 UPA | Media Roundup |
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Thursday, 12 October 2017
UPA - Patients at Parliament - Media
Sunday, 17 September 2017
APPG Meets ACMD and Columbia Care
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| September 13th 2016 Clark French, Caroline Lucas MP, Baroness Molly Meacher, Jon Liebling APPG Inquiry into Medicinal Cannabis House of Lords |
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| September 13th 2017 - House of Lords Alex Fraser, Jon Liebling, Leo Cameron |
I went along with Alex Fraser and Leo Cameron from UPA and Dr Henry Fisher from Hanway Associates/Volteface - and we were all sat right next to Paul Flynn MP too! Nice to see you again!
It wasn't immediately obvious why the particular guest speakers were chosen together, once the conversation got started, the mist started to clear....
The full letter can be read here: ACMD Work Programme 2017-2019
- Legitimate use of controlled drugs: research and healthcare
- The Review of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016
- Vulnerability, drug misuse and imprisonment
- Review of Safe Custody Regulations 1973 and Consolidation of Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001
- Fentanyl and its analogues
- Licences for the administration and supply of diamorphine, dipipanone and cocaine to treat addiction
Now at first glance. there doesn't look like there is too much positive news regarding cannabis!
But one needs to look closer. In fact a couple of questions to this end were asked by Molly Meacher:
"Do you see the current regime for scheduling of controlled drugs to be within your remit for review?"
Owen Bowden-Jones - "I feel that it is necessary to review the legitimate use of controlled drugs from end to end - So yes, absolutely we will be looking closely at the scheduling of drugs and how they effect both research and healthcare"
Owen was then asked about whether the ACMD take both the risks and the benefits of substances into account when looking at overall harms caused. His answer did not get the most supportive of responses from the room "The ACMD's remit is limited to looking at the harms that come from the misuse of drugs and not to look at any benefits"
This is, of course, an issue all by itself, but the next insightful and key question from Molly received a much more hopeful answer:
"Will you take into account relative harms, when there is evidence that the use of a more harmful substance is reduced or replaced with another - such in the case of US states who have a very serious Opiate problem seemingly being mitigated through access to cannabis?"
Owen responded "Yes, we will be looking at and advising on that as part of our investigations especially whilst we look at the specific problems with Fentanyl and its analogues"
You may not think that is much, but from a government advice and future policy perspective, this is HUGE! The ACMD have never been asked to review these aspects in this way and whilst I would say that Owen comes across as a very cautious, pragmatic and careful Chair - He seems more motivated and driven by science than political correctness.
Of course, Owen holds some very firm views about our existing policies and processes around Medicines and their need for approval in the right way and as such is not currently very supportive of cannabis as medicine and pointed out that one cannabis based medicine had been given approval!
We heard from Mike Abbott (Exec Chairman), Nicholas Vita (CEO) and Rose Mazanet (Research Chief) who talked about how the US and other countries around the world had found a way to approve cannabis for medical treatments without compromising any existing processes, but creating a new one. They discusses their 40000 pain patients and how they had been helped.
Then to wrap things up all nice and tidily both Owen and Columbia Care talked about how enlightening to all, was the meeting they had all had that morning with the MHRA - Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - who we understand are happy to be looking at some of the suggestions from Columbia care and from around the world - They seem quite keen to work on some potential solutions.........assuming our Government request such a thing?
This time last year there was a very big problem identified with getting the relevant agencies working together to make sure that our government can be given advise which all ties together with no gaps - It's these gaps that our government can continue to use to avoid addressing the concerns raised.
This year - Those gaps are getting filled up with science and soon, there will be nowhere left for them to run!
Saturday, 16 September 2017
UPA and Labour - Making yourself heard!
When United Patients Alliance formed in July 2014, we did so with the support of Caroline Lucas MP and the Green Party. By the time the year was done we were engaging with the LibDems through events and patients meeting the Deputy PM Nick Clegg along with Former Drugs Minister, Norman Baker announcing his patronage. Support from them is locked in and we have a few more announcements to make there too shortly.
Now in our 3rd year - seems the Labour Party are finally starting to bite!
This has not happened by accident, you know! United Patients Alliance have been being a thorn in their sides for ages - Really - we don't give up! How can we - our illnesses don't!
On March 14th 2015 on BBC's Free Speech, Faye Jones wearing UPA Purple asked a great question to the wannabe leader Ed Milliband - I mean GREAT question, with follow up - and you gotta wait until the end.......
Only 6 months past to the Labour Leadership Election Debate. Up UPA pop again with another question, this time to all the potential leaders, and we have to say,. great answer, Jeremy - but isn't it about time you followed through on that?
And now we have Paul Flynn MP calling for Civil Disobedience in Parliament:
We have, of course, answered Paul's call to arms and have arranged a very civil bit of disobedience and Paul will be joining many patients for a bit of a (medicated) T-Party:
We have, of course, answered Paul's call to arms and have arranged a very civil bit of disobedience and Paul will be joining many patients for a bit of a (medicated) T-Party:
Also - Paul is now helping to work on the rest of the Labour Party:
It’s time for Labour to back patients when it comes to medical marijuana
On September 30th at United Patients Alliance Medical Cannabis Conference and AGM - the next steps in our plans for Labour will become very much clearer! Yes - That's Paul Flynn MP - and Tonia Antoniazzi MP too.....
On September 30th at United Patients Alliance Medical Cannabis Conference and AGM - the next steps in our plans for Labour will become very much clearer! Yes - That's Paul Flynn MP - and Tonia Antoniazzi MP too.....
And then we are coming for you, Jezza!
After that, there is only one major party left to get on board!?
PRESS RELEASE - United Patients Alliance - Medical Cannabis Conference
United Patients Alliance Press Release
For Editor: EMBARGOED: Major announcements from Key Speakers of interest to the media and public will be made in the morning regarding their future relationship with United Patients Alliance.
Paul Flynn MP will become a Patron
Tonia Antonaizzi MP will become a Patron
Professor Mike Barnes will become a Trusteee
Gavin Sathianathan (CEO - Forma Holdings) - will become a Trustee
Happy to give more detail in person.
No Embargo
Paul Flynn MP will become a Patron
Tonia Antonaizzi MP will become a Patron
Professor Mike Barnes will become a Trusteee
Gavin Sathianathan (CEO - Forma Holdings) - will become a Trustee
Happy to give more detail in person.
No Embargo
United Patients Alliance announce Medical Cannabis Conference + AGM
Main Event Date: 30th September 2017
Event Time 10am to 5pm
Location: Maple House, 150 Corporation St, Birmingham B4 6TB
Guests: 200+
We are incredibly excited to announce our very first Medical Cannabis Conference and AGM weekend at Maple House, Birmingham.
Run purely by volunteers who are also patients, it’s time to celebrate how much United Patients Alliance have achieved towards our goal of legal access for medical cannabis patients in the UK since being founded in 2014
We will be hosting talks with special guests:
Prof. Mike Barnes - Consultant of Neurology
Paul Flynn MP LAB
Tonia Antoniazzi MP LAB
Dr Gary Potter - Senior Lecturer and Cannabis Cultivation expert
Dr Axel Klein - Professor of Sociology
Together have just completed 2 year study of Cultivation and Trafficking of Cannabis in the UK.
Gavin Sathianathan - CEO Forma Holdings
We aim to bring attendees up to speed on the latest science, medicine and the politics of cannabis and cannabis growing and to prepare UPA and our volunteers for the next 12 months.
Also confirmed speaking: LEAP UK, The Loop, CBDBrothers, Release, Volteface
We will have patients such as Sarah Martin, Clark French, Faye Jones and more talk about their experiences consuming cannabis as their main form of medicine.
All ages are welcome and disabled access is available
Tickets are £25 (£15 concessions) and can be purchased here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/medical-cannabis-conference-upa-agm-tickets-37657646033?aff=es2
Event Time 10am to 5pm
Location: Maple House, 150 Corporation St, Birmingham B4 6TB
Guests: 200+
We are incredibly excited to announce our very first Medical Cannabis Conference and AGM weekend at Maple House, Birmingham.
Run purely by volunteers who are also patients, it’s time to celebrate how much United Patients Alliance have achieved towards our goal of legal access for medical cannabis patients in the UK since being founded in 2014
We will be hosting talks with special guests:
Prof. Mike Barnes - Consultant of Neurology
Paul Flynn MP LAB
Tonia Antoniazzi MP LAB
Dr Gary Potter - Senior Lecturer and Cannabis Cultivation expert
Dr Axel Klein - Professor of Sociology
Together have just completed 2 year study of Cultivation and Trafficking of Cannabis in the UK.
Gavin Sathianathan - CEO Forma Holdings
We aim to bring attendees up to speed on the latest science, medicine and the politics of cannabis and cannabis growing and to prepare UPA and our volunteers for the next 12 months.
Also confirmed speaking: LEAP UK, The Loop, CBDBrothers, Release, Volteface
We will have patients such as Sarah Martin, Clark French, Faye Jones and more talk about their experiences consuming cannabis as their main form of medicine.
All ages are welcome and disabled access is available
Tickets are £25 (£15 concessions) and can be purchased here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/medical-cannabis-conference-upa-agm-tickets-37657646033?aff=es2
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/
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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 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 says
"The speakers we have managed to secure for our first Medical Cannabis Conference is a testament to the amazing dedication of patients with chronic illnesses who are United Patients Alliance and to the growing medical, academic and political support for legal access to cannabis therapeutics.
We are going to have some game changing collaborations to announce. You don't want to miss this."
We are going to have some game changing collaborations to announce. You don't want to miss this."
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."
Monday, 4 September 2017
A Weekend with Product Earth
I LOVE Product Earth. It really is just a great place to be! Well, if you are into that sort of thing. Which, of course, I am. For a number of reasons, one of which I find more urgent than the others.
What, besides that then, is it that I LOVE?
If the good old Daily Mail were to cover this event, it would of course be framed as a celebration of debauchery and criminality from the losers in our society who should all be arrested and punished. They, and anyone who believes that same is totally, absolutely, completely - WRONG!
During my IT Career as a Senior Business Relationship Manager, I had the opportunity to experience dozens of Expo's, trade shows and the like, you meet all sorts of people and all sorts of businesses wanting to tell you all about their USPs and their unbeatable discounts and how much they admire you and whatever company you're here from and why you can't live without their product or service and here and there you find the odd little gem of a concern that have different values; they LOVE their product or service and all they want to do is earn a living, do good in the world, give you value for money and dream about achieving whatever is their dream. I always loved those little moments within the chaos of salesmen and marketers.
At Product Earth, it's different. Very different. There are indeed one or two examples of the former, but juxtaposed in and around the dark arches in a run down industrial area of Birmingham, here were beautiful little gems all over the place. In fact the overwhelming majority! This is right across all the sub groups; Seed Companies like Greenhouse Seeds and their strain-hunting and investment in seed genetics to the niche Hemp growers, confectioners, glassware makers, magazine publishers, medical patient advocates, vape sellers and organisations showing off the latest technology from growing right through all directions to consumption and so much more and almost everyone of them wants to push the boundaries, bring the industry forward, improve it and make it better and safer and of course, freer.
Here are hundreds of individuals who are just trying to do something good, that they are good at and they LOVE whilst earning a living, you know, like you're supposed to do. Really special, kind, compassionate, lovely people, providing a product or service in the best way they know how to consumers who, for all sorts of reasons, are creating the demand.....and the demand is growing every year.
What is obvious, at Product Earth, because it is all happening all around you is: We don't need to define, build or arguably even regulate a cannabis industry, we just need to legalise and legitimise the one that's already here. From what I can see, whilst it does need some seasoning and a little control, it already has more compassion, invention, information, kindness, collaboration and integrity than any other business sector I've experienced.
Then, of course there are the visitors, guests, consumers: Well quite simply, they reflect exactly the same attributes as the little gems amongst one or two thorns. But even as I say that, it occurs to me that at no point during the entire event did I either see or hear of anything untoward or any unpleasantness going on at any point by any visitor! So perhaps we have something unique? I cant imagine saying that after a "Product Alcohol" expo?)
What really is causing all the problems here? The industry, or the law?
Jon
Sunday, 9 April 2017
PRESS RELEASE - UNITED PATIENTS ALLIANCE - Norman Baker
United Patients Alliance Press Release - No Embargo
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| Norman Baker UPA Workshop - March 2017 |
Former UK Gov Drugs Minister announced as Patron of Medical Cannabis Org.
Since being launched in 2014 with the help of Caroline Lucas
MP, United Patients Alliance have always been a charitable organisation and
have worked hard to make allies and supporters within political spheres. Now on
our journey to becoming a registered charity we are proud and honoured to
announce former UK Government Drugs Minister and LibDem MP for Lewes, Norman
Baker as our first Patron:
“I have gladly accepted the offer to become patron of the UPA. They are a well organised and sensible group. I am very clear from my time as drugs minister in the coalition government that for some people, access to cannabis is essential for their health and it is disgraceful that not only are they denied access to vital medicine but prosecuted if they access it themselves. The UPA makes a strong case for a more humane approach and I am delighted to do what I can to support them."
LibDem Parliamentary Candidate for Lewes, Kelly-Marie Blundell is very supportive:
"As
a long time campaigner for access to cannabis for medicinal purposes, I'm
pleased to see the United Patients Alliance go from strength to strength, and I
hope with Norman Baker on board as well, we can see more action."
Clark French, Founder and Director of United Patients
Alliance
“United
Patients Alliance is delighted to welcome Norman as our first Patron. After our
meetings with Norman at his constituency office he took Keiron Reeves and I to
the home office to talk about how medical cannabis helps us. Having a former
drugs Minister as a part of of the UPA is going to strengthen our organisation
which in turn will help us to play a bigger part in the inevitable changes to
future cannabis laws.”
Jon Liebling, Political Director:
“We
look forward to continuing our work with the support of such an influential
political figure such as Norman on board and look forward to making more
exiting announcements and collaborations over the coming months.”
ENDS
Editors notes:
Contact Details:
Clark French - 07773690488 - as.the.sun.sets@hotmail.co.uk
Jon Liebling – 07921589237 – jon@liebling.co.uk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introducing United Patients Alliance
The United Patients Alliance are a rapidly growing support and campaigning community for medical cannabis patients 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 politicians, including former drugs minister, Norman Baker. 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.
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