On Wednesday, October 11th, Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-Chair Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) testified before the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health on how to deal with the opioid crisis in America.
In his testimony, the Congressman makes the case for medical cannabis as a safer alternative to highly addictive opioids, especially for our veterans—as well as the need to remove barriers to medical cannabis research.
It is well documented that medical marijuana access is associated with reduced rates of opioid use and abuse, opioid-related hospitalizations, opioid-related traffic fatalities, and opioid-related overdose deaths.
Watch the video below and click here to send a message to your elected officials in support of the CARERS Act of 2017 in support of medical marijuana and click here to send a message to the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Opioid Commission to urge them to include medical marijuana as part of the national strategy to combat the opioid crisis.
Here’s that link again;
http://norml.org/action-center/item/federal-legislation-to-protect-medical-marijuana-patients-pending-in-senate-carers-act
Support the CARERS ACT!
Thanks Julian for the convenient link.
Done and Done.
Thank you Representative Blumenauer for standing up for our veterans. And for standing up to the profiteers of the opioid crisis like the Sackler family. And for standing up to the blood-colored elephants in the room… with their own blood. We need more Republicans with a soul left in them to stand up and be Americans first or vote them out. Dana Rohrabacher may be a Russian spook but he’s right on marijuana and we need all the support we can get. We need bipartisan marijuana reform and we need it NOW.
Mr Blumenauer got this partly right. The fact is that recreational cannabis is also safer than opioids! It is much safer in fact! It sure would be nice if the republican congress could finally realize the stupidity of their anti-cannabis views. Many of them say they want cannabis kept illegal because it is dangerous for the nations youth. I say Bullshit! It is dangerous to lock them and others up for it. That is dangerous and has ruined more lives than legalization ever could.
You’re partly right, locking up kids where they will be among a high percentage of tobacckgo $iggerette addicts is dangerous– but the life-ruining effects of the Conviction itself include a $igbutt smudge on your record, disqualification to attend higher education and get a high-wage-earning diploma, disqualification to marry an upstanding person from mentally healthy family, destroyed credit rating, etc. etc. Former inmate/convictees may be prevented from voting for any alternative to prohibitionist republicans, hmmm.
Also Done and Done. I do wish these politicos would make a separate category for legalization–never quite sure what “topic” to put it under when sending missives to my Sens and Congresscritters.
When sending cannabis related messages I choose the “Civil Rights” category. “Health” might be another reasonable choice.
Those seem like reasonable picks. I think I picked justice reform, or something like that, can’t recall now.
Here is the response received. It looks like they are only looking at NIH research.
Slater, Sanquetta R. EOP/ONDCP
Oct 16 (7 days ago)
to me
Hello,
Thank you for writing to me about the addiction crisis in our Country. I am grateful for the opportunity to confront this urgent issue and welcome your thoughts and concerns.
The epidemic of addiction is ravaging our Nation and destroying families in every state. It is the Commission’s goal to effectively reduce the negative impacts of this epidemic and will consider all options in combating this issue. Your views and suggestions are greatly appreciated and will be held in consideration when the Commission confronts this epidemic.
However, the Commission is dedicated to reviewing all scientific evidence, including recent research out of the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse that found past-year marijuana use associated with higher rates of opioid-use disorder and prescription opioid misuse.
While this crisis is very real, it is also important to recognize that addiction is a disease and it can be treated. Arresting, jailing and stigmatizing these victims will not make it better. I am honored by the chance to address some of these same problems at the national level, and look forward to bringing help and support to the individuals and families who are struggling with this devastating crisis. If you would like to follow the work of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, information on its meetings and future reports can be found on the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/presidents-commission .
Thank you, again, for writing to me and sharing your views and suggestions. I look forward to having your support as we work to address this issue.
Sincerely,
Chris Christie
Governor
[Paul Armentano responds: My op-ed today in The Hill responds to Christie’s letter: http://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/356702-trumps-opioid-agency-fails-to-cite-marijuanas-benefits-despite-mounting.%5D
http://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/356702-trumps-opioid-agency-fails-to-cite-marijuanas-benefits-despite-mounting
In case that link didn’t work try the one above. (Gotta “page not found” message. We need to shove these stats down Christie’s fat throat.
Yeah, it’s the period at the end of your link Paul. Good work correcting Christie’s murderous, treasonous lies.
Stupid Blumenauer ruined Pink Martini Thanksgiving concert. He was promoting EB unhealthy ice-cream (sugar water).