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Allow Health Care Patients Access to Therapy - Not Time Behind Bars

Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: Marijuana Policy Project

For thousands of years, marijuana has reduced symptoms for the seriously ill effectively, and has helped improve their quality of life. Dozens of medical and health organizations endorse or allow patients access to medical marijuana with their physicians’ approval. Marijuana has been used therapeutically to control pain, alleviate nausea and vomiting in cancer patients due to chemotherapy, treat wasting due to HIV/AIDS, combat muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and more.

To date, 12 states have passed medical marijuana laws. While the laws differ from state to state, they all work to protect patients and caregivers from criminal charges associated with their medicine.

The bipartisan Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment to the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill would stop the U.S. Department of Justice from spending taxpayer money to arrest or prosecute legitimate patients -- and their caregivers -- in states where medical marijuana is legal.

Seriously ill patients have the right to effective therapies. To deny patients access to such a therapy is to deny them dignity and respect as persons.

Urge Congress to pass the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment and allow health care patients the medicine they need!

deadline: 6-25-2008
goal: 20,000

17,467
signatures!

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Dear Representative [Last Name],

Please vote for the Hinchey medical marijuana amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill when it comes to the House floor for a vote.

The Hinchey amendment would prohibit the Justice Department -- including the DEA -- from spending funds to interfere with state medical marijuana laws.

Your support for this amendment would be consistent with the views of most Americans. Seventy eight percent of Americans support "making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering." (Gallup poll, 2005)

Since 1996, 12 states have enacted laws to protect patients afflicted with HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and other serious diseases from arrest and prison. In fact, just last month the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), America’s second largest cancer charity and the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education, and patient services, endorsed medical marijuana access. In their June 2007 statement, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society “strongly urge[s] that in a state where patients are permitted to use marijuana medicinally for serious and/or chronic illnesses and a patient's physician has recommended its use in accordance with that state's law and that state’s medical practice standards, the patient should not be subject to federal criminal penalties for such medical use.”

The American Nurses Association has consistently supported protections for patients who use marijuana for medical purposes under their physicians’ supervision. They are joined by many other health care organizations, as well as thousands of doctors and health care professionals who are on record as supporting medical marijuana and opposing the arrest of patients who use medical marijuana.

[Your Comments Here]

I urge you to support the Hinchey amendment. Your vote of support will benefit tens of thousands of patients, and I will be immensely grateful. Thank you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]

We signed the “Allow Health Care Patients Access to Therapy - Not Time Behind Bars” petition!

# 17,300:

9:38 am PDT, Jul 30, Name not displayed, Michigan
Health care, including medical marijuana, should NOT BE A CRIME!!! IMPEACH GEORGE W. BUSH!!!

# 17,299:

9:38 am PDT, Jul 30, Emily Graf, California
It is and should be a personal decision if a patient decides herbal medicine would be better for him/her. The government shouldn't intervien in cases where medical marijuana can positivly effect a patient and his/her illness.

# 17,298:

8:39 am PDT, Jul 30, Andrea Arcamone, Florida

# 17,297:

8:30 am PDT, Jul 30, Victoria Papazian, New Jersey

# 17,296:

8:22 am PDT, Jul 30, Walter Kuhn, Ohio
Compassion-care and concern for those who suffer. States' Rights-a former concern for Republicans and conservatives. Please show some compassion, care and concern....

# 17,295:

8:20 am PDT, Jul 30, Kathy Martin, Georgia
Effective health care should not be illegal. With all the compelling evidence as to marijuana's use in treatments, why is there such a problem making it legal with a doctors prescription?

# 17,294:

8:17 am PDT, Jul 30, Sharon Welch, Tennessee
I know people whom have MS and it is all that helps them get though most days. I also know other people that have to have it for other health problems and It helps make their days more liveable, so I think it should be passed for those whom need it to get though the day.Who knows we all might need it for something some day.

# 17,293:

7:40 am PDT, Jul 30, Estella Frazer, Delaware

# 17,292:

7:18 am PDT, Jul 30, Martha Miller, Minnesota

# 17,291:

7:04 am PDT, Jul 30, Name not displayed, Florida

# 17,290:

6:48 am PDT, Jul 30, Name not displayed, Arkansas
its time to try something differint

# 17,289:

6:12 am PDT, Jul 30, Kay Trevarthen, Illinois

# 17,288:

5:55 am PDT, Jul 30, Molly Hilliker, Michigan
What is the difference between THC and any other organic chemical compound that is used for medical purposes? Could it be that the drug commpanies don't find this in their best interests? Makes me wonder...how about you?

# 17,287:

5:24 am PDT, Jul 30, Jeanne Avant, Texas

# 17,286:

3:15 am PDT, Jul 30, Lisa Schulte, New Jersey
First I never thought I would sign a bill like this but I am. I'm not any sort of drug user, etc but if this can help people benefit medically, then yes I think it's the right to do no question. If by physician approval of course, why not lessen the pain for people with life threatening illnesses? It does make alot of sense to pass this bill and not allow any person to suffer.

# 17,285:

1:45 am PDT, Jul 30, Kim Hamsher, Nevada
Cigarettes are an addictive drug, also, and have absolutely no health/medical benefits!!! Where is the justice?

# 17,284:

1:26 am PDT, Jul 30, JA Fallon, California

# 17,283:

1:05 am PDT, Jul 30, Roderick Mitchell, Maryland

# 17,282:

11:43 pm PDT, Jul 29, Ted Tilton Jr., Illinois
Marijuana is not only beneficial as a medicine in our society, but the industrial version of it is great for everything from fiber for paper to fuel and oils. Let's put some Common Sense back in our policy towards the Hemp Plant eh? Thanks.

# 17,281:

10:21 pm PDT, Jul 29, Nicole Glaze, Louisiana

# 17,280:

9:13 pm PDT, Jul 29, Suzanne Narducy, California

# 17,279:

9:06 pm PDT, Jul 29, Karen Gray, Indiana

# 17,278:

8:59 pm PDT, Jul 29, Loraine Kulkens, Arizona
If we allow cigarettes and liquor, then why is marijuana such a problem?

# 17,277:

8:43 pm PDT, Jul 29, Kimberly Radspinner, Alaska
Though I am not one to agree on the fact that it is not an addictive drug I so also believe in it's medicinal purposes. If used correctly why should it be denied to those that truly need it.

# 17,276:

8:22 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Delaware

# 17,275:

7:42 pm PDT, Jul 29, Kimberly Kulenych, Connecticut

# 17,274:

7:42 pm PDT, Jul 29, Duane Wicklund, Minnesota

# 17,273:

7:36 pm PDT, Jul 29, Angela Baxter, Indiana
Its ridiculus that marijauna is illegal at all let alone for medical uses. This is the right thing to do. Just do it.

# 17,272:

6:21 pm PDT, Jul 29, Jesse Spears, Texas

# 17,271:

6:09 pm PDT, Jul 29, Deborah Stutman-Brickey, Ohio

# 17,270:

4:19 pm PDT, Jul 29, Jennifer Koeller, Connecticut

# 17,269:

4:07 pm PDT, Jul 29, Annette Almazan, New York

# 17,268:

4:04 pm PDT, Jul 29, Elizabeth Bashir, New Hampshire

# 17,267:

3:55 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, South Carolina
People with health conditions in the worlds richest civilized nation ought to be able to choose their medical treatment.

# 17,266:

3:53 pm PDT, Jul 29, Susanne Hartman, Canada

# 17,265:

3:36 pm PDT, Jul 29, John R.Bartels, Oregon

# 17,264:

3:15 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Indiana

# 17,263:

2:47 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Maryland

# 17,262:

2:43 pm PDT, Jul 29, Michael Wollman, California

# 17,261:

1:54 pm PDT, Jul 29, Michael Donnelly, New Jersey

# 17,260:

1:23 pm PDT, Jul 29, Eileen Keiley, New York

# 17,259:

1:22 pm PDT, Jul 29, Elizabeth Neff-Mikolash, Georgia

# 17,258:

1:06 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Connecticut

# 17,257:

12:40 pm PDT, Jul 29, Brigitte Dinaberg, California

# 17,256:

12:12 pm PDT, Jul 29, Sharron St.John, Wisconsin
Our jails are overcrowed, people are in pain, we allow cigarettes and liquor. we pardon crimes of treason and allow unjust wars and war crimes, why not medical leagilization of things that give releif and harm non. Let's be the"good guys" for a change.

# 17,255:

12:08 pm PDT, Jul 29, Edward Dabrowski, Arizona

# 17,254:

11:54 am PDT, Jul 29, Janet Perdue, Virginia
i have 4 many years suffered in terrible pain & most nites r sleepless , marijuana is a medical help 4 the conditions i have & had serveral doctors tell me to smoke it but i can't if it is illegal & i risk going to jail & loosing my children . it would never b used for anything other than my medical problems & never around my children . for all of us who have legitimate reasons to use marijuana why make us suffer more than we have to ? it was our GOD GIVEN RIGHT to use a herb that was put on this earth by GOG for these reasons , until the goverment made it an illegal drug (medication) so they can make money & treat us like a criminal when we really need it for medical reasons . stop the bull & give us back our GOD GIVEN RIGHTS to use it for medical reasons .

# 17,253:

11:33 am PDT, Jul 29, Donna Marie Marotta, New York

# 17,252:

11:28 am PDT, Jul 29, Jeffery Frederick, Louisiana

# 17,251:

11:16 am PDT, Jul 29, James P. Healey, Pennsylvania

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Allow Health Care Patients Access to Therapy - Not Time Behind Bars

This petition has been closed.