Public Health Group Confers Award on Medical Marijuana Exhibit

Americans for Safe Access, the national medical cannabis advocacy group, yesterday took home a third-place award for “Best New Exhibitor Booth” from the American Public Health Association.

ASA was among more than 100 new exhibitors at the American Public Health Association’s 134^th Annual Meeting and Exposition, which concluded yesterday. The third-place award was the result of an anonymous vote by a special committee of the more than 800 attending exhibitors. Lynn Schoen, the APHA conference coordinator came by the ASA exhibit to explain that the committee had noted the content, presentation and overall look and feel of the booth in conferring the award.

“This award is a real confirmation of ASA’s commitment to improving public health,” said Caren Woodson, director of government affairs. “We’ve been asked to return next year, and we’re hoping to make a presentation, not just exhibit. We’ll be talking about how cannabis can improve outcomes of conventional treatments.”

The APHA, an organization with more than 50,000 members, has been on record as supporting legal access to cannabis for research and medical use since 1995. Their resolution “urges the Administration and Congress to move expeditiously to make cannabis available as a legal medicine where shown to be safe and effective and to immediately allow access to therapeutic cannabis through the Investigational New Drug Program.”

The APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition is the oldest and largest gathering of public health professionals in the world, attracting more than 13,000 national and international physicians, administrators, nurses, educators, researchers, epidemiologists, and related health specialists. APHA’s meeting program addresses current and emerging health science, policy, and practice issues in an effort to prevent disease and promote health.

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With more than 30,000 members, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic uses and research.