By: Jamie Solis
B
etween Hilary Clinton cracking a cannabis joke last month
to the apparent connection between Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber’s wife
and a giant field of cannabis sativa, there has been quite a buzz lately in the
mainstream media about Democratic women and their relationships with cannabis.
While we are also guilty-as-charged for following these jaw-dropping and
dramatic stories, the real headlines about Democratic women should highlight
the female politicians who openly support pro-cannabis legislation and are
actively doing something about it.
Some of the most badass, game-changing and influential
leaders behind the policies and legislation for cannabis are in fact women.
These senators, congresswomen, governors and activists are foraging the path
towards reforming legislation, so it’s about time they get more recognition than
women who just talk about it. Let’s take a look at current and future female politicians
who are making a difference in our community.
Pro-Cannabis Women
Who Hold High-Ranking Office
Some of the esteemed politicians who deserve recognition for
their unprecedented support to our cause are Barbara Lee, Elizabeth Warren, Maggie
Hassan and Diane Savino. These four prominent female politicians have all
openly supported a person’s right to safe access of medical cannabis.
Barbara Lee is a
Democratic Congresswoman for California. Not only has Lee gained popularity
among cannabis activists, but she also works feverishly to help elect more
women into American politics. The Barbara Lee Family Foundation and The Barbara
Lee Political Office are two organizations that have helped each elected female
Democratic governor or senator gain their seat.
Aside from her passion to gain gender-equality in politics,
Lee is passionate about helping the governments realize and recognize the
rights of California voters. She gained the support of cannabis activists everywhere
when she took a stand for business owners and patients who were getting screwed
by raids back in 2012. The U.S. News
& World Report published her statement,
“We
should be protecting and implementing the will of voters, not undermining our
democracy by prosecuting small business owners who pay taxes and comply with
the laws of their states in providing medicine to patients in need.” If there
is one politician who truly gets it, it’s this one.
There are many other women who are making an impact on cannabis
laws in their states. Massachusetts is happy to call Elizabeth Warren its Democratic Senator. Having a personal
experience with how a patient may need medical cannabis has developed somewhat
of a soft spot in Warren’s heart for MMJ patients and their families. The
Governor of New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan,
was also instrumental in her state’s legalization of medical cannabis, because
she too believes in a patient’s right to safe access, and she believes it should
be regulated by the State of New Hampshire.
Senator Diane Savino from
New York is another powerful woman who understands the medical need for cannabis,
even by the youngest patients. She is a supporter of the famous strain
“Charlotte’s Web,” which is known for being low in THC and therefore not being
highly psychoactive for its patients who are children. This strain is high in
CBD, so it is able to deliver therapeutic effects to help prevent seizures in
patients young and old.
The Coalition
Continues to Grow Into 2015
On top of the many women who have already made an impact in
MMJ, we are happy to celebrate a couple female politicians who were just
elected early November to continue this fight in 2015. These are the women to
look out for in the upcoming year!
Last month, Democratic Representative Dianne Russell won another term in the Maine House of
Representatives, and her supporters couldn’t be more excited. She absolutely
swept the competition with her honest values that include responsible legislation
for cannabis, marriage equality and more. Russell has taken it as her personal
mission to reform the prohibition of cannabis in the state of Maine, and so far
she undoubtedly been moving mountains in making a huge impact on Maine’s
cannabis laws.
Bonnie Watson Coleman
is a Democrat who just was elected as a Member of Congress for New Jersey. On
top of her accomplishment of being her state’s first African American woman to
ever serve in Congress, she is also the first woman to represent New Jersey in
Congress in over a decade. On top of these great victories, Coleman has already
dedicated her professional endeavors to issues that include reforming New
Jersey’s cannabis legislation and regulation. She has shown her support in the
past in many ways, which included co-sponsoring a measure to decriminalize
possession of Cannabis in New Jersey.
Women have had some powerful and influential roles within
the rapidly changing world of cannabis. It is clear that there is no cap to
where this growing entity of womanpower will suffice. When dedicated female
politicians forcibly change an American industry that often still objectifies
women, it brings a hopeful spirit to this female writer.
LOCAL LADIES
Heroes come in all forms, and there are plenty of local
heroes that are helping aid in the fight for legalizing cannabis in your own
neighborhood. Wanda James is an
activist and businesswoman who is making a global difference following her
successes on a national level. She first gained widespread popularity for her
contribution in developing the regulation and sustained growth and development
of the cannabis industry in Colorado.
Dr. Amanda Reiman is a researcher and professor who also serves as the Policy Manager for the Marijuana Law and Policy unit of the Drug Policy Alliance. She is also the first woman to serve as a chairwoman on the Medical Cannabis Commission for the City of Berkeley, and she is part of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission for the City of Oakland. In all of her titles, she keeps a passionate goal of furthering our industry towards legalization and regulation. The medical and recreational cannabis communities are grateful to the dedication of these great women.
Originally published by Culture Magazine on Dec. 4, 2014: http://ireadculture.com/article-4854-the-fierce-females-of-cannabis-politics.html
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