To the Honorable (Representative/Senator Jane/Joe Smith), 

As with many of your constituents, I am very concerned about the state of health care in this country.  Too many Americans are uninsured and the cost of treatment is too much for many of us to afford.  Out of necessity, many people choose alternative therapies to treat their conditions, and one of the most effective for many people is medical marijuana (cannabis). 

Since 1996, there have been over 17,000 articles about cannabis or "cannabinoids" (its constituent compounds) published in scientific journals.  Top pharmaceutical companies have established whole divisions to research the cannabis plant.  72 million Americans live in one of 13 states with laws that protect them from arrest for using medical cannabis with a doctor's approval. And yet in the U.S., research is stalled, restricted, and in some cases blocked, while research in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Israel, Germany, Canada, and elsewhere have confirmed through case studies, basic research, pre-clinical, and clinical investigations – the medical value of cannabis.

Despite overwhelming evidence which supports the therapeutic use of cannabis, federal law strictly prohibits its use for medical purposes. However, although the laws of 13 states differ from federal law, they can still leave patients and their providers vulnerable to federal raids, arrest, and prosecution.

Unfortunately, these outdated federal policies put patients at risk. Most must break the law and place themselves (or their caregivers) in unnecessary and potentially harmful entanglements with the illicit market in order to gain access to the cannabis legally recommended by their physician and generally supported by the scientific community.

 I would like to schedule a meeting with (Representative/Senator Joe/Jane Smith) to talk about how this issue has impacted me and what options exist for the (Senator/Representative) to act to address some of these problems. 

Please get back to me at your earliest convenience to schedule a time. Thank you very much for your response.

Sincerely,

 (Your Name)