The Clinton administration has completed its review of medical uses of marijuana, and disappointly (but predictably) decided to not move marijuana to Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act (prescription medicine), nor even re-open the federal government's compassionate IND program closed by the Bush administration. Deputy Secretary for Health Dr. Philip Lee cited "lack of scientific evidence" for both these decisions. The one positive note in Lee's report is an indication that privately funded scientific research into marijuana's medicinal value would be sanctioned.
Tell the following individuals that you don't think the sick should be prosecuted for taking medicine:
President Bill Clinton
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
(202) 456-1111
Dr. Philip Lee
Deputy Secretary for Health
Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg.
200 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 690-7694
Donna Shalala
Secretary of Health & Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg.
200 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20201
Attorney General Janet Reno
Constitution Ave. & 10th St. NW
Washington, DC 20530
(202) 514-2001 or (800) 869-4499
The FDA is now willing to approve scientific studies on the medical uses of marijuana, and has approved a study by the American Health Foundation, sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (See: Organizations Directory) into the use of marijuana for treating AIDS wasting syndrome. For this study to go forward, the DEA must grant the American Health Foundation a permit to import marijuana of different grades of potency from the Netherlands. The DEA has refused to grant this permit until the Dutch government first issues an export permit, but the Dutch government won't issue an export permit until the DEA has first issued an import permit.
International treaties specify that the import permit can and indeed must be issued before the export permit can be considered. Please ask your legislators to contact the DEA to urge approval of an import permit for FDA approved AIDS research study IND #43,542. You can also contact the DEA yourself:
Thomas A. Constantine
DEA Administrator
Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
Washington, DC 20537
November 15th is National Medicinal Marijuana Day! Rallies in Washington, DC and other locations nationwide. Sponsored by the Emergency Coalition for Medical Cannabis (ECMC), Cannabis Action Network (CAN), and Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). For more information contact NORML at (202) 483-5500.
Thanks to national NORML and Iowa NORML for the above info.
