Tell the MS Society to Stop Playing Politics with Patients

Take Action Now!
http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=5130936&type=CU

Last September, a coalition of patients and drug policy organizations
including NORML, Americans for Safe Access, Students for Sensible Drug
Policy and the Drug Policy Alliance, converged in Washington, DC for two
days of intense lobbying for medical marijuana.

One of the key events of this two day action - known as the Cheryl Miller
Memorial Project (http://www.cheryldcmemorial.org) in remembrance of longtime
multiple sclerosis patient and medical marijuana activists Cheryl Miller -
was a visit to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, in which patients
urged the organization to change their official position on medical
marijuana. Despite endorsements of medical marijuana from the MS Societies
in Canada and Great Britain, the U.S. National MS Society is playing
politics with the lives of seriously ill patients, and refuses to
acknowledge marijuana's therapeutic value in the treatment of MS.

Therefore, the participants in the Cheryl Miller Memorial Project demanded
three actions by the MS Society:

A) Conduct a survey of its members to identify if they have ever used
cannabis therapeutically.

B) Actively lobby for and fund clinical trials in the United States on the
efficacy of inhaled marijuana on MS-related symptoms.

C) Post a pro/con debate on the National MS Society website regarding the
therapeutic use of cannabis.

So far, the MS Society has refused to take action on any of these demands.
In fact, the only information posted on the MS Society website after their
meeting with the patients clearly states:

"It is the opinion of the National MS Society's Medical Advisory Board that
there are insufficient data at this time to recommend cannabinoids in any
form as a treatment for MS."

In light of the MS Society's refusal to act on the medical marijuana issue,
we are asking all medical marijuana supporters to write the National MS
Society, and demand that they take medical marijuana seriously by
implementing these three requests.

NORML has created a pre-written letter that you can send to the MS Society
urging them to take a realistic look at the existing evidence surrounding
medical marijuana as a treatment for multiple sclerosis. Please be sure to
check the boxes on the alert which will send a copy of your letter to the
Washington, DC chapter and to Ms. Jeanne Angulo, director of the Washington
DC office who met with the group of patients in September.

Please take two minutes to send a pre-written letter to the MS Society by
visiting:
http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=5130936&type=CU

Thank you for taking the time to speak out on this important issue.

Regards,

Kris Krane
Associate Director
NORML