| For years, Jacki Rickert has been asking,
"Is My Medicine Legal YET?" Jacki suffers from two painful and debilitating
conditions, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Advanced Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, and was fully
approved for participation in the U.S. Government's Compassionate Use Investigative New
Drug (I.N.D.) Program in at the federal level in May 1990, and by the state of Wisconsin
in December 1990. But the government violated its contract and never delivered the 300
marijuana cigarettes per month as they promised. 8 surviving patients grandfathered into
the program are still receiving supplies of U.S. marijuana today. Jacki has
continued her fight for the medicine that works best for her. She has
visited Washington DC numerous times to lobby Congress, In 1997, Jacki met
Jim and Cheryl Miller, beginning a long friendship. In 1999, Gary and
Jacki joined Jim and Cheryl in Washington for a protest at former Rep. Bob
Barr's office. In June of 2003, Cheryl succumbed to complications of
multiple sclerosis. Jacki, Jim Miller and Gary then helped spearhead a DC
memorial for Cheryl, which led to the formation of the MS
Patients Union. Gary Storck has been asking, "Is my medicine
legal yet?" since October 3, 1972, when he accidentally discovered that marijuana lowered his
elevated intraocular pressure caused by severe congenital open-angle glaucoma. Gary tried
to get into the I.N.D. program in the late 1970's, but his physician was unwilling to deal
with the governmental red tape involved. He did however, write a letter, dated June 4,
1979, stating "If marijuana were available for me to prescribe to this patient, I
would be willing to do so, in the hope that it would adequately control his condition with
fewer side effects than the other medications currently available." 25 years later,
in the year 2004, doctors are still unable to prescribe marijuana! Currently,
Gary finds cannabis helpful not only for glaucoma, but also pain and spasms from
degenerative disc disease in his neck and back, migraine headaches, and the stresses of
dealing with a lifetime of illness including three open heart surgeries.
With first-hand knowledge of the therapeutic
benefits and potential of this medicine, Jacki, founded I.M.M.L.Y. and asked
Gary and to join her and help
spread the word among patients, care providers, the medical professional community and the
general public about the medical uses of this medicinal herb, and also help to build
support for re-legalizing access for those who can benefit from this therapy.
Mission
Statement
Advisory Board |
