Compassionate Care NY Vince Marrone

Compassionate Care Act Purpose is to allow New Yorkers with serious medical conditions access to medical marijuana under the supervision of their healthcare provider Would create one the country’s most tightly regulated program (state-regulated system of producers and dispensaries) Allows certified patients legal access to medical marijuana under the supervision of their healthcare provider Offers additional protections, such as housing, custody, and employment

What’s this Bill About?

Current Status

What Does the Science Say?

Efficacy of Cannabis chronic pain neuropathic pain alleviating nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy treating wasting syndrome associated with AIDS controlling muscle spasms due to multiple sclerosis and epilepsy bladder dysfunction in MS patients Crohn’s disease

Adverse Effects? New England Journal of Medicine (Editorial) "[A] federal policy that prohibits physicians from alleviating suffering by prescribing marijuana for seriously ill patients is misguided, heavy-handed, and inhumane… It is also hypocritical to forbid physicians to prescribe marijuana while permitting them to use morphine and meperidine to relieve extreme dyspnea and pain. With both these drugs the difference between the dose that relieves symptoms and the dose that hastens death is very narrow; by contrast, there is no risk of death from smoking marijuana.”

Conclusion Seriously ill patients are needlessly suffering Strong science base that medical marijuana is effective for a number of conditions Relatively safe, especially compared with many prescription medication Bill would a create a system that is more tightly regulated than many much more dangerous prescription medications

What are we waiting for?

What can you do? Get your professional organizations to endorse the bill Get involved yourself: contact your elected official and/or contact CCNY about getting more involved

How to Find Out More Facebook: Compassionate Care NY Website: Phone:

Questions/comments?