RIPAC E-News
May 2009 Edition
RI Patient Advocacy Coalition
May 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.
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In this issue:
1. SENATE PASSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMPASSION CENTERS BILL!
2. HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES COMPASSION CENTER BILL, TOO
3. ANNOUNCING RIPAC'S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEPHEN HOGAN
4. TIP FROM PATIENTS: CAREGIVERS MAY ONLY BE "REIMBURSED"
5. RI PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY ENDORSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
6. RIPAC OFFERS PATIENT AND CAREGIVER ORIENTATIONS
7. MAY MEETINGS: COMMUNITY, PATIENT, REGIONALS
1. SENATE PASSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMPASSION CENTERS BILL!
- On April 29 at the State House, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the Compassion Center bill by a vote of 35-2! You can read excellent coverage from The Providence Journal. Now on to the House of Representatives...
- The Senate floor vote was scheduled because on 4/22 the Senate Health & Human Services committee approved the bill UNANIMOUSLY, 8-0! This was RI's first-ever unanimous full-committee vote for medical marijuana. You can watch hearing testimony on YouTube.
- On April 30, the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Education, & Welfare voted 8-0 in favor of the Compassion Center bill. This passage sends the bill to the full House for a floor vote on May 12. Please contact your state representative in support of compassion center bill H5359!
- If you have just a second, click here on this webform that will help you email your district's state representative.
- Or if you have a whole minute to call, look up your state rep district number here and your state rep's name and phone number here. Call them, mention that you vote in their district, and ask them to vote FOR compassion center bill H5359 on May 12. If you call, please report back.
- Stephen Hogan, Jr. has accepted the position of incoming executive director at the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, and will begin training in our office May 18. Stephen currently serves as Development Director at AIDS Project RI. We're very excited to have him joining us!
- Founding Executive Director Jesse Stout will be training Stephen from May 18 - July 31, and then retiring in August. Watch for a separate full announcement welcoming Stephen to RIPAC on May 18. This leadership transition marks a major milestone in our organization's history.
- The RI Medical Marijuana Act legally protects primary caregivers for receiving "reimbursements for costs associated with with assisting a registered qualifying patient's medical use of marijuana." Just reimbursements for costs.
- This means that caregivers are legally allowed to receive money from patients as reimbursements for medical marijuana costs like utility bills, nutrients, lighting, etc. It also means that is illegal for caregivers to receive payments for medical marijuana that are greater than these costs. There's no room for profit in the Medical Marijuana Program.
- On April 20, the Rhode Island Psychiatric Society passed a resolution endorsing medical marijuana and RIPAC's mission.
- This follows the November 2007 endorsement of medical marijuana by the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association.
- This makes the RI Psychiatric Society the first state-level psychiatric society to endorse medical marijuana.
- Are you a newly licensed medical marijuana patient or caregiver? Are you looking for information about becoming a licensed patient or caregiver? Schedule 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 questions. 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. We encourage patients to ask would-be caregivers whether they've been oriented. Contact RIPAC and request a Caregiver Orientation.
- Community Meeting: 6:30-8:00pm Tuesday, May 12 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, May 26 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: Everyone is invited to the East Bay Regional Meeting from 6:30-8:00pm Wednesday, May 20 at East Prov Public Library. Only patients/caregivers living in South County are welcome at the South County Regional Meeting from 7:00-8:30pm Thursday, May 21; write to us for the location.
Have a healthy day,
RIPAC
www.RIpatients.org