The Coalition for Compassionate Access placed a full-page ad in the Wednesday, March 6, edition of The New York Times (page A9), calling on the Bush administration to implement the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences that — in its landmark 1999 report — urged the federal government to give seriously ill people immediate legal access to medical marijuana on a case-by-case basis.
The White House drug czar’s office used $1 million of taxpayer money to commission the NAS report, yet the federal government has refused to implement its recommendations for the past three years.
In the coming months, the Coalition for Compassionate Access will continue to grow as additional state legislators, clergy, celebrities, and organizations add their names to the sign-on letter.
More advertising and other media outreach efforts are being planned. Eventually, the pressure will be so great that the Bush administration will find it easier to change federal policy, rather than being accused of ignoring the science that supports marijuana’s therapeutic value, as well as the 73% of the American people who support making marijuana medically available.
We are currently in the process of planning our next rally. We’ve received a ton of support from from companies throughout the United States. If you’d like to donate anything for the next rally please let us know. Porta Potty Rental will once again be supplying porta potties, restroom trailers, and portable sinks, and we are currently looking for fencing and other general equipment.
The only question is this: How long will the Bush administration stall before it finally follows the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences?
The Marijuana Policy Project Foundation is providing staff time and financial support for this coalition, including paying for the full-page New York Times ad. To help the coalition escalate this campaign to pressure the Bush administration, please click here.