Missourians For Compassionate Care

THE ORGANIZATION HAS THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE LAWFUL THE USE OF HEMP FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR THE TREATMENT OF ILLNESSES, DISEASES AND HEALTH CONDITIONS SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE STATE REGULATION AND OVERSIGHT.

WE STARTED MISSOURIANS FOR COMPASSIONATE CARE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS DESERVE TO HAVE OPTIONS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENTS OF ILLNESSES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BENEFIT FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA. WE STARTED MISSOURIANS FOR COMPASSIONATE CARE AFTER WE LOBBIED THE CBD OIL BILL LAST YEAR IN MO FOR A FRIEND WHO HAS A CHILD WITH INTRACTABLE EPILEPSY. WE SOUGHT HELP FROM PAIGE FIGI FROM REALM OF CARING, A NOT-FOR PROFIT THAT PROVIDED US WITH THE EDUCATION AND HOW TO LOBBY FOR CBD OIL FOR CHILDREN WITH INTRACTABLE EPILEPSY. WE ALL LOBBIED THE BILL PRO BONO BECAUSE WE BELIEVED IN GIVING FAMILIES AN OPTION WHEN OTHER MEDICATIONS AND TREATMENTS WERE NOT WORKING. WE WERE SUCCESSFUL LOBBYING THE BILL AND GOT IT PASSED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR OF MO. AFTER HEARING FROM FAMILIES IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPTION OF USING CANNABIS FOR CERTAIN ILLNESSES, WE DECIDED TO SEEK FINANCIAL HELP FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE COMPASSIONATE ENOUGH TO HELP EXPAND THE USE OF CANNABIS FOR CERTAIN DEBILITATING ILLNESSES. EVERY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE EFFORT TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL CANNABIS WAS TOLD UP FRONT THAT THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT WE CAN PASS A BILL AND THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT WE CAN OFFER OR EVEN HELP WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSES IN THE FUTURE. EVERYONE WHO DONATED MONEY TO THE MEDICAL CANNABIS EFFORT WAS TOLD THAT THE MONEY THEY DONATE WOULD ONLY BE USED FOR LEGAL, CONSULTING, LOBBYING AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. HAVING LOBBIED ISSUES BEFORE, WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO TRY AND PASS A MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL THROUGH THE MISSOURI GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ESPECIALLY AFTER SEEING HOW THE CBD OIL LOBBYING EFFORTS WENT. WE FIGURED A BUDGET THAT WOULD HELP US HIRE LOBBYIST TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE FULL TIME BECAUSE WE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES WHO SUFFER FROM CERTAIN DEBILITATING MEDICAL CONDITIONS TO GET THIS BILL PASSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OUR GOAL IS TO ENGAGE IN A LOBBYING EFFORT, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN DIRECTED TOWARDS LAWMAKERS, MEDIA OUTLETS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND ULTIMATELY MOVE TOWARD LEGALIZATION IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI. OUR PRIORITY IS TO PASS A BILL BY LOBBYING THE MISSOURI LAWMAKERS AND GETTING THE BILL TO THE GOVERNORS DESK. THE PROJECT OFFICIALLY STARTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014. THE LOBBYING FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2015. THE EFFORT FAILED LAST YEAR SO WE CONTINUED EDUCATING LAWMAKERS DURING THE OFF SESSION PERIOD. THE EFFORT TO LOBBY A MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL FOR LEGALIZATION IN MISSOURI CONTINUED IN JANUARY OF 2016. WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A SMALLER LOBBYING TEAM TO WORK ON PASSING THIS BILL THIS YEAR BECAUSE OUR BUDGET IS SMALLER THAN WHAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR. THE LOBBYING EFFORT THIS PAST SESSION FELL SHORT AS IT DID LAST YEAR. THE MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED ON MAY 13, 2016. THE ISSUE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA DID NOT RECEIVE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT TO GET THE BILL PASSED OUT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THE LOBBYING AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORT WAS CARRIED OUT BY A TEAM OF LOBBYISTS THAT ARE REGISTERED TO LOBBY FOR MISSOURIANS FOR COMPASSIONATE CARE UNDER THE RULES BY THE MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION. THERE WAS ALSO LOBBYING DONE BY FAMILIES AND PATIENTS WHO SUFFER FROM NUMEROUS DEBILITATING ILLNESSES WHO WANT THE OPTION OF USING MEDICAL CANNABIS RECOMMENDED BY THEIR PHYSICIAN.THIS WILL BE THE FINAL YEAR THAT WE LOBBY MEDICAL MARIJUANA UNDER MISSOURIANS FOR COMPASSIONATE CARE BECAUSE THE MEASURE IS GOING TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT FOR VOTERS IN MISSOURI TO DECIDE.