FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON,
DC - April 18 - Congressional Representative Barney Frank (D-MA)
introduced the "Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act," HR 5842,
yesterday, a bill co-sponsored by Representatives Maurice Hinchey
(D-NY), Sam Farr (D-CA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Ron Paul (R-TX).
The act would change federal policy on medical marijuana in a number of
ways. Specifically, HR 5842 would reclassify marijuana from a Schedule
I drug, which cannot be prescribed, to a Schedule II drug, which would
recognize the medical value of marijuana and create a regulatory
framework for the FDA to begin a drug approval process for marijuana.
The act would also prevent interference by the federal government in
any local or state run medical marijuana program.
Similar
versions of HR 5842 have been introduced in prior Congressional terms,
but have never made it out of committee. "It's time that the federal
government take this issue seriously," said Caren Woodson, Government
Affairs Director with Americans for Safe Access (ASA), a nationwide
medical marijuana advocacy group working with Mr. Frank and other
Members of Congress to change federal policy. "By disregarding
marijuana's medical efficacy, and undermining efforts to implement
state laws, the federal government is willfully placing hundreds of
thousands of sick Americans in harms way."
In
addition to rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act
(CSA), HR 5842 would provide protection from the CSA and the federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) for qualified patients and
caregivers in states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana.
Specifically, the act prevents the CSA and FDCA from prohibiting or
restricting: (1) a physician from prescribing or recommending marijuana
for medical use, (2) an individual from obtaining, possessing,
transporting within their state, manufacturing, or using marijuana in
accordance with their state law, (3) an individual authorized under
State law from obtaining, possessing, transporting within their state,
or manufacturing marijuana on behalf of an authorized patient, or (4)
an entity authorized under local or State law to distribute medical
marijuana to authorized patients from obtaining, possessing, or
distributing marijuana to such authorized patients.
In
December, U.S. House Judiciary Chair John Conyers stated publicly his
concern about the tactics being used by the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) and promised oversight hearings. Since then,
several California mayors have written to Conyers expressing their support for hearings, including the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland, West Hollywood, and Santa Cruz.
Opposition to federal interference in state medical marijuana laws has
also come from multiple city councils, members of the California Board
of Equalization and the state legislature, as well as New Mexico
Governor Bill Richardson.
Further information:
Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, HR 5842: http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/HR5842.pdf
ASA Fact Sheet on the Escalation of Harmful DEA Tactics: http://americansforsafeaccessnow.org/downloads/dea_escalation.pdf
December 2007 Statement by House Judiciary Chair John Conyers: http://judiciary.house.gov/newscenter.aspx?A=889
Letter
from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to Conyers:
http://www.americansforsafeaccessnow.org/downloads/Newsom_Letter_to_Conyers.pdf
Letter from NM Governor Richardson to President GW Bush: http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/richardson_letter.pdf
With
over 30,000 active members in more than 40 states, Americans for Safe
Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of
patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens
promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and
research. ASA works to overcome political and legal barriers by
creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients
and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, grassroots
actions, advocacy and services for patients and the caregivers
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