South Dakotans for Safe Access ~ SoDakSafeAccess.net

In February, 2009, South Dakotans for Safe Access, including ten medical cannabis-using patients, presented evidence to two legislative committees. 25 legislators heard the testimony. Four legislators voted to stop punishing sick and disabled people for using medicine that works for them. 21 legislators voted to continue making criminals out of sick and disabled people. Since the legislature is incapable of doing that for which we elect them, we're gonna take it outa their hands...

10 positive randomized, controlled trials of cannabis as medicine

1. Ellis RJ, Toperoff W, Vaida F, van der Brande G, Gonzales J, Gouaux B, Bentley H, Atkinson JH. 2008. Smoked Medicinal Cannabis for Neuropathic Pain in HIV: A Randomized, Crossover Clinical Trial. Neuropsychopharmacology 1-9. Published online 8/6/08.

2. Wilsey B, Marcotte T, Tsodikov A, Millman J, Bentley H, Gouaux B, Fishman S. 2008 A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial of Cannabis Cigarettes in Neuropathic Pain. The Journal of Pain, Vol 9, No 6 (June): pp 506-521.

3. Corey-Bloom J, Wolfson T, Gamst A, Jin S, Marcotte T, Bentley H, Gouaux B. Short-Term Effects of Medicinal Cannabis on Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis. 2008. Poster presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (Chicago, IL). Available at: http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/jcb_aan_poster.pdf.

4. Wallace M, Schulteis G, Atkinson JH, Wolfson T, Lazzaretto D, Bentley H, Gouaux B, Abramson I. 2007. Dose-dependent Effects of Smoked Cannabis on Capsaicin-induced Pain and Hyperalgesia in Healthy Volunteers. Anesthesiology. 107(5):785-796.

5. Haney M, Gunderson EW, Rabkin J, Hart CL, Vosburg SK, Comer SD, Foltin RW. 2007. Dronabinol and marijuana in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. Caloric intake, mood, and sleep. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2007;45(5):545-54.

6. Abrams DI, Jay CA, Shade SB, Vizoso H, Reda H, Press S, Kelly ME, Rowbotham MC, Petersen KL. 2007. Cannabis in painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Neurology 68:515-21.

7. Abrams DI, Vizoso HP, Shade SB, Jay C, Kelly ME. Benowitz NL. 2007. Vaporization as a Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System: A Pilot Study. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 82, 572-578.

8. Haney M, Rabkin J, Gunderson E, Foltin RW. 2005. Dronabinol and marijuana in HIV(+) marijuana smokers: acute effects on caloric intake and mood. Psychopharmacology Aug ;181:170-8.

9. Abrams DI, Hilton JF, Leiser RJ, Shade SB, Elbeik TA, Aweeka FT, Benowitz NL, Bredt BM, Kosel B, Aberg JA, Deeks SG, Mitchell TF, Mulligan K, Bacchetti P, McCune JM, and Schambelan M. 2003. Short-Term Effects of Cannabinoids in Patients with HIV-1 Infection. A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 19 August 2003, 139:258-266.

10. Soderpalm AH, Schuster A, de Wit H. 2001. Antiemetic efficacy of smoked marijuana: subjective and behavioral effects on nausea induced by syrup of ipecac. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2001 Jul-Aug;69(3-4):343-50.

SDSA's Proposal Read and comment on the law we proposed to legislative sponsors. Listen to Bob Newland discuss medical cannabis with So. Dak. Attorney General Larry Long "No, I don't want to work with you to help protect the most vulnerable people among us."

SDSA catches newspaper ink 7 Jan 2009 Rapid City Weekly News Editorial 5 Dec. 2008 Drug War Chronicle 30 Nov. 2008 AP regurgitates story Read the reader comments 23 Nov. 2008 Sioux Falls Argus Leader

The links below are messages sent to an email list of supporters. They are all on the same web page, so you can scroll on that page to any of the messages. 17 Nov. 2008 ~ We start looking for support 20 Nov. 2008 ~ We explain the process to supporters 24 Nov. 2008 ~ Update; SDSA gets press 3 Dec. 2008 ~ We buck up the troops 10 Dec. 2008 ~ Y'gotta call your legislators 13 Dec. 2008 ~ Really, y'gotta call 'em. Here's whatcha say 22 Dec 2008 ~ Xmas Greetings 26 Dec 2008 ~ Kevin Woster blasts Attorney General Not doing a good job of keeping up with this part

on Dec. 17, 2008, we called So. Dak. Sen. Gordon Howie in Rapid City SD. We asked if he'd support a medical cannaabis bill. He said, "I'd need to see double-blind studies so the proof would be there conclusively."

Do you have any doubt that cannabis is an effective therapy?
Patients Out of Time Americans for Safe Access Expert Opinions Pro & Con Bernie Ellis Dr. Ethan Russo: Long-term cannabis use by federal patients	What do South Dakota cannabis therapy patients have to say? Matthew Ducheneaux Val Hannah Cynthia Siragusa This takes you to a page with several video and audio ads made for the 2006 Safe Access campaign. Tom Faltynowicz	10 positive randomized, controlled trials of cannabis as medicine 1. Ellis RJ, Toperoff W, Vaida F, van der Brande G, Gonzales J, Gouaux B, Bentley H, Atkinson JH. 2008. Smoked Medicinal Cannabis for Neuropathic Pain in HIV: A Randomized, Crossover Clinical Trial. Neuropsychopharmacology 1-9. Published online 8/6/08. 2. Wilsey B, Marcotte T, Tsodikov A, Millman J, Bentley H, Gouaux B, Fishman S. 2008 A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial of Cannabis Cigarettes in Neuropathic Pain. The Journal of Pain, Vol 9, No 6 (June): pp 506-521. 3. Corey-Bloom J, Wolfson T, Gamst A, Jin S, Marcotte T, Bentley H, Gouaux B. Short-Term Effects of Medicinal Cannabis on Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis. 2008. Poster presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (Chicago, IL). Available at: http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/jcb_aan_poster.pdf. 4. Wallace M, Schulteis G, Atkinson JH, Wolfson T, Lazzaretto D, Bentley H, Gouaux B, Abramson I. 2007. Dose-dependent Effects of Smoked Cannabis on Capsaicin-induced Pain and Hyperalgesia in Healthy Volunteers. Anesthesiology. 107(5):785-796. 5. Haney M, Gunderson EW, Rabkin J, Hart CL, Vosburg SK, Comer SD, Foltin RW. 2007. Dronabinol and marijuana in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. Caloric intake, mood, and sleep. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2007;45(5):545-54. 6. Abrams DI, Jay CA, Shade SB, Vizoso H, Reda H, Press S, Kelly ME, Rowbotham MC, Petersen KL. 2007. Cannabis in painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Neurology 68:515-21. 7. Abrams DI, Vizoso HP, Shade SB, Jay C, Kelly ME. Benowitz NL. 2007. Vaporization as a Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System: A Pilot Study. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 82, 572-578. 8. Haney M, Rabkin J, Gunderson E, Foltin RW. 2005. Dronabinol and marijuana in HIV(+) marijuana smokers: acute effects on caloric intake and mood. Psychopharmacology Aug ;181:170-8. 9. Abrams DI, Hilton JF, Leiser RJ, Shade SB, Elbeik TA, Aweeka FT, Benowitz NL, Bredt BM, Kosel B, Aberg JA, Deeks SG, Mitchell TF, Mulligan K, Bacchetti P, McCune JM, and Schambelan M. 2003. Short-Term Effects of Cannabinoids in Patients with HIV-1 Infection. A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 19 August 2003, 139:258-266. 10. Soderpalm AH, Schuster A, de Wit H. 2001. Antiemetic efficacy of smoked marijuana: subjective and behavioral effects on nausea induced by syrup of ipecac. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2001 Jul-Aug;69(3-4):343-50.

Anatomy of a Medical Cannabis Campaign
The links below are messages sent to an email list of supporters. They are all on the same web page, so you can scroll on that page to any of the messages. 17 Nov. 2008 ~ We start looking for support 20 Nov. 2008 ~ We explain the process to supporters 24 Nov. 2008 ~ Update; SDSA gets press 3 Dec. 2008 ~ We buck up the troops 10 Dec. 2008 ~ Y'gotta call your legislators 13 Dec. 2008 ~ Really, y'gotta call 'em. Here's whatcha say 22 Dec 2008 ~ Xmas Greetings 26 Dec 2008 ~ Kevin Woster blasts Attorney General Not doing a good job of keeping up with this part	Legislative Supporters	Legislators who say, "Ain't my problem," or "Let 'em eat Valium." Sen. Gordon Howie Rep. Mike Verchio