The American Nurses Association recognizes that patients should have safe access to therapeutic cannabis - marijuana.

The ANA passed such a resolution in 2004 at the request of its Congress
on Nursing Practice and Economics.

The nursing community supports the resolution overwhelmingly.

Part of the resolution stresses the need for the education of nurses
regarding current evidence on therapeutic use of cannabis.

Patients Out of Time is providing the education called for by not only
the nursing profession, but dozens of other health care organizations of
a variety of medical specialties.

This conference will take place in Santa Barbara, Calif., on April 7-8
in conjunction with the California Nurses Association and the University
of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.

The conference that is providing this educational forum, accredited for
medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other professionals, is the
fourth in a biennial series put on by this patient advocacy
organization. Information and registration is available at
http://www.medicalcannabis.com.

"The federal government says that cannabis is not medicine and there is
little science on the subject with no medical groups in support. I'm
working on the fourth forum, all accredited by medical and nursing
organizations from around the country, and it's going to be a sellout.
Clearly the political class and the regulators are either uniformed or
are being misinformed," said Al Byrne, planning committee member and
co-founder of Patients Out of Time.

MARY LYNN MATHRE, RN
President
American Nurses Association

Newshawk: Is My Medicine Legal YET? www.immly.org
Source: Ocean County Observer
Pubdate:  9 February 2006
Author: Mary Lynn Mathre, RN