Top Anti-Drug Proponents Change Minds, Now Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Medical Marijuana Day in Oklahoma - 2/17/10

Many thanks to all the fine people who turned out to the State Capitol to personally lobby their legislators to legalize medical marijuana for Oklahoma. Newspaper story here. As a result, we found that there is, indeed, support among a number of state legislators for legalizing medical marijuana while a number of them are against or hold no position. So the campaign is not over. Please continue to show your support and help find new support for this cause. It's time to place politics before patients and get on the side of 21st century findings in cannabis medical science research.
blogged - "I Walked Into an Ambush!"

A new blogspot is inspired over others present when a lady desiring to be a legal medical marijuana patient visited a state senator's office during Medical Marijuana Day. It can be read here. Her story about this incident is covered in a KFOR-TV news video here.

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The Oklahoma Compassionate Care Campaign for medical marijuana is making great progress. Our goal is to change state law, to allow doctors to recommend medical marijuana. This would include regulations for cultivation and distribution. In fact, the final version of the proposed legislation for legalizing medical marijuana for Oklahoma can be viewed here.

We have received written endorsements from more than seventy potential Oklahoma medical marijuana patients and three Oklahoma medical professionals (one Medical Doctor (M.D.), one Registered Nurse (R.N.). and a pain therapist.).

Please call, email, fax and/or write letters to your Oklahoma state senator and representative today! Ask them to - Please introduce and endorse The Oklahoma Compassionate Care Medical Marijuana Legislation. Legislators in other states have reported overwhelmingly positive response to similar proposals.

The campaign has a tiny budget. We need your contributions to afford more publicity. We need volunteers to help with a wide range of activities. With your help, we can build a strong statewide coalition for medical marijuana. Your active participation is the most important contribution of all. To endorse this campaign or get more information contact: 405-714-1236 or E-mail. Endorsements may also be made here on this web page. To make a donation online, please click for PayPal below:

or mail in donations via this print out form

"Marijuana is Medicine" Forum Held in Edmond.

On April 19, 2009, we had an opportunity to learn about the medical aspects of marijuana (cannabis) at a pubic meeting in Edmond sponsored by the Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma. Two health care professionals gave informative talks and two potential candidates for medical use (if it were legal) discussed their points of view.

Dr. Morton Skorodin, of Stillwater, discussed for a lay audience the scientific background regarding benefits, risks and side effects of Cannabis. Bill Humphries, R. N., who specializes as a hospice nurse, discussed the clinical condition for which its use is indicated. He also discussed some of the legal intricacies involved. In at least 14 states it's legal, but not in Oklahoma.

Some of the scientific findings are amazing, and it seems likely that cannabis and its derivatives will be used extensively as medicine in the future. It has been used since Bible times for symptoms such as nausea and pain. Many people are aware that cancer patients use it to relieve nausea from chemotherapy. What was really surprising was to learn that it actually can fight cancer itself, as has been shown in lab animals with a wide variety of cancer types. In Spain they put the major compound, THC, in the actual brain tumors of people with the highly malignant glioblastoma.

Another recent finding is that cannabis blocks the same enzyme that standard Alzheimer's drugs do, but more efficiently. In the next few years, we may find out that those aging hippies unknowingly protected themselves from dementia by smoking pot. There are many other illnesses for which cannabis may be helpful. Although remarkably safe as medications go, with no reported fatalities, smoking it promotes chronic bronchitis and it can be habit-forming. Smoking it can be avoided, though, by using it with a vaporizer, as tea, or used in food, such as brownies. Not to be forgotten, the drug war vastly increases the danger of cannabis. It is illegal under federal law even where specifically legal for medical use under state law.

The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act (HR-5842), introduced by Rep. Ron Paul, would make federal authorities respect states' current laws on medical cannabis and end DEA raids on facilities distributing medical marijuana legally under state law. Please write or call your representative to ask him to support this bill.

FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Federal law prohibits any use of marijuana, but Maine, Vermont, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, New Jersey, Washington, New Mexico, Michigan and Rhode Island allow it to be grown and used for medicinal purposes.

Legal medical marijuana is NOT available in Oklahoma. Sick Oklahomans need your help to allow them to seek medical marijuana treatment. It has been found to aid those suffering from chronic pain, glaucoma, neurologic disorders, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, AIDS-wasting syndrome, and nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy.

Doctors and patients in 14 states can freely decide if marijuana is the best medicine. Unfortunately in Oklahoma, citizens who need marijuana are treated like common criminals. They are locked up in our very overcrowded prisons and then we have to pay for their medical care. Our law provides no defense based on a medical necessity, even when a person cannot afford drug store medicines. How that added misjustice came about may be explained by this story.

We need Oklahomans who could benefit from medical marijuana to tell their stories and/or even testify to legislators about those who are either sick or in pain and who want or need medical marijuana. All interviews will be kept private unless we have your permission to tell your story.

Please use this online form to tell your story, or phone (405)714-1236.
Mail to: DPRNOK, P O BOX 73140, Midwest City, OK 73140
Our web site for education: Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma
Our political web site and sponsor of OCCC: DPRNOK

Please call your OK senator and representative and tell them to sponsor, or support, the Oklahoma Compassionate Care Medical Marijuana bill. Find and e-mail your state legislators here, or off the Internet at the Oklahoma Election Board (405)521-2391, or contact your county election board.