Cannabis Patients, Advocates, and Industry Leaders Converge at National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference in D.C.

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting on Friday, April 7th and running until Tuesday, April 11th, medical cannabis industry business leaders, medical and legal professionals, advocates, and patients will gather at the Unity 2017 conference in Washington, D.C. to discuss common-sense policies and approaches to safe medical cannabis access and use. With the uncertainty of policies under a new U.S. administration, 2017 will be one of the most important years for medical cannabis policy ever.

What:  5th Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference
Where: Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC,
When: Friday, April 7th to Tuesday, April 11th, 2017

The conference is made possible by Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA). The five-day conference schedule is available here.

Forty-four states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam have passed laws which grant their residents the right to possess,cultivate, and/or obtain cannabis or cannabis-based products under the care of their physician. Despite the more than 89 percent of Americans who think that cannabis should be made legal, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently took a hardline stance against medical cannabis, noting that he was "astonished" to hear that legalizing cannabis could solve America's heroin crisis. Yet, in states where medical cannabis is legal, 25 percent fewer people die from opioid overdoses annually.

At the same time, the CJS amendment, commonly referred to as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, which prohibits the Department of Justice from using any funds to interfere in state medical cannabis programs and bars ongoing federal cases, expires April 28th. If it is not renewed patients, caregivers, doctors, and industry workers abiding by their state's medical cannabis law will no longer be protected from federal prosecution.

"In recent years, due to the CJS amendment, the Department of Justice has become increasingly less focused on prosecuting users of medical cannabis. The proposed budget seeks to make massive cuts to the Food and Drug Administration, the agency ultimately responsible for approving new medicines, while greatly increasing the budget for DEA Agents. If passed, these budgetary items could be incredibly detrimental to medical cannabis patients," said Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring safe and legal access to medical cannabis for therapeutic use and research.

"We are proud to be on the forefront of innovations in natural, botanical high-cannabidiol (CBD) products that are improving the lives of people worldwide," said Dr. Stuart Titus, CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc., the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States. "Unity 2017 is a fantastic opportunity for industry leaders to exchange ideas and bring attention to the need for and protection of policies that can save lives."

About Americans for Safe Access
The mission of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for therapeutic use and research. 

ASA was founded in 2002, by medical cannabis patient Steph Sherer, as a vehicle for patients to advocate for the acceptance of cannabis as medicine. With over 100,000 active members in all 50 states, ASA is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works to overcome political, social and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, research, grassroots empowerment, advocacy and services for patients, governments, medical professionals, and medical cannabis providers.

About Medical Marijuana, Inc. Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value.

Contact:
Brett Abrams | 516-841-1105 | [email protected]
Andrew Hard | P. 888-829- 0070 | [email protected]

SOURCE Americans for Safe Access

Related Links

http://www.safeaccessnow.org