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  • Cannabis’ Impact on Health Justifies Its Legalization, Not Its Criminal Prohibition
  • Enlightening Elephants
  • Feds Turn Up Heat
  • New Groups Engage In Kansas
    00MC/Marijuana Mission
  • One Brilliant Example
  • Progress Report
  • Speakers Needed
  • Talking To Lions
  • Previous Headlines
    12.21.11: States Say It's Time To Rethink Medical Marijuana
    12.21.11: Gingrich Proposed Death Penalty for Pot but Admits Smoking It Himself
    12.21.11: Colorado will ask DEA to reschedule marijuana in recognition of medical value
    12.06.11:Medical Marijuana Jeopardizes Liver Transplant
    12.02.11:Study: Legalizing medical marijuana reduces traffic fatalities
    12.01.11:Governors Ask U.S. to Ease Rules on Marijuana
    11.23.11:Several Republican Presidential Candidates Favor Medical Marijuana
    11.20.11:CBS Marijuana Poll: Medical, Yes; Legalization, Not Quite
    11.14.11:A Step Backwards: CA Court Rules Cities Can Ban Marijuana Dispensaries
    11.14.11:Pot Patient: "If I Didn't Smoke Marijuana, I Would Be Blind"
    11.10.11:Study: Vaporized Cannabis Augments The Analgesic Effects Of Opiates In Human Subjects
    11.09.11: Missouri Approves Marijuana Legalization Initiatives
    11.01.11:ASA Sues Government to Stop Attacks on State Medical Cannabis Programs (scroll down page)
    11.01.11:Study: Legal Medical Marijuana Doesn't Encourage Kids to Smoke More Pot
    11.01.11:US Reps, CA AG Chide Feds on Medical Marijuana
    10.27.11: Poll Shows Half of Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana
    10.27.11:4 Ways the Feds Are Attacking the Perfectly Legal Medical Marijuana Industry
    10.20.11:Marijuana may help PTSD. Why won’t the government find out for sure?
    10.19.11:CA Activists Say Feds Can't Stop Medical Marijuana
    10.17.11:California Doctors' Group Says Legalize Marijuana
    10.12.11: RAND Pulls LA Marijuana Dispensary Crime Study, Pending Review
    10.08.11: Is Obama's Drug Policy Worse Than Bush's? The War on Medical Marijuana Escalates
    10.04.11: Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative Makes Ballot
    10.01.11: Marijuana study of traumatized veterans stuck in regulatory limbo
    9.30.11: Arizona Nurse Says She Was Fired Over Medical Marijuana
    9.20.11: Study Finds No Link Between Medical Marijuana Dispensaries and Crime
    9.16.11: New Study: Crohn’s Disease Mitigated By Cannabis
    Enlightening Elephants
    7/21/11: On July 15, Dr Jon Hauxwell spoke to the Wichita Pachyderm Club about medical cannabis. This was a BIG gig! For those who aren't familiar with the Pachyderm Club, it is an association of ultra-conservative movers and shakers around Wichita.

    We were prepared for a frosty reception from club members, but they surprised us with a warm welcome, most attendees seemed to be quite interested in the subject matter and several had good, thoughtful questions. Dr H's presentation was perfect for this crowd--thank you, Doc, for a job very well done.

    Remember, your group can engage Dr H or one of our other qualified speakers; just get in touch with our speaker booker, Tom Ballard and he will be happy to assist you in setting up your engagement.


    Feds Turn Up Heat
    5/11/2011: Evidently feeling threatened by so many states considering medical cannabis legislation, the Obama administration has reneged on its October 2009 promise not to waste precious resources on raiding MC clinics, dispensaries and grow operations in states which have legalized cannabis for medical use.

    Several recent raids have been conducted by DEA agents in California, Oregon, Washington and other states which have enacted medical cannabis ordinances. Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-morgan/obama-medical-marijuana_b_857852.html or http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/04/exclusive-doj-plan-to-arrest-state-licensers-tax-dispensaries-could-doom-medical-marijuana-industry/

    Please contact your representatives in Washington and tell them to stop this outrageous activity immediately.


    Progress Report
    9/9/11: It's time to clear up the confusion: the Kansas Medical Cannabis Network IS "medcankan." At a recent "reorganizational meeting" of KMC Network's inner circle, members decided that our nickname, medcankan, should represent our web presence and our longer, more formal, name will continue to be featured on handouts and other printed materials.

    During the meeting we discussed and reaffirmed our focus on cannabis for medical use only. We discussed changing roles within the group but made no changes at this time.
    Additionally, we identified our short, medium, and long term goals and discussed strategies necessary to achieve them.
    Long term:

  • Federal re-scheduling of cannabis as Schedule III or lower
  • Passage of statute legalizing the medicinal use of cannabis in KS
    Intermediate:
  • Educate/motivate/mobilize public, especially legislators
  • Recruit bipartisan support for medicinal cannabis among legislators
  • Explore liaisons with other cannabis advocacy groups
    Short term:
  • State Fair advocacy
  • Initiate discussions with health-oriented public advocacy groups seeking sponsorship, monetary support, or just inclusion in their discussions of public policy
  • Assess feasibility of modifying HB 2330 into a condensed, simplified version

    This is quite a laundry list. Obviously, we'll need a lot of help. At this time, our core membership stands at seven. I wonder how long it would take the seven of us to achieve these goals? Can you help? We have many crucial tasks that can be done anonymously, if that's what is stopping you from volunteering with us. Please think about it. Thank you.


    New Groups Engage in Kansas Medical Cannabis/Marijuana Mission
    5/25/11: The movement is growing! We are very pleased to welcome these new groups who have joined in the struggle for safe, legal access for Kansas patients: The Kannabis Project, Liberate Kansas, and NORML Kansas.

    While some of these organizations might advocate a broader relaxation of Kansas cannabis/marijuana laws than this network actually does, the bottom line is that if/when these groups are successful who benefits the most? The people who have been suffering needlessly for so long---chronically ill Kansas residents.

    This is why we, along with Wichita Area Citizens for Medical Marijuana and Johnson County NORML (JoCoNORML) extend a warm welcome to these groups as we unite and work together for seriously ill Kansas patients and those who love and care for them.

    If you would like to get involved, please contact any of these groups, and thank you very much for supporting our work.


    One Brilliant Example
    How often have we heard, "I'm only one person; how could I make a difference?" Here's what one pain-wracked prospective patient did: David Mulford of Hutchinson decided the most direct and least expensive way to advocate good sense was to enlighten and try to work with his county fathers. He wrote up a proposal to the commissioners suggesting that marijuana be decriminalized in his county. He is presenting his proposal to commissioners one at a time and is amazed, as are we all, by his spectacular results so far. It seems there is very solid support among most of the people in authority Dave has spoken to and they heartily encouraged him to push on!

    We can't all expect to get results like this, of course, but the tide is turning and it's thanks to efforts like this one, carried out by one desperate but law-abiding patient who had recently been told he's on his last legs--literally. This one brave man went to bat for every patient in the state. He deserves our undying gratitude---and our help. Now let's see what the rest of us can do!


    Speakers Needed
    6/7/11: Patients and caregivers, here is a wonderful opportunity to really make a difference for chronically ill Kansans. After more than a year of planning and laying the groundwork, KMC Network's public awareness campaign is beginning to roll. (See "Coming Events" on home page) We have a great need for public speakers to make presentations to small groups in their communities.

    We are targeting civic clubs (Lions, Rotary clubs), senior citizen groups, hospices, medical groups, cancer and MS support groups, etc., and any others we might convince to listen to us. We're beginning to get the engagements, but to be really effective we need more people willing to get out and tell their stories in person to the people of their own and nearby communities.

    If you are a patient or caregiver with a medical cannabis story to tell, please let us know right away and we'll do our best to keep you as busy as you want to be.


    Talking to Lions
    6/25/11: In June one of the first of what we hope will become a series of successful speaking engagements took place. Dr Jon Hauxwell talked about medical cannabis to about 30 members of the Salina Lions Club. We're calling the gig a success: fewer attendees than we expected to stood up and walked out.

    As Dr H began to speak, several attendees tried to appear disinterested, but as he continued to speak they appeared to become interested in his words in spite of themselves.

    Several good questions were asked and answered, and a few folks with more questions stayed to speak with the doc afterward. The club has even invited him to talk to them again one of these days.

    Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Doc.

    If you would like Dr H or another of our speakers to talk to your group, please contact us and we'll see what we can do.

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