RIPAC E-News
April 2009 Edition
RI Patient Advocacy Coalition
April 2009 Edition
RI Patient Advocacy Coalition
Welcome to the monthly newsletter of the RI Patient Advocacy Coalition (RIPAC), the medical marijuana community of Rhode Island! Visit our website, www.RIpatients.org.
Follow RIPAC on:
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In this issue:
1. YOUTUBE & PRESS COVERAGE OF COMPASSION CENTER HEARINGS!
2. US ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER ENDS DISPENSARY RAIDS
3. RIPAC T-SHIRTS ARE HERE - GET YOURS NOW
4. TIP FROM PATIENTS: KEEP CAR SMELLING CLEAN
5. RIPAC OFFERS PATIENT AND CAREGIVER ORIENTATIONS
6. APRIL MEETINGS: COMMUNITY, PATIENT, REGIONALS
1. YOUTUBE & PRESS COVERAGE OF COMPASSION CENTER HEARINGS!
- On March 4 at the State House, committees in the Senate and House of Representatives held public hearings on the Compassion Center bill. You can read excellent coverage by The Providence Journal and The Woonsocket Call.
- Now you can also watch the hearing testimony on YouTube! Patients, doctors, nurses, and other advocates testified in favor. Check out RIPAC's new YouTube channel.
- On March 18, US Attorney General Eric Holder explained the end of federal raids of state-legal medical marijuana producers. "The policy is to go after those people who violate both federal and state law," Holder told the Associated Press.
- On February 26, at a Justice Department press conference, Attorney General Eric Holder said that ending raids on medical marijuana dispensaries "is now American policy." You can watch the video on YouTube.
- This is GREAT news for us here in Rhode Island. Now we have every indication that the DEA will not raid a Compassion Center in our state.
- Now we have beautiful new RIPAC t-shirts!
- Click here to get one -- makes a great gift, too.
- Recently, police have detained patients whose cars smell like marijuana. To avoid arrest, keep your car clean-smelling with an air freshener or a deodorizer like Ozium or Febreeze.
- While no one is allowed to drive intoxicated, we understand that some patients use cars as a private place to medicate at home. Nevertheless, keeping your car smelling fresh makes it clear to police that no one is medicating while driving.
- Are you a newly licensed medical marijuana patient or caregiver? Are you looking for information about becoming a licensed patient or caregiver? We'd like to offer you a RIPAC Orientation.
- A RIPAC Patient Orientation is a one-on-one meeting with a RIPAC staff member or volunteer to explain the Medical Marijuana Act and answer question. Patients get advice on choosing and interviewing caregivers. Contact RIPAC and request a Patient Orientation.
- A RIPAC Caregiver Orientation is a one-on-one meeting with a RIPAC staff member or volunteer to explain the Medical Marijuana Act and answer questions. People are expected to attend an orientation before becoming caregivers. Contact RIPAC and request a Caregiver Orientation.
- Community Meeting: 6:30-8:00pm Tuesday, April 14 will be our open Community Meeting for patients, caregivers, advocates, and anyone else interested in learning more about medical marijuana. Please come to the conference room of Family Service RI (55 Hope Street, Providence 02906). Contact RIPAC for more information.
- Patient Meeting: 7:00-8:30pm Tuesday, April 28 will be our Patient Meeting for licensed patients and their caregivers. Caregivers are welcome at the invitation of their patients; patients should call to inform us if their caregivers are invited. Call us at 861-1601 or contact RIPAC here.
- Regional Meetings: All licensed patients/caregivers are invited to the East Bay Regional Meeting at 6:30-8:00pm Tuesday, April 21 at East Prov Public Library. Only patients/caregivers living in South County are welcome at the South County Regional Meeting at 7:00-8:30pm Thursday, April 16; write to us for the location.
Have a healthy day,
RIPAC
www.RIpatients.org