United Patients Alliance Press Release
Embargo: 00:01hrs Tuesday 13th September 2016
Patients
Welcome MPs Call to Legalise Medical Cannabis
The United Patients Alliance (UPA) has welcomed
the findings of a major Parliamentary report published today that access to
medical cannabis should be legalised as a ‘landmark moment’ for the estimated 1
million people in Britain that take cannabis primarily for medical
reasons. The report was issued by the All Party Parliamentary Group
(APPG) for Drug Policy Reform following their seven month inquiry,
along with the results of a worldwide review of evidence and patient survey, commissioned by them
Jon Liebling, political director of UPA said, ‘The
findings of this report, and the review of evidence from around the world
published alongside it, together with our patient survey is a landmark moment in our campaign to advance access to medical cannabis. Working alongside the www.endourpain.org
campaign we have long argued that people taking cannabis for medical reasons
are patients, not criminals. We urge the UK government to take heed of this
report and act. Today’s news blows the government’s view that cannabis
has ‘no medical value’ out of the water. The government needs to follow
the lead of the growing number of countries, including 13 in the EU along with 25 US States that are seeing this issue for what
it is – a matter of compassion and social and medical justice with solid
evidence to support it’.
The APPG’s members include over 100 Peers and MPs, co-chaired by Baroness Molly Meacher and Caroline Lucas MP.
Their inquiry stretched over 7 months. The
APPG also commissioned the most in-depth review of the medical and scientific evidence of cannabis’
efficacy for many conditions and symptoms, including mental health, ever undertaken. This review of evidence was researched and produced by one of the UKs top Consultant
Neurologists, Professor Mike Barnes. This report should be seen as the most
authoritative and up-to-date document on this subject, removing any doubt about
cannabis’ therapeutic benefits for many conditions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6-snQ_RW74
United Patients
Alliance along with some of our patients gave evidence
at a number of the APPG hearings and were tasked with running, administering
and analysing a 600+ cohort Medical Cannabis Patient Survey comparing their experiences of prescription medications
versus cannabis, along with preferred methods of consumption, strengths,
sourcing and many other fascinating statistics. The results support both Mike
Barnes’ report and the APPG’s campaign and will be addressing question such as:
How do you source cannabis? (street/grow/etc...)
What type is best for you (High THC > Low CBD, choice,
etc......)
What form of cannabis (Herbal, Edible, Tincture, Oil)
How do you ingest (Smoke, w/wo tobacco, vaping, eat, etc..)
What conditions do you consume it for?
How effective is cannabis vs prescrition drugs?
Description and Severity of side-effects
How long have you had your condition? How long have you been consuming
cannabis?
Have you talked to your doctor about cannabis? How did they
respond?
In addition there are a few interesting and significant gender
differences in terms of conditions, effectiveness, side-effects, etc..
No10 Downing Street
The public campaign #EndOurPain, which has been active for only a few months and has over 19000 signatories, 29 MPs, 12 Peers, 4 celebrities (Richard Branson, Joanna Lumley, Russell Brand and Alistair Campbell) along with a practising UK GP and Consultant Neurologist will present its aims and progress to No10 Downing Street alongside this launch - http://www.endourpain.org/supporters/ Copies of both the APPG report and the review of evidence can be downloaded from the www.endourpain.org from 00:01 Tuesday 13th September 2016
The public campaign #EndOurPain, which has been active for only a few months and has over 19000 signatories, 29 MPs, 12 Peers, 4 celebrities (Richard Branson, Joanna Lumley, Russell Brand and Alistair Campbell) along with a practising UK GP and Consultant Neurologist will present its aims and progress to No10 Downing Street alongside this launch - http://www.endourpain.org/supporters/ Copies of both the APPG report and the review of evidence can be downloaded from the www.endourpain.org from 00:01 Tuesday 13th September 2016
ENDS
Editors
notes:
Contact Details:
Jon Liebling | Political Director - United Patients Alliance
E: jon@liebling.co.uk M:
07921589237
Clark French | Founder and Director - United Patients Alliance
E: as.the.sun.sets@hotmail.co.uk M: 07773 690488
Please use our Website Page link in any publications: http://www.upalliance.org/
(New website launched on 13th Sept)
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Introducing United Patients Alliance
The United Patients Alliance are a support and campaigning
community for 1000s or medical cannabis patients in the UK 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 ministers and politicians. 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.
Political Director
of United Patients Alliance, Jon Liebling asks "What compassionate
society would allow the criminalisation of patients for consuming something
with their doctors blessing that helps them manage and treat their illnesses
and improves their lives?"
Founder and
Director 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"
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"
