ORGANIZATION NEWS:

* Schweickart Campaign Reaches Out to Voters at Comfest June 28-30

* The People Have Spoken; Politicians Need to Listen

NATIONAL NEWS:

* The June 6th Medical Marijuana Actions

* Federal Judge Issues Injunction Against California Cannabis Clubs

* The Washington Post Runs Story on MPP and Zogby

* Aphios Awarded National Cancer Institute Grant for Developing Natural Cannabinoid Products for Medical Use

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

* GW Pharmaceuticals Posts Results of Cannabis Research

* U.S. Drug Czar Warns Canada on Plan

The following items are included in every OPNews:

* OPNews Disclaimer

* You Are Invited to OPN Meetings

* How to Get Your Information in OPNews

* How to be Removed from the OPNews List

* How To Contact Your State Representative And Senator

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SCHWEICKART CAMPAIGN REACHES OUT TO VOTERS AT COMFEST JUNE 28-30

(Columbus, OH) OPN Director of Development Ken Schweickart continues his bid for the Ohio House of Representatives. This weekend, Ken and his campaign volunteers will be gathering support at Comfest (http://www.comfest.com/index.htm), a community street fair that will be held in Columbus from Friday June 28 through Sunday June 30.

A master of grassroots organizing, Ken is energizing constituents and mobilizing voters in House District 22. In addition to meeting constituents at his Comfest table, he will be speaking twice on Sunday at the main stage.

Ken demonstrated his commitment to medical marijuana when he co-founded the OPN and co-authored the Ohio Medical Marijuana Act (http://ohiopatient.net/Ohio_Medical_Marijuana_Act.htm). He pledges to introduce the bill, once elected.

You can support Ken’s campaign and the OMMA by donating money and/or time. Contact Ken at dpeo@earthlink.net to get involved.

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THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN; POLITICIANS NEED TO LISTEN

By Mary Jane Borden

(Columbus, OH) In conjunction with the June 6, 2002, National Day of Direct Action (NDDA) for medical marijuana, the Ohio Patient Network launched "The People Have Spoken: Medical Marijuana Polling 1996-2002," an extensive analysis of public opinion concerning medical marijuana that is available at http://ohiopatient.net/Poll_Analysis.htm.

As the principle author of the report, I've been asked a number of questions about it, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to answer them. These questions are summarized from those posed by a number of different individuals.

Q. Do you feel the report received adequate media attention?

A. Yes and no. In Columbus, OPN's home media market (per our return address), coverage was excellent. WTVN (ABC-6)/WTTE (Fox 28) interviewed Ken Schweickart, Jim Bosc, and me for their evening news on June 6. Ken, OPN's Director of Development, is running for the Ohio House District 22 seat on the Democratic ticket, while Jim is a Tourettes Syndrome patient for whom cannabis works wonders.

The segment that aired at 5:45 p.m. was almost two minutes long. It followed a very patriotic commercial for an event that was held that evening featuring General Norman Schwartzkoff. "[Medical marijuana] is good for Ohio, good for Ohioans, and good for the United States." Those were my exact words that followed this commercial and a brief introduction by the reporter. Naturally, I was wearing a navy blue blazer! While the reporter did interject comments from the opposition, he concluded by directly referring to the 68% of Americans who support medical cannabis, giving us credit for the statistic.

As good as this coverage was, though, the national media attention for the NDDA proved lackluster, and very little about either it or the poll analysis was aired elsewhere in Ohio. We clearly have more work to do promoting "The People Have Spoken" in the media.

Q. What do you feel were the most important findings?

A. I'd point to two specifically. First, not only is public opinion overwhelmingly in favor of the medical use of marijuana, it is growing. Both the Virginia Quality of Life Surveys and the 2001 Pew Research Center study found this shift to be statistically significant. The former set of studies indicated that favorable public opinion grew from roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of respondents over the past five years. In the latter, those opposed dropped six points over a similar time period. In both these cases, the differences exceeded the margin of error, revealing a real, tangible trend.

Secondly, the level of support for medical marijuana among political party members, particularly Democrats, is substantial, and this support is very strong. Consequently, while under reported in the national media, medical marijuana may exercise a tremendous influence over coming elections. This may be especially true if those who hold their opinions as strongly as they claim act upon them.

Q. Considering that it is based on a Canadian survey, do you think your estimate of medical marijuana patients and arrests is accurate?

A. Certainly, one can argue that Canada and the U.S. differ like apples and oranges. However, we are also alike in many ways. Assigning a number to this issue - nine million medicinal cannabis patients in the United States and 250,000 medical marijuana arrests in the last ten years - gives it dimension. These numbers may also reflect the strength behind polling percentages so heavily in its favor. If we are wrong, we challenge our critics to come up with better estimates.

Q. What does the future hold for this analysis?

A. "The People Have Spoken" will be more than a one time report. OPN plans to build on this database, adding new studies as they are either conducted or come to our attention. In addition, we may be able to acquire cross tabulation data that show responses by various demographic characteristics, giving our supporters valuable strategic information. OPN hopes that every politician in the U.S. will read "The People Have Spoken." When they have, we hope to either have changed their minds or put them out of a job.

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THE JUNE 6TH MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACTIONS

Source: The Week Online with DRCNet, Issue #241, June 14, 2002. http://www.drcnet.org/wol/241.html#june6th

[The June 6th] campaign organized by Americans for Safe Access (http://www.safeaccessnow.org) saw protest actions at 54 DEA offices and other federal buildings across the country…. 

The June 6th actions, part of a growing national campaign to force the Justice Department and the DEA to "Cease and Desist" from arresting medical marijuana providers and patients, included a large contingent of cities in California, where the DEA has recently undertaken a series of raids aimed at medical marijuana providers, but also included cities across the country ranging from such obvious sites as Washington, DC, Portland, and Seattle, to more surprising locations, such as San Antonio, Wichita, Tampa, and even Rock Island, IL and Saginaw, MI.

In two cities, Washington and San Francisco, protestors engaged in acts of civil disobedience.  In both cases, protestors blocked the doors of federal buildings.  Ten were arrested and released in Washington, plus eight in San Francisco.

In other cities, events ranged from simple picket lines to demonstrations to direct actions, such as banner drops in highly visible locations.  The single largest demonstration was in Santa Rosa, CA, where more than 300 people showed up to protest DEA raids there the previous week.

According to press reports compiled by ASA and the Media Awareness Project (http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0243.html), the demonstrations forced the closing of federal buildings or DEA offices in various series.  In other cities, buildings were operating with skeleton crews.  The series of demonstrations garnered extensive local media coverage in mid-size and smaller cities, but largely failed to dent the national media.  In Washington, DC, for example, the small conservative newspaper the Washington Times published a large article, but the nationally prominent Washington Post covered the arrests at the Justice Department with just two sentences.  Neither were the demonstrations picked up by the national TV networks…

Berkeley-based Steph Sherer is the ASA's lead organizer.  She told DRCNet that national media coverage was less than hoped for, but that she expected that to change.  "At almost every place there was a protest, at least one local media outlet covered it," she said, "but we still face some challenges with the national media. That's nothing new.  But I'm confident that as this movement grows, it is only a matter of time until the national press picks this up and begins seeing it as a national movement."

According to accounts provided by ASA, the Media Awareness Project and Mintwood Media, the protests garnered at least 17 stories in local newspapers (12 of them major dailies) and at least 34 local TV news reports.  But Mintwood's Eidinger told DRCNet that if syndicated news services, such as Conus, which feed stories to small local TV stations are included, the number of stories is probably greater than one hundred.

"The effort was not in vain," said Eidinger.  "It was a heavy news day and we still managed to generate coverage.  What is clear is that we can generate positive press with this demonstration strategy.  We need to continue organizing the grassroots and holding demonstrations," he added.  "And with the extensive work done making media contacts prior to the demonstrations, we have laid the groundwork for future coverage.  We may not have been covered as much as we would like, but now we are on the radar in newsrooms across the country.  With more protests and more militant protests, we will begin to garner more attention," Eidinger said.

ASA's Sherer pronounced herself pleased with the June 6th actions, but called them "only a great first step."  More is coming, she vowed.  "Bush and the DEA have been put on notice," she said.  "We had only 3 ½ weeks to organize these actions, and this one small call to action shut down federal buildings across the country."

The movement will continue to broaden its support base and organize more intensely locally, said Sherer.  "We need to build larger constituencies, and we need to prepare for an emergency response if and when the DEA makes its next move," she said.

That could come soon.  On Thursday, US District Judge Charles Breyer issued a permanent injunction barring the Oakland Cannabis Co-op and several other medical marijuana providers from distributing the medicine to their patients.  That move could be the green light the DEA has been waiting for.

But Sherer and ASA aren't waiting.  "People are coming to us from all over the country, wanting to organize ASA chapters," she said. "We need them, we need them to organize their communities.  This will take the effort of the entire nation."

[snip]

NOTE: For a city-by-city report on the June 6th protests, visit http://safeaccessnow.org/newswire_detail.php?all=2

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FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUES INJUNCTION AGAINST CALIFORNIA CANNABIS CLUBS

Source: The Week Online with DRCNet, Issue #241, June 14, 2002. http://www.drcnet.org/wol/241.html#judgebreyer

(California) US District Judge Charles Breyer issued a permanent injunction Monday against the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Coop and two other coops that have already shut down, ordering them to immediately halt the distribution of medical marijuana. Medical marijuana supporters fear the injunction will be a green light for the DEA to step up its persecution of activities that are legal under California law but banned by the federal government.

By following the route of civil injunctions, the DEA and the Justice Department avoid having to resort to criminal prosecutions of medical marijuana providers, a tactic that could backfire dramatically in a state where voters overwhelming approved medical marijuana at the ballot box.

The ruling was not unexpected. Breyer had in early May issued a temporary injunction after denying numerous requests from medical marijuana lawyers to find a way to allow the distribution of medical marijuana within federal law. That ruling came in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Coop case, in which a unanimous court held that California's medical marijuana law did not override federal restrictions on marijuana distribution.

"A medical-necessity exception for marijuana is at odds with the terms of the Controlled Substances Act," Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in his opinion. "The statute reflects a determination that marijuana has no medical benefits worthy of an exception, outside the confines of a government-approved research project."

The DEA has in recent months stepped up its persecution of medical marijuana providers, provoking the formation of Americans for Safe Access (http://www.safeaccessnow.org), the umbrella group that organized last week's demonstrations at DEA offices around the country. ASA has an emergency response plan for raids that may follow this ruling.

NOTE: You can find the most recent ruling on the OCBC case at http://www.rxcbc.org/legal/

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THE WASHINGTON POST RUNS STORY ON MPP AND ZOGBY

Source: Marijuana Policy Project update by Rob Kampia. June 7, 2002.

(Washington, DC) The Style section of "The Washington Post" just ran a front-page story on MPP's partnership with Zogby International, one of the most respected polling firms in the nation. At issue was MPP's efforts to recruit on-line survey respondents among its members and allies for Zogby; in exchange, Zogby is providing free national polling for MPP.

After learning of the partnership, an extreme, ineffectual, prohibitionist organization by the name of Drug Watch International (DWI) released a statement saying, "The insidious inroads that the small but heavily financed drug culture continues to make into the fabric of society is truly frightening. It is time for the media to expose these lobbyists, just as they would expose pedophiles who try to influence child abuse laws and enforcement."

You can read the article at http://www.mpp.org/states/site/quicknews.cgi?key=924 .

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APHIOS AWARDED NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE GRANT FOR DEVELOPING NATURAL CANNABINOID PRODUCTS FOR MEDICAL USE

Source: Aphios Corporation press release June 04, 2002. http://www.aphios.com/press/prcannabinoidgrantI.htm

(Woburn, MA) Aphios Corporation was recently awarded a Phase I SBIR grant entitled "Development of a Natural Cannabinoid Product" from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) and a number of cannabinoids including its primary psychoactive component, Del 9-THC (Del 9-tetrahydrocannabinol), show promise for treating pain and cachexia in cancer and AIDS patients. The overall goal of this research program is to develop a natural pharmaceutical grade Del 9-THC product for medical use. While Del 9-THC can be synthesized, the process is complex and expensive. Aphios plans to cost-effectively manufacture a natural Del 9-THC product by utilizing supercritical fluids and near-critical fluids w/wo polar cosolvents such as alcohols (SuperFluids™). The Company anticipates that such a process will also produce other bioactive cannabinoids and cannabinoid mixtures for future research and therapeutic use.

Aphios Corporation (www.aphios.com) is a biopharmaceutical company that is developing enhanced natural therapeutics for health maintenance and the treatment of human diseases with a focus on infectious diseases and oncology. The Company has developed several enabling SuperFluids™ technology platforms for improving the discovery, manufacturing, delivery and safety of therapeutic drugs, and has several enhanced therapeutic drugs in development. Aphios' product pipeline includes small pharmaceutically active molecules from medicinal plants and marine organisms, and large protein macromolecules that are crucial to the functioning of the human genome.

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GW PHARMACEUTICALS POSTS RESULTS OF CANNABIS RESEARCH

Source: GW Pharmaceuticals plc press release, June 13, 2002.

www.gwpharm.com/news_pres_13_jun_02_int.html

[Snip]

Phase III Update

(England) Since the beginning of this financial year, GW has commenced eight Phase III clinical trials to support our first regulatory applications. The start of the latest two of these trials is being announced today. These new trials target specific symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis – spasticity and bladder dysfunction.

Including the first Multiple Sclerosis trial which commenced in May 2001, GW now has nine Phase III trials underway. These trials will involve approximately 650 patients.

The trials are progressing to schedule with recruitment in the leading four Phase III trials now over 85% complete.

GW now has in place a broad Phase III trials programme simultaneously examining a range of different symptoms and medical conditions. This programme is designed to generate safety and efficacy data to allow GW to seek regulatory approval for its cannabis-based medicines in a range of medical conditions. Results from the first few trials to complete are intended to form the basis of GW's first regulatory submission to the Medicines Control Agency, scheduled for 2003…

The Phase III trials programme is examining the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicines in the following medical conditions:

* Multiple Sclerosis (multiple symptoms)

* Cancer Pain

* Brachial plexus injury (a severe form of nerve-damage pain)

* Pain in Spinal Cord Injury

* Pain & Sleep in Multiple Sclerosis and Spinal Cord Injury

* Neuropathic pain in Multiple Sclerosis

* General neuropathic pain (as evidenced by allodynia - a painful response to typically non-painful stimulus)

All trials are double-blind and placebo controlled, and are taking place at hospital centres around the UK. Certain trials also include centres in other European countries. The cannabis-based medicine is being administered by means of an oro-mucosal spray.

Phase II Update

GW’s Phase II trials have involved approximately 120 patients to date. Of the first 109 patients, 88 completed the acute phase, of which 86 elected to continue long term.

In January 2002, GW presented an updated set of data from Dr Notcutt’s Phase II trial in Multiple Sclerosis and Spinal Cord Injury patients. This data showed statistically significant improvement in chronic pain even in small patient numbers. Also in January, GW presented data from a Phase II trial examining the effects of cannabis-based medicines on bladder function in MS patients. Initial positive results from this study have been presented by the trial investigators at scientific symposia. The results demonstrated the potential for cannabis medicines to produce significant improvements in a range of lower urinary tract symptoms including incontinence in MS patients.

New previously unreleased data from Dr Robson’s and Professor Wade’s Phase II trial in 24 Multiple Sclerosis patients is currently being prepared for publication. Key findings from this study are that improvements have been seen across a range of MS symptoms, several of which have reached statistical significance despite the small patient numbers. Perhaps most importantly, data from this study have revealed the potentially exciting properties of GW’s plant extract containing principally the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, cannabidiol ("CBD"). The CBD extract product outperformed other products in relieving pain and GW is now examining the potential incorporation of CBD into larger MS trials.

Following data from early Phase II trials, which demonstrated an apparent improvement in duration and quality of sleep, GW commissioned a specific Phase II study at a sleep laboratory in eight subjects to investigate this matter further. Encouragingly, the study showed that cannabis-based medicine produced no pathological effects on the process of normal sleep. The results suggest that rebound insomnia, a common problem with hypnotic drugs such as benzodiazepines, would not be expected to occur to any significant degree following cessation of long-term treatment with cannabis-based medicine. Interestingly, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC") had rather different effects on the central nervous system, and this interaction resulted in some useful consequences, in particular it was shown that CBD modulated certain effects of THC.

Positive results have also been presented from an exploratory post-operative pain study in patients post hysterectomy. Pain relief in the immediate post-operative period may provide an additional potential market… A pilot study is due to commence shortly, which may be followed by a larger Phase III study.

Importantly, the Phase II data generated to date continues to provide confidence in the Phase III programme being undertaken and indeed has revealed additional unexpected findings which may yield potential new product and market opportunities.

[Snip]

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U.S. DRUG CZAR WARNS CANADA ON PLAN

Source: Associated Press (Wire), June 13, 2002. Copyright 2002 Associated Press. This article is archived at: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1094/a09.html?1352

(Quebec) Canada should get tough on marijuana instead of decriminalizing the drug or allowing people to use it for medicinal purposes, U.S. drug policy chief John Walters said Wednesday.

"Canada's decision about how it handles this or other issues of regulated substance is its decision. We respect that," Walters told reporters during a two-day visit for an international meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence.

But he made it clear the American government disagrees with recent moves in Canada to liberalize drug policies.

More than 250 Canadians have federal government clearance to smoke marijuana for medical reasons. Canada amended drug laws last year to allow patients with conditions such as HIV, cancer, and multiple sclerosis to use marijuana legally.

Walters said there were better ways to treat patients than smoking marijuana.

A Canadian Senate committee has expressed initial support for decriminalizing marijuana, with its final report due in August following public hearings. A preliminary report released in May said no scientific evidence exists that marijuana use leads to harder drugs, or that it is more dangerous to society than alcohol.

Canadian federal agencies spend about $326 million each year to fight drugs and more than 30,000 people are charged with simple possession annually, the preliminary report said.

If Canada follows the committee's initial recommendations, marijuana would still be illegal, but users would not be penalized. That would differ from the zero tolerance policy of the U.S. government.

Walters, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that of the 4.3 million Americans suffering drug addiction, 65 percent are dependent on marijuana.

Liberal drug laws in Canada would be a concern for the United States, Walters said.

"It certainly could become a problem if the trade is able to use our borders as a vehicle to enhance their effectiveness to move drugs across the border," he said of drug smugglers.

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The following items are included in every OPNews:

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OPNews DISCLAIMER

OPNews, a publication of Ohio Patient Network (OPN), provides medical cannabis news that affects Ohio patients, caregivers, and health professionals. Articles are intended for information purposes and do not reflect an official position by OPN or the OPN Board of Directors.

For more information, contact Jean Taddie, Editor (editor@ohiopatient.net).

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YOU ARE INVITED TO OPN MEETINGS

The OPN Board of Directors invites you to participate in the OPN planning meetings. Electronic voice/text meetings are held at the OPN chatroom in PalTalk.

To receive PalTalk and meeting room instructions, as well as date and time information, contact info@ohiopatient.net.

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HOW TO GET YOUR INFORMATION IN OPNews

OPNews is published monthly. To have your information considered for publication, submit your story to editor@ohiopatient.net.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS. Please do not boldface or italicize text. Include a contact name with a phone number and/or e-mail address with submissions.

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HOW TO BE REMOVED FROM THE OPNews LIST

You may sign off this list at any time by using the webform at www.ohiopatient.net.

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HOW TO CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR 

Find your Representative in the Ohio House at http://www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/Representatives.jsp

Find your Ohio Senator at http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/

Write to your officials care of their district office, or send your letter to their Columbus office at:

The Honorable (name)

Ohio House of Representatives

77 South High Street

Columbus, Ohio 43266-0603

-or-

The Honorable (name)

Ohio Senate Building

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Telephone calls and emails are also persuasive, especially when the constituent contacts the district office.