Medical Marijuana Patients Petition Pelosi

For Immediate Release:

SF Medical Cannabis Patients Petition Pelosi

San Francisco, CA - May 1, 2012. The Patient Advocacy Committee of the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Task Force has gathered thousands of signatures from San Francisco voters to deliver to Congressional Representative Nancy Pelosi in reaction to recent closures of local medical cannabis cooperatives and the five additional cooperatives slated to close their doors mid-May. Patient advocates are hopefull that Nancy Pelosi will help end the assault on medical cannabis cooperatives, because of her long history of support for medical cannabis and HIV/AIDS issues. Patient advocates are requesting that Representative Pelosi prevent the destruction of San Francisco’s Regulatory Program that serves thousands of patients with safe and legal medical cannabis.

A Democratic Party resolution, spearheaded by Gabriel Haaland, supports the rights of cannabis patient by callling on ALL Democratic leadership, including President Obama, Representative Pelosi, and Attorney General Eric Holder to protect safe access and not circumvent state law with the Department of Justice resources. http://www.scribd.com/doc/91783023/Resolution-of-the-San-Francisco-Democratic-Party

The Harvey Milk Democratic Club also voted unanimously to co-sponsor the patient advocates’ petition to Pelosi. “The Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club calls on representative Pelosi and all elected officials to protect our medical cannabis clubs and ensure access to medical cannabis for marginalized, low income patients and demand a stop to the harrassment by federal agents,” Glenn Hyde, president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club.

The San Francisco Health Department, which oversees the city’s medical cannabis program, is on public record stating that “no complaints” have been filed from the host neighborhoods of established and city permitted co-ops. Despite the fact of there being no complaints from the community, US Attorney Melinda Haag continues to seek closures of co-operatives, even those who have improved the safety of their neighborhood. “I’ve worked hard to improve our neighborhood and don’t want to be punished for making it safe for children to walk down our streets,” said Cathy Smith, founder of Hope.Net co-operative whose landlord was a recipient of a letter from the US Attorney.

Supervisor David Campos has voiced concern for the civil rights and safety of the city’s disabled patients. “San Francisco has a regulatory system with neighborhood input and government oversight. It is misquided and wrong that US Attorney Melinda Haag would choose to target a well-implemented system and force disabled patients into a criminal arena for legal medicine.”

Who: The Patient Advocacy Committee of the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Task Force and The Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club .
When: 12:00 Noon, May 2, 2012.
Where: The Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate, San Francisco
What: Media event with speakers as local disabled patients turn in thousands of signatures to Democratic leader Rep. Pelosi ‘s office requesting her leadership to prevent more closures of medical cannabis cooperatives in mid-May by the US Attorney Melinda Haag.

Contact for more information:
Email: Emergencymmjinsf [at] gmail.com
Phone: 415 240 5247

If you would like to sign the petition to Nancy Pelosi electronically, visit the link below.
http://www.change.org/petitions/representative-nancy-pelosi-oppose-the-raids-against-medical-cannabis-facilities

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