A Medical Marijuana Patient gets Published

Tuscaloosa News

Dear Editor: I am a 36-year-old man with an inoperable brain tumor, which causes multiple grand mal seizures a day. I have been a patient at Children’s Hospital and the Kirklin Clinic since the age of 8. I have had four unsuccessful brain surgeries.

I have been on every seizure medication known to mankind, as well as some that never received the Federal Drug Administration’s approval. A few years ago, I saw a program on marijuana being used as a seizure deterrent. I decided to try marijuana as a medicine, and I have had better results using marijuana in its natural form than from any other treatment in my life. My seizures have decreased from six to eight per day to one every six to eight weeks. My neurologists have documented this in my medical records.

I have also been arrested twice for possession of marijuana. It caused me great hardship both on a psychological level and a monetary level. I wondered then, as I do now, why people in 12 U.S. states are treated like patients and allowed access to medical marijuana, but here in Alabama I am treated like a criminal for trying to treat my illness?

There is a bill before the House Judiciary Committee to protect physicians who recommend marijuana to their patients for certain illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and seizures, and the patients, like me, who use it as medicine from being prosecuted under state law. Please call your elected officials and tell them to vote yes on HB206 the Compassionate Care Act.
-----------------

I worked with one of the patients who is working with us at Compassionate Care to write this letter last week. Congratulations Michael!!! You did it!!

Compassionate Care Act in Judiciary Wednesday

Friends and Supporters,

I have just learned that the Compassionate Care Act HB206 will come up in the House Judiciary Committee at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 4. This meeting will be held in room 123 in the Alabama State House located on South Union St. in Montgomery.

The following is a list of the House Judiciary Committee Members. If you support medical marijuana in the state of Alabama then I need you to get on the phone and call each person on this list and ask them to vote to pass the HB206 out of committee.

Here is a sample script you can use when contacting these legislators.

Dear Representative/Senator ________:

My name is _____________, and I live in ________. I’m calling you today to urge your support of the Compassionate Care Act, which was introduced last year by Representative Laura Hall and will be brought up in the Judiciary Committee again on April 4.

The Compassionate Care Act would allow certain patients to possess and use doctor-recommended medical marijuana. Patients would have to receive a recommendation by their physician to use medical marijuana.

As your constituent, can you tell me if you will support sick patients by supporting the Compassionate Care Act?

[If yes]

Thank you so much for your support. I hope you will vote “yes” when this bill comes up for a vote on Wednesday.

[If No remain calm and polite—DO NOT ARGUE]

Thank you very much, can you tell me why you don’t support patients?

[Allow them to answer—you should write down their answer.]

I hope you’ll reconsider, and support this important legislation. I will send you a fact sheet. Thank you.

[ Background Information--If they ask for more information, you can share the facts below.]

As you may know, a 1999 study by the Institute of Medicine found that marijuana can alleviate symptoms related to painful diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and glaucoma. The Compassionate Care Act would allow patients access to the medicine they need to improve their quality of life.

Support for medical marijuana in Alabama is very high. A poll conducted by the Mobile Register / University of South Alabama in 2004 found that 75% of Alabamians support allowing access to doctor-recommended medical marijuana. And the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found 72% of older Americans support for allowing access to medical marijuana.

Please take the time today and call each Rep listed below. They make up the Judiciary Committee. If this bill passes out of the Judiciary Committee it will go to the House floor for a full debate and vote. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you call. They will likely be in their home districts until tomorrow. You can call them in their home districts or in Montgomery. Please distribute this WIDELY!!

Loretta Nall


Marcel Black
District 3
Colbert County
Work Phone: (256) 383-2435
Home Phone: (256) 381-5277



DISTRICT NO. 49 - Bibb and Shelby
Cam Ward
Work Phone: (205) 664-6848
Home Phone: (205) 664-1066



DISTRICT NO. 67 - Dallas
Yusaf Salaam
Home Phone: (334) 872-7571


Stephen McMillan
DISTRICT NO. 95 - Baldwin
State House: Room 532
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7723 Work:


District: P.O. Box 337
Bay Minette, Al. 36507

P.O. Box 776
Bay Minette, Al. 36507



DISTRICT NO. 101 - Mobile
Jamie Ison
Home Phone: (251) 342-6697
Legislative Office: (251) 208-5480



DISTRICT NO. 105 - Mobile
Spencer Collier 11615 Shannon Drive, East
Home Phone: (251) 937-0324


DISTRICT NO. 1 - Lauderdale
Tammy Irons


DISTRICT NO. 19 - Madison
Laura Hall
Home Phone: (256) 859-2234
Legislative Office: (256) 539-5441


DISTRICT NO. 23 - Jackson
John Robinson
Work Phone: (256) 574-9240
Home Phone: (256) 259-2434


DISTRICT NO. 46 - Jefferson and Shelby
Paul DeMarco
Work Phone: (205) 326-6600
Home Phone: (205) 802-7285


DISTRICT NO. 56 - Jefferson
Priscilla Dunn
Work Phone: (205) 432-3053
Home Phone: (205) 426-3795


DISTRICT NO. 65 - Choctaw, Clarke, and Washington
Marc Keahey
Work Phone: (251) 275-3127
Home Phone: (251) 275-3541


DISTRICT NO. 70 - Tuscaloosa
Chris England
Work Phone: (205) 349-0101
Home Phone: (205) 759-9265


DISTRICT NO. 20 - Madison
Howard Sanderford
Work Phone: (256) 533-1989
Home Phone (256) 881-8390