...This bill is urgently needed to amend federal law so that states that
wish to permit the legal use of marijuana as a medicine for seriously ill
patients may do so, without interference from the federal government.
Until now, this health care proposal has received very little attention from
either the House leadership or the news media.
The bill was introduced on July 23, 2001, and referred to the Health
Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Despite bipartisan
co-sponsorship from 36 members of Congress, the committee has failed to
schedule a hearing or vote on H.R. 2592, effectively cutting off all
Congressional debate on the proposal.
This situation must change.
While Congress has failed to act, support for the medical use of marijuana
continues to grow at the state level and among the American public.
(1) Since 1980, 36 states have passed legislation that seeks to make
marijuana available as a medicine;
(2) Since 1996, voters in eight states have passed state-wide initiatives,
and one state has passed legislation, that provide legal protection to
patients who use marijuana as a medicine pursuant to their physician's
recommendation. This has created a confusing legal conflict between state
and federal law that H.R. 2592 seeks to resolve;
(3) A 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) affirmed: "Scientific
data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabis drugs ... for pain
relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation.... Except
for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use
are within the range tolerated for other medications."
(4) 73% of the American public now support the medical use of marijuana
(Gallup Poll, 1999; and PEW Charitable Trust Poll, 2001);
It is now time for Congress to listen to their constituents and to schedule
hearings and a vote on H.R. 2592. Please contact your member of Congress and
let them know that you are a constituent, and you want them to support this
important piece of legislation.
TO SEE THE ENTIRE LETTER,
AND TO SEE IF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS A SPONSOR OF THIS BILL YET, GO TO:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5347
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA, GO TO:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3376
Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright
law ( http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html ).
All copyrights belong to original publisher.
Rhino's Weblog is the responsibility of The Rhino.
Gary Rhine
rhino@kifaru.com
http://www.kifaru.com
http://www.dreamcatchers.org
http://radio.weblogs.com/0103207/
9:44:31 AM 
|
