Tell The Springfield City Council To Vote Yes On Marijuana Decriminalization

Next Monday, August 27th, the Springfield City Council will vote on an initiative that would reduce marijuana possession in the city from a misdemeanor to an ordinance violation. That would prevent people caught will small amounts of cannabis from being arrested for the offense, eliminate the possibility of jail time and a criminal record, and preserve federal financial aid eligibility for students convicted of the offense.

If you live in Springfield, you can help convince your representatives on the city council to vote for the measure by sending them an email or calling their offices. Even if you do not live in Springfield, you can share this link with people that you know who do! Below you will find each council members’ contact information and a sample letter that you can send to them. Just fill in the name of the council member at the top and your name and address at the bottom. Adding a personal touch to the letter is helpful, but please remember to be respectful. Finally, note that the mayor and the four general members of the council represent all Springfield residents, but four of the members only represent specific zones of the city; you can find out what zone you live in here.

Springfield City Council Contact Information:

Mayor Bob Stephens: rstephens@springfieldmo.gov or 417.864.1651

General Councilwoman Jan Fisk: jfisk@springfieldmo.gov or 417.864.1651

General Councilman John Rush: jrush@springfieldmo.gov or 417.864.1651

General Councilman Doug Burlison: dburlison@springfieldmo.gov or 417.865.7175

General Councilman Thomas Bieker: tbieker@springfieldmo.gov or 417.864.1651

Zone 1 Councilman Jeff Seifried: jseifried@springfieldmo.gov

Zone 2 Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky: crushefsky@springfieldmo.gov or 417.862.9614

Zone 3 Councilman Jerry Compton: jcompton@springfieldmo.gov or 417.831.0187

Zone 4 Councilman Scott Bailes: sbailes@springfieldmo.gov or 417.864.1651

Template Letter to Council Members:

Dear [City Council Member], I am writing you today to urge you to vote in favor of the initiative to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis (more commonly known as marijuana). According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, there were 277 arrests made for possession of marijuana in Springfield in 2011. That is more than the combined number of arrests for murder (4 arrests), rape (4 arrests), robberies (105 arrests), and burglaries (146 arrests), despite the fact that there were 2,450 combined reported incidents of those offenses. The police in Springfield have better things to spend their time on than arresting peaceful people for such a minor offense. Furthermore, passing this measure would ensure that those convicted of simple possession of marijuana will not be forced to live under the cloud of a criminal record, which could prevent them from receiving student financial aid and finding a job or even a place to live. Finally, passing this measure will not increase marijuana use in Springfield. A large study sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that “decriminalization had virtually no effect either on the marijuana use or on related attitudes and beliefs about marijuana use among American young people…” The current law is disproportionate both in its punishment to offenders and in the amount of scarce resources law enforcement devotes to it and does little, if anything, to stop marijuana use. Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

Springfield, MO

Source: Show Me Cannabis Regulation