From: [p--ea--e] at [student.msu.edu] (Allen R. Pyle)
Newsgroups: alt.hemp,talk.politics.drugs
Subject: Michigan Medical MJ Day INFO
Date: 21 Oct 1994 20:10:42 GMT

News Release

October 15th, 1994   Contact: Charles Kile 313/287-9077

	Michigan citizens with serious medical conditions such as glaucoma and
multiple sclerosis are walking to the state capitol in an attempt to get
the state legislature to end the ban on using marijuana as medicine. 
Currently, patients face prosecution for using this safe and effective drug
to treat their illnesses.  

	Friday, November 11th, supporters from around Michigan will gather for the
Medical Marijuana Walk to the Capitol.  The walk begins at 8:30 am at the
home office of United Medical Marijuana Smokers of Michigan, Inc. (UMMSOM),
11280 McKinley in Taylor, Michigan.  Participants will walk approximately
100 miles, proceeding down Goddard to Telegraph, then down Grand River
Avenue to Michigan Avenue in East Lansing and down Michigan Avenue to the
Capitol steps.  The walk will conclude at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, November
15th, with a rally on the capitol steps.  Concurrent events will be held in
Washington, D.C. and other cities around the country as part of National
Medical Marijuana Day. 

	According to UMMSOM President Charles Kile, the Walk is designed to bring
attention to the state government of the need to reschedule marijuana to
allow doctors to prescribe it.  “Prohibition of medical marijuana causes
tremendous suffering for many thousands of Michigan’s citizens with
glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions,” notes Kile.

	Renee Emry, who has suffered from multiple sclerosis for 15 years, uses
marijuana as medicine to treat her disorder.  She was the first MS patient
in Michigan tested with medicinal marijuana in a government sponsored
study.  “The doctors told me I would probably be in a wheelchair in 3 to 5
years when I was first diagnosed with MS.  Today, I walk with just the aid
of a cane.  I’m taking part in the Walk to the Capitol because, thanks to
marijuana, I can walk.”

	In 1982, the Michigan House and Senate passed a resolution favoring
medical marijuana (Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 473), with Governor
John Engler (then a Senator) one of the resolution’s sponsors.  However, in
recent legislation which increases penalties for marijuana offenses (Senate
Bill 234), provisions making exemptions in the law for patients using
marijuana medicinally were removed from the bill by the state Senate.

	According to Kile, “Medical marijuana patients have been turned away from
testifying before Michigan’s congress on this issue and have been forced to
break the law to treat their conditions with marijuana—a safe and effective
medicine.  Now these seriously ill people have been forced to take to the
streets and walk of 100 miles to dramatize this injustice.”

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