OH_MMJ_NEWS: Ohio Patient Network News - November 2008

1) Ohio Medical Marijuana Hearing 2) Annual Meeting & Board Election 3) Write a letter to your State Representative Supporting Medical Marijuana 4) Ohio Medical Compassion Act Summary 5) Ohio Medical Marijuana Posters & Road Signs 6) Support Ohio Medical Marijuana Patients 7) Letter to the editor from OPN/OPAN President 8) Help Wanted Webmaster =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 1) Ohio Medical Marijuana Hearing Report - November 19, 2008 On 11/19/08 the Ohio Medical Compassion Act SB343 was heard in the Ohio State Senate Judicary Committee. Ohio Patient's arranged for Doctor Richard Wyderski MD (Dayton,Ohio) and Mary Lynn Mathre RN from the Patients out of time to provide expert testimony in support of SB 343. The reaction of the panel was encouraging, very encouraging. Doctor Wyderski gave surprisingly good testimony and was able to connect with the panel. Mary Lynn Mathre answered some very interesting questions from the panel about the Federal Government supplying marijuana and even an unrelated hemp question which chairman Grendell weighed in on with his own knowledge of hemp from his days in the Navy. Please see the TV news story on the following link with Senator Tom Roberts and Tonya Davis. Davis was a key person in getting State Senator Tom Roberts to introduce SB343.. http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-11-19-0019.html On the radio dial Ohio's WCRN 90.3FM, Columbus's NPR affiliate, Bill Cohen reported with a surprising clip of Law and Order Republican Senator Seitz supporting the bill. http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/15365/ Also the Legislative Gongwer Report November 19, 2008 on the Medical Marijuana Hearing had the following report. === Sen. Roberts said in sponsor testimony the "Ohio Medical Compassion Act" would allow for the medicinal use of cannabis by qualified patients through a regulated system. He said research has discovered beneficial uses for marijuana in treating pain, nausea, and other symptoms associated with a variety of debilitating conditions. The bill provides for issuing registry identification cards to qualified patients. Those with cards would not be subject to arrest or prosecution in any manner for medical use of marijuana. "Law enforcement will be required to verify whether a person is a registered patient before any arrest, raid or other action is initiated," he said. Sen. Roberts said the legislation is critical because of a lack of alternatives that are available to patients. "They should not be forced to choose between living a normal life and living in pain," he said. Sen. Seitz said he was concerned that Ohio patients still could be prosecuted under federal marijuana laws. Sen. Roberts said federal intervention over medical marijuana has occurred only in California, and that was because the state law allowed storefront purchases. Richard Wyderski, MD, said marijuana has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant. "For decades the medicinal use of marijuana has been politically demonized as a substance without benefit that confers significant harm despite a growing body of scientific evidence to the contrary," he said. Dr. Wyderski said the bill would allow patients to grow their own plants, preventing them from buying marijuana that may contain dangerous addictive substances. "(The) scientific evidence is strongly in favor of the medicinal use of marijuana and such use has been endorsed by a number of professional medical organizations," he said. Mary Lynn Mathre, a registered nurse who co-founded a non-profit that supports use of medical marijuana, said 14 states already have such laws. The latest was enacted in the Nov. 4 election with 63% approval of an initiative in Michigan. Ms. Mathre said that while cannabis is not a cure all, there is no doubt about its efficacy as medicine. "The Ohio Medical Compassion Act will be a first step in helping patients gain much needed relief from suffering by allowing them legal access to a remarkably safe medicine and opening up the dialogue and ongoing medical evaluation with their primary care provider," she said. The news stories above are all very encouraging, now we need you to follow up and contact your state representative and let them know to support medical marijuana here in Ohio. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 2) Annual Meeting & Board Election Every year the Ohio Patient Network organizations, OPN & OPAN holds their annual meeting in the fall. This years meeting was held on Saturday, November 15th 2008 in Columbus. At the Annual Meeting the Senate judicial hearing was discussed,plans for more public support and the election of officers for 2008-2009. Please see the article for more information on the hearing and the above article on posters and signs that you can download and make your area more aware of medical marijuana here in Ohio. The newly elected board members for OPN, the 501-C3 arm of Ohio Patients, are John Precup (Vice President), James Cowen (Treasurer), and Dawn Dunlap (Secretary). The newly elected board members for OPAN, the 501-C4 arm of Ohio Patients are Jayson Jones (Vice President), Eleanor Ahrens (Treasurer), Cher Neufer (Secretary), and Dennis Day (Legal Advisor). Robert Ryan was elected to President of both organizations. Please support OPN and these volunteers in making medical marijuana a reality here in Ohio. Contact us via 888-647-2843 or [email protected] if you want to get involved. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 3) Write a letter to your State Representative Please write a letter to your representative and hear that you support medical marijuana. The next link will identify your State Senator. All you have to do is add your zip code to the following link. http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/SenateZipSearch.html For those interested in details of the bill please follow the following link. http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_343. Legislation is difficult language to read, so note the underlined section represent new Ohio law that we are trying to pass. Every day we need to have someone call their Senator or State Rep in support of this Bill. Please become active in helping to educate and pass the word around about this bill and join OPN in this effort. The next link is to a pamphlet we hope you download and distribute in your own circle of friends. http://ohiopatientaction.org/images/PDF/OPN_Fyer.pdf. We can make one for your local area, for instance if you live in the Greater Cincinnati area use http://ohiopatientaction.org/images/PDF/OPN_Cinci_Flyer.pdf. Please feel free to download, print and distribute this materials. Please contact us if you want a pamphlet for your local area. (See http://ohiopatientaction.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=1 for more details) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 4) Ohio Medical Compassion Act Summary *Defines the legitimate medical use of cannabis (aka marihuana) *Protects patients from arrest and allows law enforcement to easily identify legitimate patients *Protects primary caregivers of patients from arrest and prison *Provides patients a legal means of obtaining and using cannabis *Creates protections beyond arrest and prison for patients, caregivers, and physicians *Allows patients/caregivers to talk about medical use in court if arrested *Establishes government control mechanism *Establishes sensible restrictions on medical cannabis use *Does not require physicians to violate federal law See (http://ohiopatientaction.org/content/view/81/28/ for more details) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 5) Medical Marijuana Posters & Road Sign Making Event Senate Bill 343, Ohio's medical marijuana bill needs your help. Below are two links to poster that we need you to print and post in public places. The first poster is an 8.5 x 11, even better is a 8.5 x 14 inch. Please print and post as many as you can. Your neighborhood stores make a great place to remind our politicians that Ohioans supports Medical Marijuana. SB343 Poster Letter Size and SB343 Poster 8.5 x 14 Size http://www.ohiopatientaction.org/images/PDF/SB343_Poster_v1a_letter.pdf http://www.ohiopatientaction.org/images/PDF/SB343_Poster_v1a_Large_85_14.pdf Contact us at 888-647-2843 or by emailing [email protected], if you want to join us for a Road Sign making party on December 7th. Here is an example of one of the signs, Help us with your time and/or your financial support (via the donate button) to make more Medical marijuana support road signs. http://www.ohiopatientaction.org/images/banners/Road_MMJ_Sign.jpg ( See http://ohiopatientaction.org/content/view/80/1/ ) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 6) Support Ohio Medical Marijuana Patients We need your support! Please consider a donation to help us pass a medical marijuana law. Please make a donation to Ohio Patient Action Network or via the web at www.ohiopatientaction.org. If you want a tax deductible receipt please circle ( Yes / No ) and fill out below for your receipt and mail to [email protected] or the address below. Name_____________________ Address___________________ City___________State______ Zip________ Tele _ _ _- _ _ _- _ _ _ Email____________________ If not using the PAYPAL link on please mail your donation to Ohio Patient Network 1620 E. Broad Street Suite 1603 Columbus, Ohio, 43203 Thank You. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 7) Letter to the editor from OPN/OPAN's President Below is a letter sent to the editors of numerous Ohio Newspapers. Please send your own letter to the editor of your local paper. Please feel free to copy a portion of the letter below, but make sure to add your own thoughts. -=-=- Dear Editor, Medical marijuana has been a clear winner in recent political, medical, and legal events. The recent election was no different than past Presidential elections. Medical marijuana has won more votes and with a higher percentage than any of the previous presidential candidates such as Clinton, Dole, Gore, Kerry, Bush, McCain, and now Obama in Michigan. Medical marijuana has also won the support of numerous medical organizations such as the American College of Physicians, American Nurses Association, and many other medical associations and groups. Even the "wild" west of California has been tamed with their recent State Supreme Court and Attorney General decisions concerning medical marijuana. Note that the U.S. Supreme Court says doctors can recommend medical marijuana without fear for their livelihood. Federal law classifies marijuana as deadly, addictive and with no medical use. It is time for both Democrats and Republicans to end this modern Reefer Madness. Thankfully the Ohio State Senate is considering SB343 a medical compassion bill so Ohioans who benefit from the therapeutic cannabis (AKA marihuana) do not have to live in fear of their government. Rob Robert Ryan, President Ohio Patient Network 1620 E. Broad St, Suite 1603 Columbus, Ohio, 43203 www.ohiopatientaction.org [email protected] Tele-888-385-2843 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 8) Help Wanted Webmaster Ohio Patient Network Website will be moving and we need a volunteer to help with our new website. If you are skilled in Joomla websites please contact the current webmaster at [email protected]. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Best wishes to everyone for a happy and safe holiday from us here at Ohio Patient Network