Two important bills that we expect to be filed include Sen. Tim Melson’s bill that will legalize “medical” marijuana. ALCAP has supported legislation that put research on the medical benefits of marijuana in the hands of researchers at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration of the United States). However, this latest bill is expected to legalize marijuana use for a variety of ailments, including anxiety and other emotional problems without proper research and approval from the FDA. This legislation, if it passes, will break federal laws against the use of marijuana and will open the door for eventually legalizing recreational marijuana.
Another bill (or bills) we expect to be filed would call for a vote of Alabama citizens legalizing a state-sponsored lottery and/or casino gambling. There are different factions that have arisen in recent years: 1) Those that support a state-sponsored lottery as long as it does not include casino gambling; and 2) those that will only support a lottery bill that also allows for casino gambling. Either way, casinos will be a part of the lottery scheme. If a lottery amendment is passed, the Poarch Creek Indians will be able to open full-fledged casinos even if no other casinos are allowed.
The Poarch Creek Indians (PCI) have been sending direct-mail pieces to millions of Alabama citizens and taking out full-page newspaper ads touting how a state-sponsored lottery and a compact signed with the PCI will result in $1Billion of revenue to the State of Alabama. What they are not saying is that every penny of that billion dollars will come out of the pockets of losers who have been deceived into addictively pumping their money into the casinos’s rigged machines (“rigged” because “the house always wins”).
ALCAP will be speaking out at the State House throughout the Session in opposition to these gambling bills and the marijuana bills, but we need for everyone to contact your own legislators and encourage them to vote against ALL gambling bills and marijuana bills.
ALCAP also encourages everyone to vote on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in the Primary Elections. On that ballot there will be an amendment that, if it passes, will take away the right of Alabama citizens to elect members of the Alabama State School Board. ALCAP opposes Amendment #1 and encourages everyone to vote “NO” on that amendment.
Pray for legislators to make wise decisions during this 2020 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature. Thank you for your prayers and support for ALCAP!