Freedom for ALL?

Posted by 21pc on June 30, 2023

4th of July celebrations are full of themes of personal freedoms: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. But for millions of Americans, we are left out of the American promise because of our medicine.

A pair of crossed hands in front of a black background with the American flag super-imposed over them. Text reads: Are you free? We belive life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should include medical cannabis patients too!Most cannabis supporters take for granted the access to medical cannabis that has swept through our country in the last decade. However, what most people do not realize is access does not equal freedom. The lack of freedoms that exist for patients, even those in states with medical and adult use programs, go much deeper than state law can allow.

Many medical cannabis patients have become accustomed to their second-class status in this country, navigating their life decisions through a series of obstacles and hurdles invisible to most Americans.

This 4th of July, consider if you are really free as a medical cannabis patient; and if we can celebrate freedom as a nation when millions of Americans are left out of basic rights promised to all Americans.

Contemplate the freedoms listed below that many take for granted but are out of reach for medical cannabis patients. Join us in our continued fight to ensure that we can all be a part of the American dream! Take Action Today!

Until there is Safe Access… We are Americans for Safe Access!

Life

  •         Freedom to utilize a medicine that works best for you
  •         Freedom to utilize a medicine that works best for your child
  •         Freedom to utilize government assistance programs
  •         Freedom to know that your medications will always be available to you
  •         Freedom to trust that your medicine is labeled correctly and that government agencies will notify you if contaminants have been found in your medicine

Liberty

  •         Freedom of workplace, housing, and health care discrimination
  •         Freedom to work, or accept contract work, for the federal government
  •         Freedom to qualify for life saving treatments like organ transplants
  •         Freedom to use your preferred medication in a hospital
  •         Freedom to not have to seek out a doctor that is educated about cannabis
  •         Freedom to be able to talk openly to your doctor about what medications you are taking

Pursuit of Happiness

  •         Freedom to move freely across the US
  •         Freedom to participate in major life events such as weddings, funerals, and graduations
  •         Freedom to pursue employment, education, and retirement opportunities 
  •         Freedom to have your child go to school with the medicine they need
  •         Freedom to travel across state lines and visit national parks with your medication

Get active now by checking out ASA’s campaigns Safe Access 4 All and State Medical Cannabis Equity.

 

If you appreciate ASA's work, join now to become a part of the movement, sign up to get ASA's monthly newsletters and updates, or donate to help us continue to do the important work we do everyday to help bring greater access to patients across the country.