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Help Allow Medical
Cannabis for PTSD for Veterans, Police, Firefighters and Other American
Citizens in Oregon
There is a chance for PTSD to
be included among those Diseases and Conditions Which Qualify as
‘Debilitating Medical Conditions’ under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA).
But Only If the Bill Can Get
Past The Prohibitionists, who are currently adding provisions and amendments
purely designed to kill the bill. The true basis for their
changes is the false federalist stance that “marijuana” (cannabis) has no
medicinal value and is in fact, dangerous – even kills. Things that most sentient beings today
acknowledge as patently untrue, on a par with believing the Earth is flat, or
is only 6,000-years old. In 2014,
citizens of their districts will <continued
on page 3 > |
Medical
Marijuana: A Perspective - by Arthur
Livermore, AAMC During
the 1970's, when I was a medical student, I was told that marijuana
(cannabis) was only a drug of abuse. The knowledge of medical uses of
cannabis had been lost. Thirty years earlier, doctors were knowledgeable
about medical marijuana, but now it was a forbidden plant. It took me years
of research to discover the medical uses of marijuana. <continued
on page 5 > ___________________________________________ Study: At Home
Marijuana Gardens Not Associated With Adverse Health Effects Among Children
Vancouver,
British Columbia: Children residing in homes where
marijuana is cultivated do not suffer from adverse health effects at any
greater rate than do comparable children in cannabis-free environments,
according to a study in press in the International Journal of Drug
Policy. A pair of investigators
with the University of British Columbia, School of Social Work compared the
household, <continued
on page 9 > |
Clinical
Trial Data Yet Again Affirms Cannabis' Efficacy – by Paul Armentano, NORML Is
it any wonder that the US government fights tooth-and-nail to hinder
researchers' attempts to conduct clinical trials assessing the therapeutic
utility of cannabis as a medicine? After all, each and every time the federal
government begrudgingly allows for such studies they're faced with
credibility-shattering results like this: <continued
on page 7 > _______________________________ Oregon House Committee Hears Dispensary Bill A
bill introduced in the Oregon House last month would license and regulate
medical cannabis dispensaries in the state. House Bill 3460 would require the
estimated 150 “dispensaries” currently operating in the state to obtain a
license from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program similar to what is <continued
on page 10 > |
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* The MERCY News * |
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_____________________ The MERCY News Report is an
all-volunteer, not-for-profit project to record and broadcast news,
announcements and information about medical cannabis in Oregon, across
America and around the World. For more information about the MERCY News, contact us. Via
Snail Mail: The MERCY
News 1745 Capital
St. NE, Salem, Ore., 97301 503.363-4588 E-mail: Mercy_Salem@hotmail.com Or
our WWW page: www.MercyCenters.org Check it
out! ___________________________ MERCY On The Tube!
in Salem,
Oregon area thru Capital Community Television, Channel 23.
Call In – 503.588-6444 - on Friday at 7pm, or See us on Wednesdays
at 06:30pm, Thursdays at 07:00pm, Fridays at 10:30pm and Saturdays at
06:00pm. Visit – http://mercycenters.org/tv/ |
About
MERCY – The Medical Cannabis Resource Center MERCY is a non-profit, grass roots organization
founded by patients, their friends and family and other compassionate and
concerned citizens in the area and is dedicated to helping and advocating for
those involved with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). MERCY is based in the
Salem, Oregon area and staffed on a volunteer basis. The
purpose is to get medicine to patients in the short-term while working with
them to establish their own independent sources. To
this end we provide, among other things, ongoing education to people and
groups organizing clinics and other Patient Resources, individual physicians
and other healthcare providers about the OMMP, cannabis as medicine and
doctor rights in general. The mission of the organization
is to help people and change the laws. We advocate reasonable, fair and effective
marijuana laws and policies, and strive to educate, register and empower
voters to implement such policies. Our philosophy is one of teaching
people to fish, rather than being dependent upon others. Want to get your Card? Need Medicine Now? Welcome to The Club! MERCY – the Medical Cannabis Resource Center
hosts Mercy Club Meetings every Wednesday at - 1745 Capital
Street NE, Salem, 97301 – from 7pm to 9pm to help folks get
their card, network patients to medicine, assist in finding a grower or
getting to grow themselves, or ways and means to medicate along other info
and resources depending on the issue.
visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. The Doctor is In ... Salem! * MERCY is Educating Doctors on signing for their
Patients; Referring people to Medical Cannabis Consultations when their
regular care physician won't sign for them; and listing all Clinics around
the state in order to help folks Qualify for the OMMP and otherwise Get their
Cards. For our Referral Doc in Salem,
get your records to – 1745 Capital Street NE,
Salem, 97301, NOTE: There is a $25 non-refundable deposit required. Transportation and Delivery Services
available for those in need. For our
Physician Packet to educate your Doctor, or a List of Clinics around the
state, visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. Other Medical Cannabis Resource NetWork
Opportunities for Patients as well as CardHolders-to-be. * whether Social meeting, Open to public
–or- Cardholders Only * visit: http://mercycenters.org/events/Meets.html ! Also Forums - a means to
communicate and network on medical cannabis in Portland across Oregon and
around the world. A list of
Forums, Chat Rooms, Bulletin Boards and other Online Resources for the
Medical Cannabis Patient, CareGiver, Family Member, Patient-to-Be and Other
Interested Parties. * Resources > Patients (plus) > Online
> Forums * Know any? Let everybody else know!
Visit: http://mercycenters.org/orgs/Forums.html and Post It! |
2 mercycenter@hotmail.com * |
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<continued
from BILL TO
ADD PTSD TO OMMP, page 1 >
surely be asking themselves if
they want those with such flat-earth mentality at the helm of the ship of
state. Problem
for the PTSD bill – S.B. 281 – in the here and now is that 2 of the 5 members
of the committee it is currently before are such, Prohibitionists. So we, The People, are going to have to
Act if we care about those who would benefit from this bill. Now, we know what you’re thinking – We gotta be
joking, This is some kinda late April
Fools prank - It should be a slam-dunk, a no-brainer. We
thot so too. But then Prohibition
reared its head. Because, make no mistake, only a people-hating,
special-interest-hugging, dyed-in-the-wool Prohibitionist could possibly dig
up excuses not to do this. To Not Stop the Medi-Pot War,
at least on Veterans, and the like. To deny people the relief that this law would
bring, to want a continuation of the pain and
suffering for the these particular victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). That is what messing with this bill, voting no, means. We must somehow help get the
non-Prohibitionist members of the committee to approve/pass a version without
the restrictions currently proposed. Even
if Not a unanimous, or do-pass, this bill must get thru committees – in a practical,
workable version - to floor. To a
vote by your Representatives. But, then our work is that
much harder. We MUST educate EVERY legislator ahead of the vote, ahead of the
Prohibitionists, as to the need for this Bill. As to the Lies the Prohibitionists will spread. How cannabis is medicine, and a
safe, effective one at that. How
Veterans and others need this particular, unique relief – now, not later. Not maybe. Senate Bill 281 is not
about welfare, or giving something away at tax-payer expense, or allowing
someone to get away with a crime - it’s about not wasting precious resources warring
on select groups of citizens for no good |
reason,
merely to serve specious excuses and special interests. We
need each and every citizen to Get Active in order to over-power the monsters
who will lobby and vote to continue this wasteful wrong irregardless of the
cost to We, The People – and to our friends and family who have served and
suffered. Passing
S. B. 281 will mean that thousands of Oregonians who use cannabis to
combat mood symptoms, diseases or the intolerable effects of
pharmaceuticals, will be free of danger of arrest, prosecution, civil asset
forfeiture, child protective service investigations, employment
discrimination, medical discrimination, jail and forced drug treatment.
PLEASE make contact and Join the Campaign today! It is urgent that patients
speak up, take part and tell Oregon and the World – whether you use cannabis
or know someone who does – cannabis is safe and effective in treating this
condition, and that all patients deserve to use any medication that benefits
them free of fear – especially in America. What To Do? JOIN the CAMPAIGN! At this point we are getting
Everyone to lobby their Oregon State Senator, then Rep, in Support of S.B.
281. If they won’t sign on to
co-sponsoring, at least get a commitment to vote ‘yes’ each and every
opportunity they have on the bill. Phoning Your Legislator >> During a legislative session,
you may call your legislators by contacting the WATS operator. Within
Salem, call – 503-986-1187. Outside of Salem, please call
1-800-332-2313. - Get
your testimony / talking-points ready for Hearings and beyond. You can practice them on your
Legislators! Also, in
Letters-to-the-Editor (LTEs), Visit the web page below for more Contact
info, sample letters, plus. - Tell
everybody you know. Make copies of this document and pass around all
over the place. - If
you're not able to contact your Reps yourself, PLEASE feel free to contact us
and we'll help get your testimony or talking points down and to them. Call 503.363-4588 (in the Salem area) or visit - - mercycenters.org/action/camp_PTS.html - <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page> more
Contact Info -- To Find Your Legislator online, visit the link above. From there you can also Write your legislator online. By
entering your location information, you will be automatically matched to your
State Senator and Representative. What
is PTS(d)? How does Cannabis help? Many of us have heard about Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in one form or another. Either through direct contact with friends
and family members, or through national media reports of veterans gone out of
control. Regardless of the source,
the fact is that PTSD is a chronic medical condition that is about to become
an even larger national health issue as more and more of our veterans return
from war with this debilitating disease.
PTSD sufferers often have emotional numbing that manifests as difficulty enjoying activities that they previously enjoyed, inability to look forward to future plans, and emotional distancing from loved ones. Conventional treatment for PTSD includes psychotherapy, learning coping skills, and family counseling. Medications such as anti-depressants, mood
stabilizers, sleep aids, and anti-anxiety medicines are often prescribed.
Some patients find relief with these treatments but it is well known in the
medical community that PTSD is difficult to treat. The difficulty in treating PTSD is reflected in the
variety of treatment modalities and prescription medications that have been
used in attempts to reduce the severity of this condition. Clearly,
safer and more effective treatments are needed. PTSD not only results in an
array of debilitating symptoms, but it also causes specific changes to
certain areas of the brain that are responsible for the processing
malfunctions that underlie this disease. Activation
of the primitive mammalian brain, or limbic system, during times of severe
stress may play a role in optimizing survival. However, when this center of the brain becomes hyper-active and
over-stimulated as a result of misguided neuro-plasticity, direct
intervention at the cellular level is required. PTSD
And Medical Cannabis Many PTSD sufferers have found good results with
medical cannabis use, especially for relief of insomnia and anxiety. Cannabis
can give PTSD patients a sense of well being and serenity, and it allows them
to continue to function with little to no adverse side effects. PTSD patients often prefer medical
cannabis over conventional medications, |
as it is
a single medication that helps with a number of symptoms (as opposed to
taking multiple medications for each separate symptom) , and the risk of
medication interactions is removed. There are a number of researchers
currently exploring the science behind the use of cannabis for treatment of
PTSD and the results are promising. The
key to using Cannabis to treat PTSD lies in the distribution of naturally
occurring Cannabinoid receptors in those areas of the brain that cause the
symptoms associated with PTSD. The
presence of CB1 receptors in the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex and
anterior cingulate cortex supports the conclusion that Cannabinoids are
involved in regulating anxiety, response to stressful situations, and the
extinction of conditioned fear. Unfortunately,
none of this matters unless we make it matter to our Reps. Those of us who
recognize the benefit of using Cannabis to treat PTSD need to make our voices
heard in the Oregon Legislature. It is time to put the
“We” back in “We the People”, by contacting your legislators and letting them
know that we want this medical treatment made available to our deserving
veterans and others who will benefit. For more information, Visit our page of info on PTS(d) and Cannabis, and tell everybody you know about it. And get them to write and spread the word, etc. >> mercycenters.org/action/camp_PTS.html _____________________________________________________________ <continued from MEDICAL
MARIJUANA: A PERSPECTIVE, page 1 >
My search through the
medical school library was not helpful. I found some information in used book
stores. There was a copy of a 1921 Therapeutic Handbook with medications made
with cannabis. When I found Dr. Lester Grinspoon's book, Marihuana
Reconsidered (Grinspoon 1971), it became clear that marijuana is medicine.
How it works was still unknown. Many young people were using it in the 70's
and some soldiers returning from Vietnam found that it helped them
emotionally. My own experience showed that it is effective in treating bipolar
mood disorder. When
I was learning how to control my emotional body, the psychiatric community
didn't think that marijuana was helpful. I was given the most powerful prescription
medicines available, but my episodic mania continued. I discovered that marijuana helped me
avoid these episodes and I <continued on
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began using it instead of
the standard medications. When I
discussed using marijuana with my psychiatrist, she was not able to prescribe
cannabis because the law said it wasn't medicine. She saw that it was
effective treatment for my symptoms and did not object to my use of
marijuana. During
the 1980's, marijuana was demonized in the "Just Say No" campaign.
At the same time the United States Federal Government was running an
Investigational New Drug program that allows patients to use medical
marijuana. Robert Randall was the first patient in this program after he sued
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Department of Justice
(DOJ), and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now HHS). He won
this suit in November, 1976, based on the medical necessity of marijuana in
the treatment of his glaucoma. The
FDA's Compassionate IND program was expanded to include AIDS patients during
the 1980's. When the George H. W. Bush administration closed the program in
1992, there were thirty patients receiving marijuana from the government.
Twenty years later, four of these patients are still receiving marijuana from
the federal government. After
the government stopped adding people to the legal medical marijuana list,
patients who responded to cannabis therapy worked with political activists to
pass medical marijuana laws in the States. In 1996, California passed the
first medical marijuana law. As of 2012, seventeen States and the District of
Columbia have made marijuana legal for medical use In spite of this support
for recognizing marijuana as medicine, the DEA has refused to place marijuana
in the medical use category. Repeated petitions to remove marijuana from the
'no medical use' category have been denied. In
1988, the court reviewed the science of medical marijuana and the
Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young, found that "Marijuana, in its
natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to
man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within
a supervised routine of medical care. … To conclude otherwise, on this
record, would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious." Why does the
DEA ignore the evidence that cannabis is a medicine? Quite simply, they are paid
to say that all use of marijuana is abuse of marijuana. The discovery of
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as the active ingredient in marijuana by
Ralph Mechoulam and Yechiel Gaoni (Gaoni and Mechoulam 1964) in 1964 led to |
the
identification of the endocannabinoid receptor system in 1988 (Devane, et al.
1988). In 1992, this previously unknown transmitter system was found to be
activated by the endogenous neurotransmitter, anandamide (Devane, et al.
1992). Exercise stimulates the release of anandamide so the 'runner's high'
associated with jogging is the result of elevated levels of endocannabinoids.
Cannabinoid receptors are found in higher concentrations than any other
receptor in the brain. They are in areas associated with pain reduction,
coordination of movement, memory, emotions, reward systems, and reproduction. Clinical
uses of marijuana are not limited to pain reduction, appetite enhancement,
and controlling chemotherapy induced vomiting. Cannabis protects nerve cells
from damage and is also effective in reducing tumor growth. Multiple
sclerosis patients use cannabis to treat peripheral neuropathy. It is
effective in the treatment of movement disorders, glaucoma, asthma, bipolar
disorder, depression, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
arthritis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, alcohol abuse, insomnia, digestive diseases, gliomas, skin tumors,
sleep apnea, and anorexia nervosa. Cannabis
is a very safe medicine. The side-effect of euphoria is one reason patients
don't want to use marijuana, but most people like the feeling of well-being
that cannabis provides. When patients get too high a dose, they may feel
paranoid for a while and then fall asleep. Knowledgeable use of marijuana
prevents these negative side-effects. The
irrational marijuana policy of the last 75 years needs to end. Fear of
addiction has led to common misconceptions about marijuana. Marijuana laws
that are based on the discredited "gateway theory" and "reefer
madness" propaganda fail because the truth is hidden. We now know a
great deal about brain chemistry. The endocannabinoid system is an important
part of our body's regulatory mechanisms. Marijuana is not going to go away. We must create legal channels for the sale of marijuana so that people can use this valuable medicinal herb without the threat of legal consequences. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from CLINICAL TRIAL DATA YET AGAIN AFFIRMS CANNABIS' EFFICACY, page 1 > “Marijuana relieves muscles tightness, pain of multiple sclerosis: Study” via the Toronto Star -- “Smoking marijuana can relieve muscle tightness, spasticity (contractions) <continued on next page> |
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<continued
from previous page> and pain
often experienced by those with multiple sclerosis, says research out of the University of California, San Diego
School of Medicine. The findings, just
published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, included a controlled
trial with 30 participants to understand whether inhaled cannabis would help
complicated cases where existing pharmaceuticals are ineffective or trigger
adverse side effects. MS is an unpredictable, often disabling
disease of the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and
spinal cord. The disease attacks the myelin, the
protective covering wrapped around the nerves of the central nervous system,
and — among other symptoms — can cause loss of balance, impaired speech,
extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis. The average age of the research
participants was 50 years with 63 per cent of the study population female. More than half the participants needed
walking aids and 20 per cent used wheelchairs. Rather than rely on self-reporting by
patients regarding their muscle spasticity — a subjective measure — health
professionals rated each patient's joints on the modified Ashworth scale, a
common objective tool to evaluate intensity of muscle tone. The researchers found that the
individuals in the group that smoked cannabis experienced an almost one-third
decrease on the Ashworth scale — 2.74 points from a baseline score of 9.3 —
meaning spasticity improved, compared to the placebo group. As well, pain scores decreased by about
50 per cent. "We saw a beneficial effect of
smoked cannabis on treatment-resistant spasticity and pain associated with
multiple sclerosis among our participants," says Dr. Jody Corey-Bloom of
the university's department of neuroscience. To
those familiar with medicinal cannabis research, the results are hardly
surprising. After all, Sativex - an oral spray containing plant cannabis
extracts - is already legal by prescription to treat MS-related symptoms in
over a dozen countries, including Canada, Germany, Great Britain, New
Zealand, and Spain. Further, long-term assessments of the drug indicate that
in addition to symptom management, cannabinoids may also play a role in
halting the course of the disease. |
Nevertheless,
the National MS Society - like the US government - shares little enthusiasm
for cannabis medicine, stating, "Studies completed thus far have not
provided convincing evidence that marijuana or its derivatives provide
substantiated benefits for symptoms of MS." Patient
advocacy organizations, like the MS Society, have a responsibility to
represent the interests of their constituents and to advise practitioners
regarding best treatment practices. Why then does this responsibility not
extend to patients who use cannabis as an alternative treatment therapy or to
those that might one day potentially benefit from its use? SOURCE = American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC). March 2013 Newsletter * Contact them at 44500 Tide Ave · Arch Cape, OR 97102 or by
visiting - http://www.letfreedomgrow.com _____________________________________________________________ <continued from AT
HOME MARIJUANA GARDENS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS AMONG
CHILDREN, page 1
> family
and individual characteristics of 181 children found living in homes
with cannabis grow operations in two regions in British Columbia, Canada. Data was
collected on site regarding the physical characteristics of the homes, the
health characteristics of the children residing in the homes, and the
adolescents' prescription drug history. Investigators also compared the rates
of the subjects' prescription drug use with that of a group of children from
the same geographic areas. Researchers
reported "no significant difference between the health of the children
living in cannabis grow operations and the comparison group of children,
based on their prescription history and their reported health at the
time." They
concluded: "The findings of this study challenge contemporary child
welfare approaches and have implications for both child protection social
workers and the policymakers who develop frameworks for practice. ...
Although there is little argument that the physical hazards found in cannabis
grow-operations pose a risk to children and adults living in the homes, the
associated health risks are not as clear. Policymakers involved in
establishing frameworks and protocols for responding to these unique child
welfare cases must consider the absence of clinical evidence to indicate
these children are unwell and whether there are grounds for child welfare
intervention." <continued on next page> |
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_____________________________________________________________ ASA Petitions DC Circuit to Review Rescheduling
Appeal, Suit argues federal
government should reclassify cannabis as having medical use Americans for Safe Access (ASA) last month asked
the federal court of appeals in Washington D.C. to reconsider its lawsuit
over the federal classification of cannabis. ASA petitioned the United States
Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to have either the original three-judge
panel or the full court review its suit that seeks to reclassify cannabis. In January, the appeals court ruled in ASA v.
Drug Enforcement Administration that the government did not act arbitrarily
or capriciously in denying the most recent petition to reschedule cannabis.
ASA appealed the DEA decision, arguing that the more than 200 peer-reviewed
studies on medicinal cannabis show that there are accepted medical uses. In denying the appeal, the court deferred to the
DEA’s definition of what counts as 'adequate and well-controlled' studies.
The DEA concedes that the research cited in ASA’s appeal suggests cannabis
can be therapeutically beneficial for a variety of conditions, but says that
no research to date meets the standard needed for new drug approval. Meeting
that standard requires successful completion of multiple Phase II and Phase
III clinical trial—the type of double-blind placebo-controlled studies
involving thousands of patients that are usually reserved for pharmaceutical
companies trying to market a new drug. "The effectiveness of
cannabis in treating a host of serious medical conditions has been
demonstrated repeatedly by careful scientific studies as well as centuries of
doctor-patient experience," said ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford, who
argued the appeal before the D.C. Circuit. "Even if there were a company
interested in paying for them, the type of |
large-scale
trials they’re demanding are made impossible by the government’s refusal to
authorize such research or provide the cannabis necessary to conduct
it."ASA argues the DEA cannot "apply different criteria to
marijuana than to other drugs, ignore critical scientific data, misrepresent
social science research, or rely upon unsubstantiated assumptions, as the DEA
has done in this case." If the D.C. Circuit rejects ASA’s request
for rehearing or review, the case can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. _____________________________________________________________ Massachusetts Issues Draft Regulations | Safe access in
Massachusetts is beginning to take shape. The state’s Department of Public
Health (DPH) last month issued draft regulations for implementing the state's
medical cannabis program. The draft regulations establish a framework for
the program 63% of Massachusetts voters approved last November. The law
allows qualifying patients to use and possess medical cannabis on the
recommendation of their physician and establishes Medical Marijuana Treatment
Centers (MMTCs) for obtaining it. Local governments would be barred from
banning MMTCs in their community. DPH will
license MMTCs to cultivate, process, and sell medical cannabis. Qualified
patients will be able to obtain up to 10 ounces in a 60-day period. A
hardship provision allows patients to cultivate their own medicine if they
are unable to access a MMTC due to distance, disability, or low income. The regulations include input gathered from
medical cannabis patients and other stakeholders at “listening sessions”
DPH held. ASA, working in coalition with the Massachusetts Patient
Advocacy Alliance and the ACLU, has raised concerns with DPH regarding limits
to patient access and barriers to doctor recommendations. The limits on
patients include prohibiting them from obtaining cannabis from more than one
MMTC and requiring patients under 18 to be certified by two physicians as
having a debilitating, terminal medical condition. The draft regulations also
require physicians to register with DPH and undergo training before being
authorized to recommend cannabis to their patients. _____________________________________________________________ New
Hampshire Medical Cannabis Bill Advances
| After two previous attempts were vetoed, the
Granite State appears to be on track to become the 19th to legalize medical
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to approve a bill that would permit
qualifying patients to use medical cannabis when their doctors recommended
it. The state Senate is now considering the bill. Passage is expected, as the
Republican-controlled legislature approved similar legislation in both 2009
and 2012. If enacted, the new law would establish
state-licensed dispensaries and allow qualified patients or their designated
caregivers to cultivate up to three plants.
The two previous bills were
vetoed by then-Gov. John Lynch (D), who voiced concerns over potential for
abuse. A spokesperson for New Hampshire’s new governor, Maggie Hassan (D),
has said the governor supports access to medical cannabis under tight
restrictions. _____________________________________________________________ Maryland Moves to Protect Caregivers, Add
Distribution Caregivers in Maryland may soon share the
affirmative defense protection afforded qualified patients in the state. On April 1, the state House on a vote of
95-37 approved Senate Bill 580, which was passed unanimously in the Senate on
March 14. If signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley, caregivers in possession of an
ounce or less of cannabis could have charges dismissed if they can present
evidence they were assisting a qualified patient. Under Maryland law, neither patients nor
caregivers are protected from arrest, but patients charged with an ounce or
less of cannabis can present evidence of medical need to the court and get
charges dismissed. Patients charged with cultivation or possession of more
than one ounce can argue medical need and receive a reduced sentence. There
is no mechanism for legally obtaining any amount of medical cannabis in
Maryland, but the Senate is now considering House Bill 1101, which would
establish the framework for a highly restricted distribution system through
academic medical centers. Whether any such hospitals would participate
remains to be seen. The two most prominent candidates, Johns Hopkins Hospital
and University of Maryland Hospital, have each said they will not, according
to the state’s Department of Legislative Services. The DLS analysis of the
bill also concludes that the program cannot meet its requirement to be
cost-neutral without setting prohibitively high fees. |
New York Considers Medical Cannabis Again If enacted, New York would have a regulated
system of cultivation and distribution to qualified patients. The New York
Assembly has passed similar bills in the past only to see them blocked by
lawmakers in the Senate. The bills’ supporters also face opposition from Gov.
Andrew Cuomo (D), who has said in the past that he believes the dangers of abuse
outweigh therapeutic benefits. _____________________________________________________________ West Virginia Holds Hearing on Medical Cannabis A bill
that would establish a medical cannabis program in West Virginia got a
hearing before the state’s House Health and Human Resources Committee last
month. If enacted, House Bill 2961, "The
Compassionate Medical Marijuana Use Act of 2013," would allow qualifying
patients to possess up to six ounces of marijuana and cultivate up to 12
plants. The state would license eleven dispensaries—five by the end of the
first year and another six by the end of the second. A January poll by Public Policy Polling found a
majority of West Virginia voters support safe access by a 13-point margin,
with 53% in favor and 40% opposed. West Virginia has the nation’s highest
disability rate. SOURCE = Americans for Safe Access (ASA) - Monthly Activist Newsletter - APRIL 2013, Volume 8, Issue 4 * * 1322 Webster Street, Ste. 402 * Oakland, CA
94612 * info@AmericansForSafeAccess.org*
510-251-1856 * AmericansForSafeAccess.org
* _____________________________________________________________ <continued from OREGON HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARS DISPENSARY BILL, page 1 > required of patients and
caregivers under existing law. Medical
cannabis dispensaries would be required to test for pesticides, mold and
mildew and comply with security guidelines. They would be prohibited from
operating in residential areas or within 1000 feet of a school. The
bill is currently before the House Health Care Committee, which has scheduled
a public hearing on it for April 8. The chief sponsors of the bill are Rep.
Peter Buckley and Sen. Floyd Prozanski. |
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