Senate Joint Resolution No. 8

RESOLUTION CHAPTER 70

Senate Joint Resolution Relative to cannabis/marijuana

Filed with Secretary of State September 2, 1993.;

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SJR 8, Mello: Controlled substances cannabis/marijuana

This measure would memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States to enact appropriate legislation to permit cannabis/marijuana to be prescribed by licensed physicians and to ensure a safe and affordable supply of cannabis/marijuana for medical use

WHEREAS, Scientific and medical studies by the National Academy of Science have shown cannabis/marijuana to be a safe and effective medicine with very low toxicity compared to most prescription drugs and it has been shown to be effective in the treatment of glaucoma, epilepsy, muscle spasticity, arthritis, the nausea, vomiting, and appetite loss associated with chemotherapies;anxiety and depression and the symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol and narcotics and

WHEREAS studies show that one-third of all cancer patient discontinue potentially life-saving chemotherapy due to the severe and debilitating side effects and the same is true for many AIDS patients receiving AZT or other similar therapies and

WHEREAS, Most physicians surveyed said that they would prescribe cannabis/marijuana if legally available, and one-half of all cancer specialists surveyed said that they have already encouraged at least one of their patients to break the law and use cannabis/marijuana to ease the violent nausea and vomiting associated with their current treatments and

WHEREAS, In May of 1991, the United Nations Narcotic Control Board voted overwhelmingly to reclassify cannabis/marijuana, placing it back on Schedule II, and making it availabIe by prescription, and, the United States representative to this board voted in favor of the rescheduling and

WHEREAS, Despite a federal court order recognizing the "clearly established medical valuc" of cannabis/marijuana, and mandating that it be reclassified to Schedule II and made available by prescription, the federal government continues to deny access to this safe and effective medicine and

WHEREAS, By its own admission, the federal government continues to deny access to cannabis/marijuana for political rather than medical reasons, and are using patients as pawns in the ever-escalating war on drugs by following current policies which place message before medicine, convenience before compassion, and politics before patients now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to enact appropriate legislation to permit cannabis/marijuana to be prescribed by licensed physicians and to ensure a safe and affordable supply of cannabis/marijuana for medical use; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.