“Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. … It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance.”

 —DEA chief Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young, 1988

Welcome to the Campaign for Compassionate Access. We are a coalition of patients, medical professionals, and advocates dedicated to passing effective, well-regulated, compassionate medical marijuana legislation. Medical marijuana laws are already protecting patients in 16 states and Washington, D.C., and public opinion polling shows public support of 70-80%.

Medical marijuana can provide relief for patients with a wide range of conditions and symptoms, including nausea and wasting caused by cancer and AIDS, and debilitating pain. Here is a review of some scientific studies supporting marijuana’s medicinal benefits for specific conditions or their symptoms. You can also read the heart-wrenching real-life stories of patients who need medical marijuana to become legal now.

Sadly, the federal government has refused to allow the medical use of marijuana, despite the 1988 recommendation of the DEA’s chief administrative law judge and the life experiences of hundreds of thousands of patients. While numerous studies have demonstrated marijuana’s strong safety profile and its benefits, the type of studies that would be needed for federal approval have not happened because of federal obstruction of research into marijuana’s medical value.

Although the federal government maintains its stubborn policy, states can and should act. Because 99% of all marijuana arrests occur under state, not federal, law, carefully crafted state laws provide near total protection to patients and caregivers. If we’re going to have a war on drugs, we should at least get the sick and dying off the battlefield.