Please reach out to your Representative and Senator in the Maine statehouse and ask them to support the medical cannabis program by opposing the Graham amendment on LD1847.
Find your senator here: Find your State Senator | Maine State Legislature
And your representative here: Representatives by Town - Maine House of Representatives
PATIENT TEMPLATE (best if you edit and personalize):
Subject: Opposition to LD1847 — Medical Cannabis Access
Representative/Senator ________,
My name is ______, and I’m writing to make you aware of LD1847, which would harm medical cannabis patients by reducing the diversity of products and the number of producers available.
I am one of the 112,000+ medical cannabis patients in Maine. Nearly 8% of Maine residents utilize the medical cannabis program, which has been successfully operating since 1999. The diversity of therapeutic products and large number of caregivers with a knowledge base on medical cannabis use ensures patients medical needs are met, available within a reasonable distance, and at an affordable price.
LD1847 would apply adult-use cannabis regulations to the medical program, imposing testing and tracking requirements without ensuring those systems are affordable, necessary or functional for patients and caregivers, risking reduced access across the state. Many medical patients rely on consistent, higher-dose formulations to manage serious symptoms such as chronic pain, nausea, appetite loss, sleep disruption, and anxiety. Raising costs for producers will raise costs for patients, who are paying for this medicine out of pocket.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to reject the Graham amendment on LD1847.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[City or Town]
OUT OF STATE PATIENT TEMPLATE (best if you edit and personalize):
Out of state patients can direct their emails or calls to House and Senate leadership:
Speaker of the house: ryan.fecteau@legislature.maine.gov (207) 287-1300
Representative Matt.Moonen@legislature.maine.gov & Lori.Gramlich@legislature.maine.gov, (207) 287-1430
Representative William.Faulkingham@legislature.maine.gov & Katrina.Smith@legislature.maine.gov (207) 287-1440
President of the Senate: (207) 287-1500 Mattie.Daughtry@legislature.maine.gov
Senators Jill.Duson@legislature.maine.gov &Teresa.Pierce@legislature.maine.gov (207) 287-1515
Senators Trey.Stewart@legislature.maine.gov & Matthew.Harrington@legislature.maine.gov (207) 287-1505
Subject: Opposition to LD1847 — Medical Cannabis Access
Representative/Senator ________,
My name is ______, and I’m writing to make you aware that Maine’s medical cannabis program provides high quality medicine to many patients who travel to this state to access the products produced in this program.
I am a medical cannabis patient from [state], where we don’t have the same diversity of therapeutic products or large number of caregivers with a knowledge base on medical cannabis.
LD1847 would apply the same regulations of METRC and mandatory batch testing that are used in my home state, which has resulted in a high barrier to entry for operators and limited product diversity available to patients. These policies haven’t stopped contaminated products from reaching shelves, they have merely stopped participation in the industry from folks who do not have financial capital and outside investors.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to reject the Graham amendment on LD1847.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[City or Town]
CAREGIVER TEMPLATE ((best if you edit and personalize):
Subject: Opposition to LD1847 — Medical Cannabis Access
Representative/Senator ________,
My name is ______, and I’m writing regarding LD1847, which would harm Maine’s medical cannabis program by reducing the diversity of products and the number of producers available, while raising prices for patients.
I’m one of the 1,500+ medical cannabis caregivers in Maine. The program serves 112,000 patients, nearly 8% of the state's population, and has been successfully operating since 1999. The diversity of therapeutic products and large number of caregivers with a knowledge base on medical cannabis use ensures patients medical needs are met, available within a reasonable distance, and at an affordable price.
LD 1847 would require increased testing and tracking requirements without addressing testing capacity, cost, or administrative burden on small caregivers. Implementing these policies will reduce access and drive caregivers out of the medical program which employs over 5,000 people who would be at risk of losing their livelihood. Additionally, raising costs for producers will raise costs for patients, who are paying for this medicine out of pocket.
Over 500 pieces of testimony were submitted to the VLA committee on this bill, overwhelmingly in opposition, with patients, operators and industry workers opposing these changes.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to reject the Graham amendment on LD1847.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[City or Town]