State Senator Hernandez is carrying a bill (SB 151) that will raise the age from 18 – 21 for age to purchase tobacco cigarettes.  This is good, of course, but, interestingly, the bill does not include medical marijuana—-which is also smoked.

How can our legislatures say to kids they can’t smoke tobacco, but it’s ok if they smoke medical marihuana?  New York is the most recent state to pass medical marijuana and it excludes smoking smoking marijuana for any age.  Why does California ignore the danger?  There’s hypocrisy and inconsistency in laws that make it okay for kids to smoke pot, but not okay for kids to smoke tobacco.

If SB 151 is signed into law without the appropriate amendment, kids under 21 would still be able to buy “medical” marihuana for smoking if they have a doctor’s recommendation.  Anyone can get a 215 card that allows him/her to buy pot for any condition.

We are trying to get Dr. Hernandez to amend SB 151 to add medical marihuana to SB 151.  Currently there is no age limit for medical marihuana by any delivery system…(smoking, eating, suppositories, etc.)

The bill will be heard in Senate Appropriations Committee Monday, April 27.  Please call and leave a message to your legislator.

Please say you are calling about SB 151, a bill that will raise the smoking age to 21, but are stunned it does not include “medical” marihuana and wonder why.

These are the Committee members and senate areas they represent.  It’s super important if you live in or near that area to call the specific member, or please call Dr. Hernandez’s office.  Here are numbers

Sen Patricia Bates – Carlsbad/SJ Capistrano – 916-651-4036           . Sen. James Beall – Campbell/San Jose – 916-651-4015                            Sen. Gerald Hill – San Mateo – 916-651-4013                                             Sen. Ricardo Lara – Long Beach/Huntington Park 916-651-4033   Sen. Connie Leyva – Chino/San Bernardino – 916-651-4020            Sen. Tony Mendoza – Montebello – 916-651-4032                                  Sen. Jim Nielsen – Roseville/Chico/Yuba City – 916-651-4004 Senator Dr. Ed Hernandez – West Covina – 916-651-4022

Our talking points about Medical Marihuana are:

More kids smoke pot than tobacco cigarettes. There are more tars and carcinogens in marijuana.  Anyone can get medical marihuana for any problem.  The problem starts when they sell or give it to younger children.