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A Guide to Washington’s Medical Use of Cannabis Act for Health Care Professionals – Brochure

The information here provides a general explanation of the Medical Marijuana Act. For legal advice on how the act may apply to you personally, you should speak with an attorney familiar with this law. Read More »
 
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State Supreme Court Rules Medical Marijuana Law Does Not Protect Employees from Being Fired

June 9, 2011
The Washington Supreme Court ruled against an authorized patient who was fired for using medical marijuana, even though there was no evidence that its use interfered with her job performance. In a disappointing 8-1 opinion, the Court found that the Washington Medical Use of Marijuana Act does not protect employees who are discharged for exercising their right to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. Read More »
 
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We're winning! But medical marijuana patients need more help.

Shankar Narayan, ACLU-WA Legislative Director
Monday, March 21st, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Thanks to over 800 emails from ACLU supporters like you, the medical marijuana bill has passed the Washington Senate, and is now in the House.

We still need your help to keep the bill moving. Currently, seriously ill patients are exposed to raids on their homes or forced into a dangerous black market to obtain medicine. Patients need safe access, and law enforcement needs clearer guidelines. Tell House legislators in Olympia to pass a medical marijuana bill that protects doctors and patients. Read More »

 
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ACLU Supports Medical Marijuana Patient’s Right to a Fair Trial

June 8, 2006
The ACLU of Washington has filed a brief in support of a medical marijuana patient convicted of possession and cultivation of marijuana, even though she had a written medical recommendation to use it as medicine.The ACLU of Washington has filed a brief in support of a medical marijuana patient convicted of possession and cultivation of marijuana, even though she had a written medical recommendation to use it as medicine. The Washington Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on June 8. Read More »
 
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State v. Tracy (medical marijuana)

The Washington Supreme Court rejected a seriously ill woman’s plea to use medical marijuana to alleviate chronic pain, even though she had a doctor’s written recommendation. A trial court did not allow her to raise her defense under the state’s Medical Use of Marijuana Act. The court ruled that her California medical marijuana card was not valid in Washington, even though out-of-state doctors may write prescriptions for stronger medications. Tracy was found guilty; an appeals court upheld the conviction. Read More »
 
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Roe v. TeleTech

The ACLU of Washington has filed a friend-of-the-court brief saying that the firing of an employee for using marijuana at home for medicinal purposes was wrongful. The ACLU brief urges that the rights of individuals under our state’s medical marijuana law be protected. Read More »
 
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Oly Update: Regulate & Tax Marijuana Bill Gets a Hearing; Sen. Committee to Vote on Medical Cannabis Bill

Mark Cooke, ACLU-WA Drug Policy Advocate
Monday, February 7th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Tomorrow, the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee will hear testimony on HB 1550. This bill would regulate and tax marijuana for adults twenty-one and older. Marijuana production and sales would be regulated by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.

The Senate Committee on Health and Long-Term Care will vote on Monday afternoon, whether to advance SB 5073, the Medical Use of Cannabis Act. This legislation would provide qualifying patients protection from arrest for their medical use of cannabis, and give law enforcement a bright line with comprehensive regulation of the production and dispensation of medical cannabis. Read More »

 
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State Supreme Court Hears Appeal of Fired Medical Cannabis Patient

Mark Cooke, ACLU-WA Drug Policy Advocate
Thursday, January 27th, 2011 at 11:41 am
Last week the Washington Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Roe v. TeleTech. Roe was fired from her job as a customer service consultant, solely because of her lawful use of cannabis for medical purposes. Read More »
 
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Regulating Medical Marijuana

Bills: SB 5073, HB 1100
Position: support
Status: Passed the House and Senate, but Gov. Gregoire vetoed most of bill.
This measure would have provided much-needed clarification to “gray areas” of the law, fulfilling the compassionate intention of the citizenry who adopted it. At the very end of the session, Gov. Gregoire expressed concerns about the bill, then, to our chagrin, vetoed its key sections. In issuing her veto, the Governor cited the threat of federal authorities arresting state employees involved in administering dispensaries – an unlikely scenario which has not happened in any of the other states which have dispensaries. Read More »
 
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Improving Our Marijuana Laws Would Help Lawmakers Save Vital Public Services

Alison Holcomb
Monday, January 10th, 2011 at 10:54 am
The 2011 Washington state legislative session kicks off today, and budget-sensitive law makers will be presented with two opportunities not only to make our state marijuana laws work better for Washingtonians, but also to generate much-needed revenue that can save vital government services. Read More »
 
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