Colorado SB117 (THC/DUI) Hearing today; Letters and Phone Calls Needed
The THC/DUI Bill is back this year. It is Senate Bill 12-117 (“Penalties For DUI Offenses”) sponsored by Sen. Steve King (R-Grand Junction).
SB117 seeks to ban patients from driving privileges by setting a limit on THC in their blood that most patients will always exceed. Any driver with an amount of THC over 5 nanograms/milliliter in their blood will be considered impaired and guilty of DUI per se and subject to loss of their driver’s license. This will greatly impact patients, because many of them will test over that limit due to their continuous need to take their medicine, but will not be impaired.
The hearing on it will be TODAY (Mon. 2/27). The public is encouraged to testify in person.
HEARING TODAY
State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee
Hearing on SB 12-117
DATE: Mon., Feb. 27, 2012
TIME: 1:30pm
LOCATION: Capitol Building, 200 E. Colfax, Denver, CO
ROOM: Old Supreme Court Chambers, 2nd Floor
Please come and testify if you can.
LISTEN LIVE ONLINE
https://www.coloradochannel.net/
Capitol Bill Room
*** Always call the Bill Room before you come down to the Capitol for any last minute time changes to the hearing time/date.
(303) 866-3055
EMAIL SENATORS
State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected]
Bcc: [email protected]
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Sample Letter
Dear Senators:
Please vote today to kill SB117. There has been no evidence that marijuana has caused any increase in traffic accidents or fatalities in Colorado, so this bill is unnecessary. SB117 is also unfair, because it targets medical marijuana patients, who may always test above the 5ng limit for THC in their bloodstream because of their continuous need to take their medicine, but yet still be able to drive safely. SB117 will also force patients to take dangerous and expensive pharmaceutical medications that do not have nanogram levels and are not routinely tested for by the police.
The Colorado Committee on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) studied the THC/DUI issue extensively after last year’s bill was killed. The CCJJ was unable to come to a consensus on whether there was a need for this bill, so they did not recommend it to be re-introduced this year.
Please amend SB117 and replace it instead with an educational campaign like the CTI “Use Cannabis Responsibly” Campaign, which will educate patients about the types of cannabis, the potential side effects, and the time of onset and duration of these symptoms. Marijuana should be treated like Marinol, a synthetic THC approved by the FDA and widely-prescribed by physicians. There is no nanogram limit on Marinol.
The caution statement on Marinol prescriptions reads: “Patients receiving treatment with Marinol capsules should be specifically warned not to drive, operate machinery, or engage in any hazardous activity until it is established that they are able to tolerate the drug and to perform such tasks safely.”
Please treat Colorado medical marijuana patients fairly and do not criminalize the use of their medicine.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME HERE
COUNTY
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MAKE PHONE CALLS
Please make a personal, polite call to each of these members, especially if you are in their District.
State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee
Senator Rollie Heath (D), Committee Chair
Counties: Boulder
Phone: 303-866-4872
E-mail: [email protected]
Senator Bob Bacon (D)
County: Larimer
Phone: 303-866-4841
E-mail: [email protected]
Senator Betty Boyd (D)
County: Jefferson
Phone: 303-866-4857
E-mail: [email protected]
Senator Kevin Grantham (R)
Counties: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero
Phone: 303-866-4877
E-mail: [email protected]
Senator Tim Neville (R)
County: Jefferson
Phone: 303-866-4859
E-mail: [email protected]
SB-117 BILL SPONSOR
SEN. STEVE KING
Counties: Grand and Mesa
Capitol Phone: 303-866-3077
E-mail: [email protected]
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MORE INFORMATION:
General Assembly Home Page
Go to the state legislature’s page to see the calendar or read the bill.
https://www.leg.state.co.us/
Capitol Bill Room (for last minute hearing changes):
(303) 866-3055
CTI’s THC/DUI Educational Campaign
https://www.cannabistherapyinstitute.com/thc-dui/
Get on our EMAIL LIST for updates
https://www.cannabistherapyinstitute.com/
