Washington, DC: Patients and their caregivers will converge on Washington, DC on September 22 and 23 to lobby for legal access to medicinal marijuana and pay tribute to Cheryl Miller. Miller was a longtime medicinal marijuana activist and MS patient. She died from pneumonia and other MS-related complications on June 7, 2003.
In honor of Cheryl’s dedication and struggle, NORML and several other prominent drug law reform groups will be holding a two-day medical marijuana lobbying effort on Capitol Hill. Scheduled activities include: a candlelight vigil in front of the Supreme Court, a press conference on Capitol Hill, and a patient-lobby day to raise awareness in Congress of the need for medical marijuana and the passage of House Bill 2233, the “States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act.”
“Throughout much of her life, Cheryl risked arrest and jail to use the only medication that alleviated her suffering,” said her husband Jim Miller, who is organizing the project. “Cheryl chose to take this risk, though many other patients are simply forced to suffer. I hope that by bringing attention to the plight of my late wife Cheryl, I can hasten the day when marijuana will be made available so that others are no longer needlessly forced to suffer with pain or risk arrest.”
For more information on or to donate to The Cheryl Miller Memorial Project, please visit: http://www.cheryldcmemorial.org or contact Chris Mulligan of NORML at (202) 483-5500.