your own comments to the letter if you want.
2.) Call your council member! The best time to call is during regular Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. business hours. Call as many of them as you can, and tell them to vote "NO" on bill 060345 when it comes to vote. It doesn't need to be a speech, a few sentences is all you need. If you like, you can use any of the following:
"Don't punish marijuana smokers by taking away their healthy choice of smoking apparel. As a citizen, the shortsightedness of this bill makes me upset. It will do nothing to combat drug use. It's unconstitutional and much more harmful to our citizens than the items it attempts to ban. Vote "NO" on the blunt ban - 060345."
"I don't do drugs or smoke cigars, but bill #060345 is ridiculous. It continues a failed policy of drug prohibition which makes our streets unsafe and our children less protected. Do the right thing and oppose the Blunt Ban, Bill # 060345."
Don't know who to call? Philadelphia City Council is below
After You Call
Let PhillyNORML know if you called! We always like to hear feedback from our member base, and hope you will join us in future endeavors to reform marijuana laws here in Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, and in the entire United States of America.
Simply send an email to:
co-chair@phillynorml.org - or - chair@phillynorml.org and mention what you did. You will be happy you did.