Call MA State House to support HD 1502 Medical Marijuana Access
- 9 years ago
http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx
Call them.
HD. 1502 - "An Act to protect patients approved by physicians and certified by the department of public health to access medical marijuana" has been filed! (see bill summary below)
HD. 1502 BILL SUMMARY
SECTION 1
Problem: Patients in assisted living facilities and nursing homes have reported that in some cases, staff are reluctant to help patients administer their medical marijuana even though this activity is protected under existing law.
Solution: Clarify that employees of hospice providers, nursing or medical facilities and others would not need to register with the state in order to assist with their patients' medical use of marijuana.
SECTION 2
Problem: Current definitions in the law and regulations could allow law enforcement to count unusable marijuana towards the amount allotted for patient's medical use.
Solution: In addition to usable medicine and plants, allow patients to possess leaves and cuttings that are in a stage of preparation for use.
SECTION 3/ SECTION 7
Problem: Unlike prescriptions that are honored across state lines, the medical marijuana law in Massachusetts only protects residents.
Solution: Allow reciprocity for patients who are registered in other states.
SECTION 4
Problem: Medical marijuana patients face discrimination despite protections from criminal penalties established under the existing law.
Solution: Clarify that patients may not be denied professional licensure, organ transplant, housing, enrollment in a school or university or employment solely for their status as a medical marijuana patient. Protect parents from actions by child welfare agencies solely for their status as a medical marijuana patient.
SECTION 5
Problem: Patients permitted to culitvate should not have to wait several months for seeds to grow before they can access it.
Solution: Allows dispensaries to sell seedlings to patients.
SECTION 6
Problem: The personal cultivation system, which allows patients to appoint a caregiver to grow for them, is currently not functional due to the 1:1 caregiver ratio issued in regulations.
Solution: Fix the caregiver system by allowing caregivers to cultivate for up to 10 patients.
SECTION 8
Problem: Currently, it is virtually impossible for pediatric patients to enroll in the program because they need two doctors to write medical marijuana recommendations, and many larger medical institutions have put policies in place that forbid their employees from doing so.
Solution: Still require pediatric patients to receive a serious diagnosis from two physicians, but require only one to sign the medical marijuana recommendation.
SECTION 9
Problem: Patients suffering with debilitating illnesses often face financial distress. Taxing medicine will increase its cost to the vulnerable population trying to access it.
Solution: Make medical marijuana tax exempt like prescription medications.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are asking patients and advocates to please contact their representatives. (House & Senate)
Requesting co-sponsorship can be as simple as an email or a phone call to their office. But please be aware that the deadline for collecting co-sponsorship is January 30, 2015.
Please find your representatives here to contact them: http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx
WHO SHOULD WRITE THEIR LEGISLATOR?
Patients with debilitating conditions presenting physical symptoms are encouraged to contact their state representatives, as are their family members and medical professionals.
● Medical marijuana patients with conditions that present physical symptoms: muscle spasticity, nausea or vomiting, debilitating pain, seizures, or other conditions.
● Family members and friends of patients who fit the description above.
● Medical professionals who support safe access for patients.
● Anyone who supports safe access for patients!
SAMPLE SCRIPT or LETTER
"My name is _____________________ and I am a resident of _______________________.
I am contacting you today to ask that you cosponsor House Docket 1502. This issue is important to me because I am a medical marijuana patient (or I know a patient, or I know someone who could have benefited from safe access).
Add your story here...
● The condition I suffer from (or that my friend/family members suffers from)
● The symptoms I (or my friend or family member) uses/used/could have used medical marijuana to address include:
● Medical marijuana addresses these symptoms with less side effects than drugs like:
● When I or my friend or family member have/has access to medical marijuana, his/her quality of life improves substantially. For instance:
The voters passed the medical marijuana law in 2012, but two years later most patients in the state do not have safe access because the program is still not fully implemented. This bill would ensure that patients could access medical marijuana while it is not avail
Call them.
HD. 1502 - "An Act to protect patients approved by physicians and certified by the department of public health to access medical marijuana" has been filed! (see bill summary below)
HD. 1502 BILL SUMMARY
SECTION 1
Problem: Patients in assisted living facilities and nursing homes have reported that in some cases, staff are reluctant to help patients administer their medical marijuana even though this activity is protected under existing law.
Solution: Clarify that employees of hospice providers, nursing or medical facilities and others would not need to register with the state in order to assist with their patients' medical use of marijuana.
SECTION 2
Problem: Current definitions in the law and regulations could allow law enforcement to count unusable marijuana towards the amount allotted for patient's medical use.
Solution: In addition to usable medicine and plants, allow patients to possess leaves and cuttings that are in a stage of preparation for use.
SECTION 3/ SECTION 7
Problem: Unlike prescriptions that are honored across state lines, the medical marijuana law in Massachusetts only protects residents.
Solution: Allow reciprocity for patients who are registered in other states.
SECTION 4
Problem: Medical marijuana patients face discrimination despite protections from criminal penalties established under the existing law.
Solution: Clarify that patients may not be denied professional licensure, organ transplant, housing, enrollment in a school or university or employment solely for their status as a medical marijuana patient. Protect parents from actions by child welfare agencies solely for their status as a medical marijuana patient.
SECTION 5
Problem: Patients permitted to culitvate should not have to wait several months for seeds to grow before they can access it.
Solution: Allows dispensaries to sell seedlings to patients.
SECTION 6
Problem: The personal cultivation system, which allows patients to appoint a caregiver to grow for them, is currently not functional due to the 1:1 caregiver ratio issued in regulations.
Solution: Fix the caregiver system by allowing caregivers to cultivate for up to 10 patients.
SECTION 8
Problem: Currently, it is virtually impossible for pediatric patients to enroll in the program because they need two doctors to write medical marijuana recommendations, and many larger medical institutions have put policies in place that forbid their employees from doing so.
Solution: Still require pediatric patients to receive a serious diagnosis from two physicians, but require only one to sign the medical marijuana recommendation.
SECTION 9
Problem: Patients suffering with debilitating illnesses often face financial distress. Taxing medicine will increase its cost to the vulnerable population trying to access it.
Solution: Make medical marijuana tax exempt like prescription medications.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are asking patients and advocates to please contact their representatives. (House & Senate)
Requesting co-sponsorship can be as simple as an email or a phone call to their office. But please be aware that the deadline for collecting co-sponsorship is January 30, 2015.
Please find your representatives here to contact them: http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx
WHO SHOULD WRITE THEIR LEGISLATOR?
Patients with debilitating conditions presenting physical symptoms are encouraged to contact their state representatives, as are their family members and medical professionals.
● Medical marijuana patients with conditions that present physical symptoms: muscle spasticity, nausea or vomiting, debilitating pain, seizures, or other conditions.
● Family members and friends of patients who fit the description above.
● Medical professionals who support safe access for patients.
● Anyone who supports safe access for patients!
SAMPLE SCRIPT or LETTER
"My name is _____________________ and I am a resident of _______________________.
I am contacting you today to ask that you cosponsor House Docket 1502. This issue is important to me because I am a medical marijuana patient (or I know a patient, or I know someone who could have benefited from safe access).
Add your story here...
● The condition I suffer from (or that my friend/family members suffers from)
● The symptoms I (or my friend or family member) uses/used/could have used medical marijuana to address include:
● Medical marijuana addresses these symptoms with less side effects than drugs like:
● When I or my friend or family member have/has access to medical marijuana, his/her quality of life improves substantially. For instance:
The voters passed the medical marijuana law in 2012, but two years later most patients in the state do not have safe access because the program is still not fully implemented. This bill would ensure that patients could access medical marijuana while it is not avail