United
Patients Alliance Press Release
United Patients Alliance, who
campaign for legal access to cannabis therapeutics, held a Patient
Perspective event on Monday 28th September 2015, featuring Baroness
Molly Meacher, former Chief Constable Tom Lloyd and Jason Reed from Law
Enforcement Against Prohibition UK.
The event was held at
Friend's Meeting House, 173 - 177 Euston Road NW1 2BJ at 19:00-21:00.
The event gave patients a
forum for telling their stories and to inform the public of the proven medical
benefits of cannabis therapeutics, whilst dispelling the myths about its harms.
More than 70 people attended and the event a video and photos from which will be available shortly.
This is a topical issue with a debate in Parliament scheduled for the 12th October 2015 after more than 200 000 individuals signed a Government petition to Legalise the Sale, Production and Use of Cannabis.
This is a topical issue with a debate in Parliament scheduled for the 12th October 2015 after more than 200 000 individuals signed a Government petition to Legalise the Sale, Production and Use of Cannabis.
Speaking on the issue previously
Baroness Meacher, Chair of the APPG for Drug Policy Reform, has said:
"Cannabis significantly
helps people with MS whose symptoms don't respond to traditional treatments.
But cannabis also transforms the lives of people who live with chronic pain,
children with very severe epilepsy, cancer patients and many others. Germany is
among the European countries who have legalised cannabis for medical use.
Britain urgently needs to catch up."
Long term campaigner for drug
law reform, Tom Lloyd states:
"Let's be clear, it can
never be right for the police to arrest and prosecute someone for growing and
consuming cannabis to treat serious medical conditions. Legal access to
cannabis for all adults and legal access to cannabis for medical purposes for
all."
Producer of the film, The
Culture High, Jason Reed speaking for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition has
said:
“Our drug laws are designed
to protect communities, but in practice our drug policy simply criminalises
large sections of society and adds a second layer of harm. As an organisation
of police, we at LEAP UK have a unique perspective - we have seen first-hand
how drug laws are counterproductive, and serve only to fragment the
relationship between ordinarily law abiding citizens and the police. If we're
serious about addressing all harms in drug policy, then we must first look to
reform and end criminalisation.”
Founder of United Patients
Alliance and Multiple Sclerosis patient Clark French says:
"Cannabis is medicine
for thousands of UK patients suffering from chronic conditions, it is both
cruel and callous to seek to arrest someone for consuming something which makes
them feel better, we demand the government listens and changes the law to
reflect the science and allow legal access to cannabis for all UK citizens who
wish to benefit from cannabis' therapeutic potential"
Jonathan Liebling, depression
and anxiety patient and Political Director stated:
"For the 8000 medical
cannabis patients we represent and the estimated 1m across the UK the law must
change as soon as possible. What compassionate society would allow the
criminalisation of patients for consuming a medicine that helps them manage and
treat their illnesses and improves their lives?"
This event is part of a series of
events across London and the UK to inform public opinion and challenge the
government, with a growing evidence base for the benefits of cannabis
therapeutics. Visitors are always welcome at our events.
ENDS
Editors
notes:
Contact Details:
Jon Liebling | Political
Director - United Patients Alliance
E: jon@liebling.co.uk
M: 07921589237
Event Date/Time: Monday, 28th September 2015 19:00-21:00
Venue: Friend's Meeting House, 173 - 177 Euston Road NW1 2BJ
Guest Speakers:
Baroness Meacher - Chair of the
APPG for Drug Policy Reform and Life Peer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Meacher,_Baroness_Meacher
Jason Reed - Law Enforcement
against Prohibition UK and writer for Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jason-reed/
Tom Lloyd - Former Chief
Constable of Cambridgeshire and Chair of National Cannabis Coalition: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/sep/25/police-chief-tom-lloyd-chair-pro-legalisation-national-cannabis-coalition?CMP=share_btn_fb
Paul Birch – Founder of CISTA
and Help not Harm: http://cista.org/candidates/18
United Patients Alliance
Speakers:
Lesley Reynolds – NORML UK Women's
Alliance
Jonathan Liebling - Anxiety and
Depression
Clark French - Multiple
Sclerosis
Faye Jones - Rheumatoid
Arthritis
Alex Fraser - Crohn's/IBD
Jake Barrow – Chronic and
Neuropathic Pain
Michelle X – Multiple Sclerosis
Government petition to be debated
in Parliament on 12th October 2015: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104349
Please use our FB Page link in
any publications: https://www.facebook.com/unitedpatientsalliance?fref=ts
Quotes from United Patients
Alliance Patients:
Alex Fraser – Crohn’s Patient
"I was diagnosed with
Crohn's Disease at 19. I cannot be prescribed any traditional painkillers for
my chronic pain. Cannabis is my only medicine, it's the only thing that's ever
worked. It eases my pain, gives me an appetite, helps me sleep and reduces my nausea.
Regular use reduces all of my symptoms to the point where it enables me to
work. Without cannabis, my life would barely be worth living"
Faye Jones - Rheumatoid
Arthritis Patient
"I was diagnosed with
Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 27 and rely on cannabis for pain relief, and
to combat the side effects of prescribed treatments for my condition, that
would otherwise prevent me from staying in full time employment."
Jake Barrow - Chronic and
Neuropathic Pain Patient
"Patients in the UK need
access to medical cannabis immediately. To expect anyone to cope or even
survive on heavy opiate based medications for their entire lives shows how both
cruel and inhumane political ideology can be. We need to remove the stigma from
Medical Cannabis use"
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Introducing United Patients
Alliance
The United Patients Alliance are
a support and campaigning community of over 8000 medical cannabis patients who
suffer from a range of conditions including; Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis,
Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s, Anxiety, Depression, AIDS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, ME,
PTSD, Epilepsy, Chronic and Neuropathic Pain all of whom have found that
various types and strengths of cannabis consumed in a variety of ways has
proven to be a more effective medicine than their legal and prescribed
alternatives in improving their lives, reducing side effects and treating their
symptoms. These patients are forced to either live in unnecessary discomfort
and pain or risk dealing with criminals for their medicine and a criminal
record for growing it or consuming it.
We launched in June 2014 with
the support of Caroline Lucas MP and Professor David Nutt and have since gained
the direct support of a number of other politicians, including former drugs
minister, Norman Baker. We run Patient Perspective and Cannabis College events
around the UK to give patients a forum for telling their stories and to help
inform the public of the proven medical benefits whilst dispelling the myths
and half-truths about its harms. We estimate that there are about 1m active and
current medical cannabis consumers who would immediately benefit from a change
in this dreadful situation. In terms of genuine information on medical cannabis
and how best to consume it, we are the UK’s experts on cannabis as a medicine.
