Representatives Sánchez and Malia on Medical Marijuana Legislation

Georgetown, MA – On Tuesday, March 2, medical marijuana supporters presented Representative Jeffrey Sánchez (D- Fifteenth Suffolk) with over 1,000 postcards from voters in his district asking him to support H. 2160, “An Act to regulate the medical use of marijuana by patients approved by physicians and certified by the department of public health.  This bill awaits action by the Public Health committee he chairs, following a public hearing on it on May 19, 2009.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports that Representative Sánchez, who has served in the house since 2003, claims “the bill is just a year old . . . and is being examined carefully, not blocked, because it is a complex issue.”   In the same story, he compares the time delay to “a bill banning junk food in schools that recently left his committee after eight years.”

“Mr. Sánchez is rewriting history when he says H. 2160 is just a year old,” commented Mass Cann spokesperson, Steven Epstein.  “Massachusetts recognized the medicinal value of cannabis in 1992.  Then Governor Weld approved the “Controlled Substance Therapeutic Research Act” one of the first in the country to legalize medical use it requires a federally approved source.  It soon became a cruel joke when the federal government refused to approve a supplier.  Legislation to correct this problem and make other changes has been filed every session since then.”

In the same JP Gazette story, one of the bill’s cosponsors, state representative, Liz Malia says, “It’s a sensitive issue, and I think it probably always will be a sensitive issue.”

Mr. Epstein asks, “How can it be following Question 2?s overwhelming victory in general and the7News/Suffolk University poll released September 23, 2009 that found 81% supportfor allowing terminally or seriously ill patients to use, grow and purchase marijuana for medical purposes if they have the approval and are under supervision of their physicians.”

The American Medical Association Board of Delegates recently voted to amend its policy toward medical marijuana and is now urging “that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods.”

Last month, in a landmark report to the state legislature, the California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research announced that its studies have shown marijuana to be safe and effective in relieving the chronic pain of neuralgia.   “The findings  are very consistent,” remarked CMCR director Prof. Igor Grant, “There is good evidence now that cannabinoids may be a good adjunct or even first line treatment.”

Neuralgia is  a type  of pain caused by damaged nerves that is particularly resistant to other therapies .  Some 10% of the population are said to be affected by neuralgia.

A fifth CMCR study found marijuana effective in reducing muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients.

A sixty study demonstrated the efficacy of smokeless vaporizers as an alternative delivery system to smoked marijuana.

To read the report go to, http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/marijuana.htm

For more information on cannabis’ medicinal value visit

Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids– A Review of the Recent Scientific Literature, 2000 – 2010

H 2160 has been endorsed by:

The Mass. Public Health Association

The Mass Nurses Association

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society;

The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition;

AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod;

Cambridge Cares about AIDS;

AIDS Action Committee;

The Massachusetts Hepatitis Patient Empowerment Project;

The Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA);

Sheriffs Carmen Massimiano (Berkshire County), Robert Garvey (Hampshire County), Richard Bretschneider (Nantucket County), and Andrea Cabral (Suffolk County)

For more information on H. 2160 please watch these videos:

Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Hearing Video Part 1

Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Hearing Video Part 2, MS Patient

Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Hearing Part 3 (Marci Duda, Grandmother & Medical User)

Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Hearing Part 4, MassCann/NORML President

Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Hearing Part 5: John Madfis, Son Has Crohns Disease

Medical Marijuana User Marcy Duda and Governor Deval Patrick

For more information on H. 2247 filed in the 185th Session of the General Court (2007-2008) please watch these videos:

MA Medical Marijuana Hearing- 12/12/2007- Part 1 of a Series

MA Medical Marijuana Hearing- 12/12/2007- Part 2 of a Series

MA Medical Marijuana Hearing-12/12/2007- Part 3

H 2247 was a refile of H 2742 filed in the 184th Session of the General Court (2005-2006), which itself was a refile of H 2965 filed in the 183rd Session of the General Court (2003-2005)

NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to:http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml