14 states and Washington D.C. have legalized the use of medical marijuana for patients with a doctors recommendation. Currently nearly 30% of the population of the US live where medical marijuana is legal. A recent poll conducted by Franklin & Marshall college shows that 80% of Pennsylvanians agree that medical marijuana should be legal. Its time to allow patients access to the medicine their doctor sees fit for their medical treatment, even if that medicine is marijuana. Scientific and anecdotal evidence show that marijuana has medicinal value. The US allowed marijuana to be prescribed up until 1942. In the late 1970s the FDA allowed marijuana to be prescribed through compassionate exemptions that were issued to a small number of patients. Under George H.W. Bush the program was ended but the patients who got the exemptions are still prescribed marijuana and recieve it from the federal government. In 2009 Rep. Cohen, and in 2010 Sen. Leach, introduced the first medical marijuana bills in the history of the PA General Assembly, H.B. 1393 and S.B. 1350. This petition urges the committees that are considering the bill, and if you live in PA your district's senator and representative in the General Assembly, to pass the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.
Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act
Greetings,
Whereas: A recent Franklin & Marshall college poll showed that 80% of Pennsylvanians support legalizing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.
Whereas: The current policy of the Commonwealth supports arresting, prosecuting, and imprisoning the sick and dying who buy, grow, sell, and possess marijuana for the treatment of medical problems.
Whereas: The jailing of non-violent medical marijuana producers, sellers, and users fills our crowded jails and prisons with otherwise law abiding citizens and places a large financial burden on the tax payers of Pennsylvania.
Whereas: An overwhelming amount of scientific evidence suggests marijuana is a safe and effective drug that can treat a wide range of illnesses.
Whereas: Marijuana tinctures were a legal medication prescribed in Pennsylvania until 1942, when it was irrationally banned.
Whereas: Nearly 30% of Americans live somewhere that allows access to medical marijuana, provided they have a doctors recommendation. Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and our nation's capital, Washington D.C. have all allowed patients with a doctors recommendation to access medical marijuana. Many other states and one US territory are currently considering passing their own medical marijuana legislation. Our eastern neighbor, New Jersey, was the most recent state to enact medical marijuana legislation and other neighboring states are considering enacting medical marijuana legislation as well.
Whereas: All Pennsylvanians deserve the freedom to access any medicine their physician recommends to them, without fear of punishment and loss of liberty from their own state government.
Whereas: Legalizing medical marijuana would generate a significant amount of revenue for our underfunded and nearly bankrupt state government.
Whereas: The Federal government continues to grow and provide marijuana to a small number of patients who have received FDA compassionate exemptions.
Whereas: The Food and Drug Administration has approved THC, one of the active medicinal compounds in marijuana, as a schedule III oral medication; in addition to approving synthetic cannabinoids, such as the schedule II drug Nabilone, for medical use. These expensive medications work for some but not for all, those with severe nausea and vomiting can't keep them down long enough to take effect, and all people taking them aren't getting the benefit of the other compounds found in cannabis.
Therefore: We the undersigned demand that the General Assembly do all within their powers to enact legislation, such as H.B. 1393 and S.B. 1350 - The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, that would allow patients, who have a doctor’s recommendation, to have access to medical marijuana.
[Your name]