The Compassionate Coalition

Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007
Subject: Sept. 7 Deadline Looms for DEA, Your Help Is Needed!
To: "NORML News" norml_news@mail.norml.org

Sept. 7 Deadline Looms for DEA, Your Help Is Needed!

Dear NORML Supporters,

Over the past few months the Multiple-Disciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and marijuana reform organizations such as NORML, and a surprisingly broad coalition of allies across the country have turned the heat up on the US House of Representatives and the DEA. Together, we are telling our elected leaders that we want the controversy over medical marijuana resolved by science, rather than politics.

NORML supports MAPS' efforts to conduct long-suppressed FDA drug development trials with the marijuana plant, and to bring it to market as a legal, prescription medicine if it meets federal standards for medical safety and efficacy. The millions of patients suffering from conditions that could benefit from marijuana have a right to know whether smoked and vaporized marijuana passes the FDA test.

So far, over 35 House members have signed on to Rep. John Olver's (D-MA) and Dana Rohrabacher's (R-CA) Congressional sign-on letter in support of University of Massachusetts at Amherst Prof. Craker's application to the DEA to break the 30-year old government monopoly on growing research-grade cannabis, but with your help several more members of Congress will take a historic stand for marijuana research and scientific freedom.

As a graduate of UMass/Amherst, it would make the director of NORML proud to visit his ol' alma mater's research plot of cannabis!*

With the final deadline of September 7 approaching fast, now is the time to show that there is public support and political will behind this critical issue. There are dozens -- if not hundreds -- of representatives that should support this issue based on their statements and voting records. Yet, most politicians will only consider signing a letter with a seemingly controversial word like "marijuana" if their constituents ask them to do so.

That's why you can play a critical role by contacting your representative as soon as possible before the Sept. 7 deadline for the Congressional sign-on letter to the DEA. (If your representative has already signed, tell them you support their decision by saying "thank you.")

To automatically email your House member click here: http://ga0.org/campaign/umass

Although emails do have an impact, the most effective way to have a powerful impact on your representative is to ask for a meeting with a staffer in your member's district office. Personalized phone calls and letters are also very effective. For instructions to contact your representative by letter or phone, click here: http://www.maps.org/mmj/DEAlawsuit.html#bipartisan

It has been over six years since Professor Lyle Craker, Ph.D., Director, Medicinal Plant Program, Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, at UMass-Amherst, first applied to DEA for a Schedule I license to manufacture marijuana exclusively for federally approved research.

Why is the DEA and federal government going to such bizarre lengths to stop MAPS and Professor Craker? They know that if marijuana is brought before the FDA, it is likely to be approved.

The only way that the government will change course is if individuals who support cannabis law reform encourage Congress to support MAPS' and Professor Craker's reform efforts, and for them to tell the DEA not to challenge the current DEA administrative ruling that would allow UMass/Amherst to cultivate research-grade quality cannabis.

Thanks for your action in support reforming cannabis laws!

With warm regards,

-Allen St. Pierre
Executive Director
NORML
Washington, DC
director@norml.org
*UMass/Amherst 1989