Physician Testimonies

"Thousands of patients with cancer, AIDS, and other diseases report they have obtained striking relief from [intractable nausea, vomiting or pain] by smoking marijuana." Jerome Kassirer, M.D., "Editorial: Federal Foolishness and Marijuana,"
New England Journal of Medicine, No. 5, 366 (Jan. 30, 1997)

"[F]or some patients, marijuana proves to be the only effective medicine for stimulating appetite and suppressing nausea, thus allowing the AIDS patient to recover lost body mass and become more healthy." Marcus Conant, M.D. Declaration, Conant v. McCaffrey

"As a result of the government's public threats, I do not feel comfortable even discussing the subject of medical marijuana with my patients....I am worried that a government agent, posing as a patient, will try to infiltrate my office in order to provoke a statement that the federal government considers dangerous." Milton Estes. M.D. Declaration, Conant v. McCaffrey

The physician plaintiffs in Conant v. McCaffrey are a group of prominent and respected doctors who are leading educators, researchers and clinicians in the fields of oncology, infectious disease and internal medicine. Each physician discusses how medical marijuana has played an important role in the treatment of some of their seriously ill patients. In addition, each physician tells how the federal government's threats regarding medical marijuana have undermined their ability to provide the best possible medical care to their patients,and how continued threats by the government could lead to needless suffering and even death.

Patient Testimonies