We are parents, grandparents, and friends of children with epilepsy, cancer, and other conditions potentially treatable by medical cannabis. Many of us helped legalize strains in our home states only to have our children's access stymied by federal restrictions. Some even moved across the country for this potentially lifesaving plant, leaving behind homes, families, and in some cases, spouses and other children. The treatment is proving so effective that our medical cannabis refugee families can’t go home, since federal classification as a banned Schedule 1 substance makes it a felony to even possess the plant or its extracts, much less cross state lines with them.

Even in states with medical cannabis laws patients encounter barriers. Hospitals won't risk federal funding by ordering this Schedule 1 and when admitted patients are not administered their doses. Missed doses can carry catastrophic risks for epileptics. Federally funded schools will not allow children to receive their physician recommended cannabis oil extracts on site.

Research, mostly from other countries, suggests cannabis may treat a host of conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's Disease and other bowel conditions, stroke, and more. Yet, Schedule 1 restrictions all but ban medical research on the plant here in the United States. Maneuvering red tape for trials can take decades and many patients can't wait that long. The world's leading research facilities must be allowed to study this therapeutic plant. Lives depend upon it.

The President has the authority to remove the plant from Schedule 1. We reach out to you, Mrs. Obama, mother to mother. Please meet with us to open a dialogue on this issue so crucial to our children.

Sincerely,

Parents Coalition for Rescheduling Medical Cannabis