Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition

From SSDPedia

Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition (RIPAC): [www.RIpatients.org]

RIPAC Mission Statement

The Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition (RIPAC) is a nonprofit organization comprised of local medical marijuana patients, caregivers, doctors, advocacy groups, and others who are interested in medical marijuana.

RIPAC advances discourse, research, and policy related to medical marijuana in four main areas: patient advocacy, professional education, research, and policy development.

ADVOCACY: RIPAC was formed to advocate for patients and the caregivers of those patients who experience therapeutic relief from the use of marijuana. RIPAC works to protect the medical use of marijuana under state law by facilitating dialogue among patients, medical professionals, law enforcement, and policymakers.

EDUCATION: RIPAC is committed to educating the public and health professionals about the scientific attributes of marijuana and the legal status of such use.

RESEARCH: RIPAC is committed to promoting and facilitating marijuana research because we understand that research is crucial to the appropriate medical use of marijuana.

POLICY: RIPAC also works to educate RI policymakers during the development, passage, and implementation of RI medical marijuana legislation and programs. By involving patients, advocates, and their physicians in the policy process, RIPAC hopes to help create medical marijuana systems that are responsive to patients’ needs.

RIPAC's website

Jesse Stout, Executive Director, 2006-present