Action Alert: Campaign to Reschedule Marijuana

It is time to step up the HHS Heat Campaign and demand marijuana
rescheduling now!

We need your help to pressure the Department of Health and Human
Services to respond to the formal rescheduling petition submitted by the
Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis in 2002 and the Data Quality Act
petition submitted by ASA in 2004.

Right now, there are three ways you can get involved and make your voice
heard:

*1) Sign the Petition for Rescheduling Marijuana!*
*2) Gather Signatures for the Petition for Rescheduling Marijuana!
**3) Join ASA in DC on October 2-4 to Demand Rescheduling NOW!*

Please read on for further details....

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*1) Sign the Petition for Rescheduling Marijuana!*

During this action, ASA will submit tens of thousands of signatures on
petitions calling for the Department of Health and Human Services to
reschedule marijuana. Please visit our site today to sign this petition:

http://safeaccessnow.org/hhs_petition_online

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*2) Gather Signatures for the Petition for Rescheduling Marijuana!*

We are asking patients and advocates to circulate these petitions in
your community. It's easy - bring them to work, get your friends to sign
on, or set up a table at a local event to collect signatures.

Click here to download a PDF version of the petition:
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/HHS%20Grassroots%20Petition.pdf

Click here to download a Word version of the petition:
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/HHS%20Grassroots%20Petition.doc

Please collect these and send them to the ASA office no later than
September 24th:

Americans for Safe Access
1322 Webster Street Ste. 208
Oakland, CA 94612

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*3) Join ASA in DC on October 2-4 to Demand Rescheduling NOW!*

*RALLY FOR RESCHEDULING:
DEMAND HHS RESCHEDULE MARIJUANA NOW!*



Click here to download a PDF
<http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/HHS%20Call%20to%20Action%202005.pdf>
or Word
<http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/HHSCalltoaction.doc>version of
this flier.



*TIME IS UP: WE NEED OUR MEDICINE NOW!*

***
WHAT*: RALLY FOR RESCHEDULING: MARIJUANA IS MEDICINE & ACTIVIST CAMPAIGN
TRAINING

**
***WHERE*: HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS), WASHINGTON DC


*WHEN*: TRAINING: MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2005 - 10:30AM-6:30PM
RALLY: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2005 - 10 AM

*WHO:* PATIENTS, DOCTORS, ADVOCATES & YOU!

*WHAT IS IT?* In 2002, Americans for Safe Access as part of a larger
coalition submitted a formal petition demanding the rescheduling of
marijuana. Last year, to turn up the heat, ASA activists gathered at the
Health and Human Services building in DC to echo the demands of the
rescheduling petition. ASA simultaneously launched a Data Quality Act
petition requesting HHS make corrections to published administrative
statements regarding the accepted medical value of marijuana. But HHS
continues to drag its feet. It's time to turn up the heat: Another year
is too long for patients to wait! Join ASA as we return to DC for the
"Rally to Reschedule" to demand HHS respond to the DQA petition and
acknowledge marijuana accepted medical value.

*WHY HHS?* To ensure safe and legal access for ALL patients, marijuana
must be rescheduled. In order for rescheduling to occur the federal
government must acknowledge marijuana's accepted medical value. In 2001
HHS ruled that marijuana had, "No currently accepted medical use in
treatment." They did not, however, address the mountain of data
recognizing cannabis as a useful treatment, by itself or as an adjunct
to other therapies, for a variety of chronic conditions. Some of these
conditions include cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis,
osteoarthritis, Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, glaucoma, anorexia
and recurrent migraines but this is not an exhaustive list.

Refusing to acknowledge marijuana's accepted medical value gives DEA the
leverage they need to reject rescheduling. Worse yet, it gives DEA
implicit permission to continue raiding medical marijuana patients and
cooperatives.

*WHAT SHOULD I DO?*

1. COME TO WASHINGTON DC: E-mail Rebecca at _rebecca [at] safeaccessnow.org_
<mailto:rebecca [at] safeaccessnow.org> or call (510) 251-1856 and give us
your name, address, your phone number, and your e-mail address if you
would like to join us.

2. GET YOUR MATERIALS: Download the Community Fundraising materials and
action flyers from http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=1366.

3. START FUNDRAISING: You will be representing all the medical marijuana
patients and supporters from your community who will not be present. Ask
your community for help sending you to DC! Personalize and send out the
fundraising letter to everyone in your address book. Throw a house party
and ask for donations to support your travel costs.

*SCHEDULE:

Sunday, Oct. 2, 7:00pm:* ASA Reception
*
Monday, Oct. 3, 10:30am-6:30pm:* Trainings covering lobbying, media,
political art
&
overview of ASA's Rescheduling Campaign

*Tuesday, Oct. 4, 10:00am:* Rescheduling Rally at HHS

*WHO ARE WE? *Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national
grassroots coalition working to protect the rights of patients and
doctors to legally use marijuana for medical purposes. Our mission is to
ensure safe, legal access to marijuana for all who are helped by it. We
provide legal training for lawyers and patients, medical information for
doctors and patients, media support for court cases, activist training
to grassroots organizers, and rapid response to law enforcement
encounters. We work with local, state and national legislators to raise
awareness of issues concerning medical marijuana patients. Our
successful media and legal campaigns have resulted in important court
precedents, new sentencing standards, and more compassionate community
guidelines.

For more information, visit http://www.safeaccessnow.org
<http://www.safeaccessnow.org/>


--
Rebecca Saltzman
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access
p (510) 251-1856
f (510) 251-2036
http://www.safeaccessnow.org