Medical Marijuana

For Immediate Release:

Veterans For Medical Cannabis Access Kicks Off Petition on White House "We The People" Site

The national Veterans service organization, Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access (VMCA), veteransformedicalcannabis.org on behalf of the Veterans across the United States has drawn up a petition to ask President Obama's administration to "Allow United States Disabled Military Veterans access to medical marijuana to treat their PTSD."

The petition may be viewed at the White House website:

http://wh.gov/4xd

Medicinal cannabis is recognized in DC and 16 states such as MD, OR and NM as having medical value including treatment for PTS(d) and TBI. Allies of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan - Canada, Czechoslovakia and Israel allow the use of cannabis to treat these injuries sustained in military service alongside US troops.

Co-founder of VMCA, Al Byrne, Lcdr. USN, ret. said, "I am a Virginia Veteran who uses cannabis for PTS. If I seek treatment in a VHA facility in Virginia the MD's and RN's can not even discuss this treatment option BECAUSE VIRGINIA LAW STILL DOESN'T ALLOW USE OF THIS IMPORTANT MEDICINE FOR PTS(d)  . If I seek the same treatment say, as a Veteran resident of Maine (where cannabis is legal medicine) they say welcome and thank you for your service."

VHA Directive 2010-035 of July 2010 states clearly that if a Veteran gets a recommendation for cannabis from a civilian health care provider in a state that allows the medicinal use of cannabis, then the VA health care providers must treat cannabis as a medicine and the Vet as a valued patient. In Virginia the Vet is not so valued and the medicine for their needs is banned.

Veteran care based on geography is wrong.  It is illogical.  It is not the practice of medicine it is the practice of politics on the wounded and it is shameful.

Contact:

Mike Krawitz
Disabled United States Air Force Sergeant
Executive Director Veterans For Medical Cannabis Access
[email protected]
www.veteransformedicalmarijuana.org

Al Byrne
COO and Co-founder
Patients Out of Time
[email protected]
www.medicalcannabis.com

MEDIA ALERT: Medical Marijuana Patient John Wilson Faces Bail Hearing Thursday, September 29, 2011

WHO: Multiple sclerosis (MS) Patient John Ray Wilson

WHAT: Faces bail hearing

WHEN: 1:30 PM, Thursday, September 29, 2011

WHERE: Somerset County Courthouse – Somerville, NJ—with Judge Marino

WHY: Pending appeal to New Jersey Supreme Court

CONTACT: Ken Wolski, Chris Goldstein, William Buckman www.cmmnj.org

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patient and medical marijuana user John Ray Wilson will appear in the Somerset County Courthouse before Judge Marino for a bail hearing tomorrow, Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 1:30 PM. Wilson is currently imprisoned at CRAF, the Central Reception and Assignment Facility for the New Jersey State Prison system, located in Trenton, NJ.  Wilson had been free on bond pending an appeal of his conviction and sentence of five years, but an Appellate Court upheld his conviction of “manufacturing” marijuana in late July.  He was incarcerated on August 24, 2011.  Attorney William Buckman has filed a petition to the State Supreme Court.  The bail hearing tomorrow will determine if Wilson can remain with his family as the Supreme Court appeal is considered.  Mr. Buckman’s office reports that the State intends to vigorously oppose the release of Wilson. 

“New Jersey already has some of the most draconian laws in the nation with respect to marijuana, costing taxpayers outrageous sums to incarcerate nonviolent, otherwise responsible individuals-- as well as in this case -- the sick and infirm,” said Buckman. “As it stands, the case now allows a person who grows marijuana to be exposed to up to 20 years in jail, even if that marijuana is strictly for his or her own medical use. No fair reading of the law would ever sanction this result.”

Wilson’s conviction in January 2010 came just as New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act passed into law. The state now recognizes MS as a qualifying condition for marijuana therapy; however, the state’s Medicinal Marijuana Program is not operational yet.

Depending on the outcome of the hearing, Wilson may be freed pending his appeal or must continue serving his sentence.  Wilson’s father, Ray, reports that John is scheduled to be transferred from CRAF to maximum security Northern State Prison in Newark, NJ to serve the rest of his sentence.

CONTACT: Ken Wolski, Chris Goldstein, William Buckman www.cmmnj.org