The Union Temple Baptist Church Huggin’ HIV/AIDS Ministry & Akoma Project

reprinted from a Union Temple Baptist Church brochure: For over thirty years, the Union Temple Baptist Church has provided unbiased and reassuring services to populations who have been rejected and ostracized by society. Union Temple Baptist Church established the Huggin’ Ministry in response to the AIDS pandemic which has disproportionately affected the African American community. This faith-based program has provided HIV/AIDS services for DC residents for over seventeen years. The Huggin’ Ministry is well recognized in the community for providing loving and effective services to persons living with HIV/AIDS.

In 1999 the Akoma (ah-ko-ma) Projected was added to the union Temple Baptist Church Huggin’ HIV/AIDS Ministry. Akoma, which literally means “The Heart”, is an African andinkra symbol of love, goodwill, patience, fondness faithfulness, endurance and consistency. The Akoma Project is funded by Ryan White Title I and Title II grants as well as DC’s CDC funds.

The Akoma Project and the Huggin’ Ministry provide a range of professional services in a supportive and nonjudgemental environment. These services are available to all persons in the community. We ensure timely and open access to the following services:

Case Management

We serve as a direct link to services required for persons living with HIV/AIDS, such as primary medical care, access to AIDS medication, housing, transportation, childcare/children services, vocational services, legal services, etc.

Mental Health Services

Mental Health Services such as individual counseling, family counseling and psychiatric evaluations and assesments are provided. Support group services are available on a regular basis also.

Prevention/Education

Educational programs and workshops are prvided for all individuals infected or affected by HIV/AIDs. We place a strong emphasis on prevention education. Risk reduction and individual and group counseling is also provided to people who are HIV positive.

Emergency Financial Assistance

Emergency financial assistance is available for persons living with HIV/AID for housing/rental assistance, tilities, pharmaceutical, and burial support. This service is provided on a limited basis upon review and approval of the application.

Transportation

Distortation to medical care, case management appointments, support groups, and other AIDS related services is available.

Pastoral Care and Counseling

Spiritual bereavement and counseling is available for persons living with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones. The ministerial staff at Union Temple Baptist Church provides pastoral care.

Day Treatment

Participants are engaged in recreational activities including field trips, group projects and other socialization opportunities. Light meals are made available.

Akoma Project & Huggin’ HIV/AIDS Ministry
1255 W Street, SE
Washington, DC 20020
202 889-5346

Calling all Women Who Could Use A Break

Do you ever feel like you could use a day off? Would you like to talk with a group of women just like you who understand? Are there just times when some friendly advice is needed? Do you ever feel like your friends mean well but they do not really get it? Would you like to discover how to relax, relieve stress, and improve your outlook? Do you want to learn more about being healthy and enjoying life?

Well then check out the Sister Circle. Give Ebony a call at (202) 884-5469 to find out more and reserve your space. The first meeting of Sister Circle takes place October 4th starting at 11:00 AM. The meeting is at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500. DC CARE Consortium is convenient to the McPherson Metro Stop.

DC Kickoff for National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

Mark your calendars. October 15th is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, but October 4th is when the activities begin in DC. To start the discussion there will be a briefing on the Hill on October 4th by the Hispanic Federation and the Latino Commission on AIDS in collaboration with the Congressional Hispanic Conference. The press conference begins at 9:30 AM, and the briefing begins at 10:00 AM. Both events will take place at the Cannon House Office Building Room 121. For more details please download the event flyer by clicking here.

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) represents a historic coming together for the Latino community. Created in 2003 to increase awareness about the growing Latino HIV/AIDS epidemic, NLAAD is observed annually on October 15th in hundreds of cities nationwide. The goal of NLAAD is to promote and sponsor activities and actions that will prevent the spread of HIV in the Latino community and improve the quality of life of those living with the virus.

NMAC Breakfast with the Executive Director: Ryan White Care Act

The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) presents: Breakfast with the Executive Director Paul Kawata, an informational series on HIV/AIDS. The first session takes place November 10th at 8:30 AM, and the topic of discussion is the Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorization. The breakfast will take place at Bus Boys and Poets, 2021 14th Street, NW.

NMAC writes in their invitation: "As the preeminent advocacy organization representing people of color living with, and at high risk, for HIV/AIDS, NMAC bears the privilege and responsibility of leading the development and implementation of public policy targeting HIV/AIDS in communities of color."

"Please join us in discussing how you can support NMACs policy and join the front lines in the struggle for social justice. This event is free and open to the public with a reservation. For more information, or to reserve a space, please contact Michael Ludwig via e-mail or at (202) 483-6622, ext 361."

Youth AIDS Team October Meeting

Youth AIDS Team will hold a meting on October 19th starting at 6:30 PM. The meeting will take place at 1818 H Street, NW , 10th Floor, Room 100 (MC 10-100). If you are not an employee of the World Bank, you will need to Rsvp in order to receive a visitor's pass. Contact: Simon Milward. In addition to discussing and planning Youth AIDS Team activities, the following films below will be shown:

Hidden Crisis: Women and AIDS

Writer & Director: Jed Rothstein
Producer: Rory Kennedy, Moxie Firecracker Films
Developed with the Kaiser Family Foundation
20 minutes, USA, October, 2003

People harbor a misconception that the AIDS epidemic in the United States is over. While medical advances have transformed AIDS from a short term death sentence into a more manageable long term illness-at least for those individuals who have access to the newest drug therapies-the epidemic is still very much alive, it just has a changing face. Increasingly, the epidemic affects women. Almost two thirds of these cases occur among African-American women. Moreover, by almost any measure, the average woman with AIDS is likely to be worse off then her male counterpart; she' s more likely to be uninsured and to have less access to medical care. Why haven't the steady declines seen in the male infection rate over the last decade been reflected among women? What are the underlying social conditions that lead to these grim statistics? This documentary film explores the stories and issues behind the numbers, examining the factors that have led to this new front in the battle against the AIDS epidemic.

Washington D.C. Offers Free HIV Tests to Combat Spread of AIDS

The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
8 minutes, USA, August, 2006

To combat the highest rate of HIV infections in the nation, the District of Columbia launched this sweeping new program that city officials hope will increase awareness, draw more patients in for treatment, and encourage prevention of the disease. Its goal is to test every resident between the ages of 14-84 years (about 400,000 people). Washington D.C. has begun to offer a rapid oral HIV test free to residents -- the first program of its kind. The director of the D.C. HIV/AIDS Administration discusses the program.

Stock Photos

This page is mostly just for me and the other folks who blog on this site, but if you have a Blogspot blog, it's very easy to just cut and and past the HTML below and add these graphics it to any of your blog posts. As always, if you have any questions, just let me know.

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DC Lunch Forum on CDC's New HIV Testing Recommendations

On Tuesday October 3rd, the Kaiser Family Foundation will host a panel discussion on the CDC's new HIV Testing Recommendations. As you've probably have seen in the news, the CDC now recommends routine HIV testing for all patients (ages 13-64) in health care settings. This is very much in line with DC's current testing campaign.

Panelists will include Dr. Marsha Martin from the DC Administration for HIV/AIDS Policy and Programs; Frank Oldham, Executive Director of the National Association of People with AIDS; and David Holtgrave, professor and chair, Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The lunch forum will take place from noon to 2:00 PM at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center, Kaiser Family Foundation Building, 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. (one block west of Metro Center).

If you would like to come to this event you must RSVP by September 29th. RSVP to Tiffany Ford at tford@kff.org or (202) 347-5270.

US Conference on AIDS Wrap Up

Well the conference went by quickly. Pictured to the left are myself and Danielle Pleasant at the conference. There are a lot of things I didn't get to write about. Here are a few final thoughts:

1. Overall I'm really encouraged by the direction that the DC Administration for HIV Policy and Programs is taking. They had a very strong presence at the conference. But more importantly they have a lot of very smart and engaged professionals thinking strategically about how to address the epidemic in DC over the long haul. I've written about Dr. Martin before, but other folks who are working for or consulting for DCAHPP include Bill Bryant (who you may know from Whitman Walker and AIDS Action), Michael Gipson (who you may know from Advocates for Youth), and Donald Hitchcock (who you may know from The National Coalition for LGBT Health). I've worked with each of these individuals, and had the opportunity to witness their personal and professional commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS.

2. Discussion about reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act was pretty much what I expected it to be. During the panel presentation on this topic, there was a predictable conflict between the cities where the epidemic began and the states where the epidemic has gone. We all know that places like San Francisco and Washington DC receive more ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) dollars per AIDS Patient then other places that currently have ADAP waiting lists (like South Carolina). Yes, we need a bigger pie, but until then we also need to make the slices of the pie more even (See my previous blog post on this.

3. Based on the increased visibility of Microbicides at the International Conference on AIDS in Toronto, I was expecting to see Microbicides visible at this conference. Unfortunately, there was just one workshop, and some of the information presented was quite out-of-date.

4. There was renewed energy to call attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic among black gay men. A recent CDC study found that 46% of the black gay men who participated were HIV positive (more about this study). It is mind-boggling to consider that almost half of black gay men in the United States are positive.

For another perspective on the Conference check out the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland USCA Blog. There are some very interesting posts there.

Day 4: DC at the US Conference on AIDS

Yesterday I attended a workshop on HIV/AIDS stigma presented by staff of the National Minority AIDS Coalition. We've come a long way in changing the way people see HIV/AIDS, but the stigma associated with HIV is still a barrier for many folks who need to access testing and receive care, especially in communities of color

NMAC presents a two-day training on HIV/AIDS Stigma. You can find out more about the trainings, and find other resources in this area by vising NMAC's Stigma Resource Center.

Day 3: DC at the US Conference on AIDS

Day Three at the US Conference on AIDS. Pictured on the left are Dr. Marsha Martin and Tiffany (whose last name I can't remember at the moment) in the exhibit hall at the DC Administration for HIV Policy and Programs Booth. More pictures from the conference are available on the Flickr Photo Stream.

There has been a lot of discussion here about DC's ambitious HIV testing program. I'll write more about that tomorrow (late for a plenary already) but for now, let me share with you goals of DC's testing campaign.

• To encourage all Washington DC residents to know their HIV status by December 31, 2006
• To raise awareness among DC residents on the importance, availability, and ease of HIV testing
• To expand access/availability of confidential HIV screening, with the goal of making HIV screening routine in all medical settings
• To identify previously undiagnosed persons living with HIV and connect them to immediate care and treatment
• To coordinate the medical and community resources necessary to sustain an on-going HIV screening program
• To reduce transmission of HIV in Washington DC
• To establish a model for other cities around the world

DC has come a long way forward since this campaign was first launched in June of 2006, but we still have a long way to go if we are going to meet these goals by December 31st.

Day 2: DC at the US Conference on AIDS

It's day two of the US Conference on AIDS. Pictured on the left are staff members from the Washington DC based organization AIDS Action, who participated in the UCHAPS Institute at the US Conference on AIDS today.

What is UCHAPS, you ask? Well it's the Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services and it's comprised of seven cities (or urban areas) that have been hit hard by this epidemic including: Los Angeles, Philly, San Francisco, Houston, New York City, Chicago, and of course Washington DC.

UCHAPS is a pretty oool partnership between local health departments and concerned community members who are involved in local Ryan White Planning Councils (a treatment focused advisory board) or Community Planning Groups (a prevention focused advisory board).

Representing DC were several folks from our DC Administration for HIV/AIDS Policy and Programs including Dr. Marsha Martin, and several community folks. Catalina Sol and Toni Young were there representing the local DC Community Planning Group. Danielle Pleasant was there from the Planning Council.

The meeting focused on collaborations between the prevention side (Community Planning Groups) and the treatment side (Planning Council). Several cities shared their experiences with this including DC. Not suprisingly, other cities are ahead of us when it comes to building these connections between prevention and care. But fortunately, DC is definitely moving in the right direction.

One thing that stood out. In DC both the planning council (which actually serves a larger region beyond just DC) and the DC Community Planning Group have a large number of vacant seats. We need more concerned community members willing to get involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in DC. If you want to find out more about how you can get involved, drop me a line, or just post a comment below.

DC Represented at the US Conference on AIDS

Tonight I arrived in Florida for the United Conference on AIDS. There were a few events today but the conference really kicks into high gear tomorrow. A number of DC folks are represented here at the conference. Of course, on the National front the conference is organized by the National Minority AIDS Coalition which is based in DC. On my way into the conference hotel today, I had the pleasure of seeing NMAC spokesperson Sheryl Lee Ralph.

The DC CARE Consortium (which I work for) has nine folks here at the conference. I've also seen several people from Transgender Health & Empowerment, and I'm sure there are many others from DC HIV/AIDS organizations I just haven't bumped into yet.

There are also bunch of folks here from the DC Administration for HIV Policy and Programs (DCAHPP). The DCAHPP folks have been dialoging with other cities that are heavily impacted by HIV to share ideas. Tomorrow I shall attend a workshop entitled "HIV Prevention in the Seven Most Heavily Impacted Jurisdictions: Successes and Challenges with Linkages between HIV Prevention Care and Treatment."

I'll be blogging daily from the conference, focusing (of course) on information specific to DC. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions about what you'd like to see on the blog while I'm here - be sure to let me know by posting a comment below.

Come Together DC: Get Tested for HIV

Today I was at the rally at Freedom Plaza marking the city's progress in their HIV/AIDS Testing campaign.

The Good News: A number of folks representing various sectors of the city were present. Celia Maxwell from Howard University Hospital talked about the move to routinely offer HIV testing at local Hospitals. A gentleman from George Washington University spoke about local college and university health clinics offering free HIV testing and counselling (although in my opinion it was disappointing he didn't credit Lamar Thorpe for the progress at GW), and other representatives talked about HIV testing in DC Prisons, and testing campaigns for high risk populations. It is good to see that progress is being made and progress is being measured in this battle. For more, read the Washington Post Article.

The Bad News: Unfortunately, today was very much a 'Preaching to the Choir' event. Staff from the DC Administration for HIV Policy and Programs far outnumbered other participants. I'm not sure how this event was marketed, but whatever marketing that was done was clearly lacking.

Still the big picture is encouraging. According to the post, we should have a more complete analysis of people tested through the campaign by the end of the year. This will include information sorted by gender, age, ethnicity and possibly zip code.

For pictures from today's event, check out the click here

Join me today at Freedom Plaza

The DC Administration for HIV Policy and Programs will be provide free HIV testing and counseling today at Freedom Plaza starting at 2:00 PM. If you haven't been tested recently, this is the perfect time. A number of HIV/AIDS organizations will also be out on Freedom Plaza, so it's also a great opportunity to find out more about the various organizations in DC and what they are doing. Freedom Plaza is between 13th and 14th Streets at Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.

I will be there representing DC CARE Consortium, talking to folks about ACTION: The AIDS Clinical Trials Information and Orientation Network. So be sure to stop by our booth so I can meet you. To be honest, I'm curious to see how many folks turn out. I haven't seen this advertised anywhere, so I think it could be a small crowd. Still, it's a great opportunity to get tested and meet some of DC's HIV/AIDS organizations.

And before you come, check out this article about the city's testing campaign, that was in the Post yesterday.

The WIHS Study in DC

One of the longest-running HIV/AIDS Research studies in history, August marked the 13th year of the WIHS Study. The study began in 1993 in an effort to better understand how HIV affects women in the United States.

2,635 Women were enrolled in the beginning of the study. Another 1,143 women enrolled in 2001 and 2002. These women are from the greater Washington DC Area and other WIHS Research sites around the country.

Every six months participants in the WIHS study participate in a follow-up visit, where they have a medical examination and provide information about their medical history, substance use, sexual behaviors, and a variety of other information. Some participants are involved in sub-studies which require additional information or tests. WIHS sub studies have looked at areas including cardiovascular health and metabolic functioning.

To date, over 290 papers have been published as a result of data collected in the WIHS study. This study has greatly expanded our knowledge of HIV in women.

Community Involvement in the WIHS STUDY

The WIHS Study incorporates community input through the WIHS National Community Advisory Board (NCAB). Our Washington, DC representatives to the NCAB are Kim Kelsey and Kathy Moore. The purpose of the National Community Advisory Board is to:

• Provide ongoing community, scientific, psycho-social and political input to the national WIHS agenda
• Assure that WIHS participants are representatives of the community at large
• Inform, educate and support these participants over time
• Help design mechanisms to assure access of HIV infected/infected women to WISH research sites and retention of these participants over time
• Advocate for adequate research funding, to allow the full WIHS research agenda to be fulfilled
• Provide support for local community advisory boards and encourage involvement at the local level
• Facilitate translation of WIHS-related information to the community
• Represent and be accessible to community members for WIHS related concerns

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In Their Own Words

Being part of the WIHS study and the WIHS National Community Advisory Board has been an exciting experience for Washington DC residents Kim Kelsey and Kathy Moore.

Kathy Moore writes: I have gained a lot of experience since joining this study. I have received a much needed lift in my self-confidence by having to speak in front of an audience. The conference calls have encouraged me to study further about HIV/AIDS, women, and our health issues. The Project Directors and the Principal Investigators on our conference call break things down so that the NCAB can understand those things that are above our heads. We are encouraged to ask any questions that we have and to voice our opinions.

Kim Kelsey writes: I’ve learned advocacy. I’ve learned public speaking. I’ve gotten the opportunity to travel. I’ve gotten a lot of education and information about HIV. When I first found out I was positive it made me very suicidal. I wanted to jump off a bridge. I was pregnant at the time. I was worried about my child – is my child going to be infected? But my child wasn’t infected. So I got educated and learned you can live longer and that’s when my life began to change.

WIHS Washington DC Metropolitan Consortium

• Georgetown University Medical Center: Mary Young, MD Principal Investigator
• George Washington University Medical Center: Sylvia Silver, DA
• Whitman-Walker Clinic: Kunthavi Sathasivam, MD
• Montgomery County Health Department: Carol Jordan, RN, MPH
• Inova Health System of Northern Virginia: Peggy Beckman, RN, C.A.N.P
• Community Advisors: Kimberly Kelsey, Kathy Moore

World AIDS Day DC

The following is a partial list of events taking place for World AIDS Day in Washington DC. If you know of other events, please let me know and I will post them here.

DC World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil
A candlelight vigil will take place at Freedom Plaza starting at 5:45 PM. I will post more details here once I have them. Immediately following the candlelight vigil there are two different receptions going on in the Wilson Building. I say go to both of them.

"Our Heroes" Art Exhibit Opening
Wilson Building Lobby (1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW), 6:45 PM. Remembering 25 years of HIV/AIDS in D.C.

World AIDS Day Reception honoring HIV/AIDS Research Trial Participants
Wilson Building Hearing Room (1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW), 6:45 PM. This event is open to all HIV/AIDS research trial participants, community advisory board members, research staff, and interested community members. This event is made possible with support from the NIH Vaccine Research Center and the US Military HIV Research Program. Partners in this event include: Capital Area Vaccine Effort, Family Connections, Georgetown University Medical Center Clinical Trials Unit, NIH Vaccine Research Center, US Military HIV Research Program, and the Washington VA Medical Center. For more information and to register online, click here.

DC World AIDS Day White House Protest
AIDs activists plan to gather outside the Whitehouse for a rally on the afternoon of World AIDS Day (December 1st). Organizations that are planning this event include: ACT UP NY, ACT UP Philadelphia, American Medical Student Association, Center for Health and Gender Equity, DC Fights Back!, Global AIDS Alliance, Global Justice, Health GAP, Housing Works, Priority Africa Network (PAN), RESULTS, Student Global AIDS Campaign, and Universities Coalitions for Global Health. For more information about this event click here.

DC World AIDS Day Prayer Service
There will be an inter-denominational HIV/AIDS Prayer Service held on December 1st. The prayer service begins at 7:30 PM and takes place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Old Catholic Church at Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E St SE. Join clergy from area denominations and pray for those who have been lost to AIDS, and for those who still suffer.

Silver Spring World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil
2006 marks the 26th year of AIDS, totalling well over 25 million deaths worldwide. The AIDS pandemic is an international security threat that has crippled economies and taught a global lesson on humanity and compassion. The Silver Spring World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil is the local observance of all who have died and those living with HIV. The vigil will be held at Veterans Field, Downtown Silver Spring. The vigil takes place from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on World AIDS Day, December 1st, 2006.

Red Ribbon Leadership Awards
The 2006 Red Ribbon Leadership Awards will be presented on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, 2006, at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. The Awards acknowledge individuals and organizations from across the country that demonstrate exemplary efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Award recipients will be chosen in three categories: programs, communications and policy. Special recognition will also be acknowledged with the Achievement Award, to be made in honor of the late civil rights leader and activist Coretta Scott King. For more information visit www.redribbonawards.org, or call 1-888-232-NHAP (6427).

Three Needles
The film Three Needles is scheduled to air on Showtime cable networks December 1st, World AIDS Day. The film, which has been endorsed by the United Nations, tells three intimate stories about the epidemic from three different continents. Three Needles features numerous stars including: Shawn Ashmore, Stockard Channing, Lucy Liu, Olympia Dukakis and Chloe Sevigny.

Launch of AIDS.gov
On World AIDS Day, the federal government plans to launch a new HIV/AIDS web portal site, www.aids.gov. Don't check the URL yet, because it's not active yet, but be sure to check it out on December 1st.

Lunch Forum: Ethics of Clinical Research

ACTION will sponsor a free lunch forum entitled 'Ethics of Clinical Research' on February 8th, 2007. The presentation begins at 1:00 PM at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

What makes a clinical trial ethical? How have tragic incidents like the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment shaped the way we do research today? Join us for this in-depth look at the ethics of clinical research.

Featuring Christine Grady, Department of Clinical Bioethics, National Institutes of Health.

Lunch Provided. RSVP Required. To RSVP, Click Here.

Download the flyer for this event here.

Georgetown HIV/AIDS Research CAB Meeting

Join us for a regular meeting of the Georgetown Medical Center HIV/AIDS Community Advisory Board and learn about HIV/AIDS research going on in the District of Columbia.

The meeting will take place Friday September 29th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the DC CARE Consortium. The DC CARE Consortium is at 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500. It's located on the corner of 15th and M Street NW, convenient to the McPherson Metro Station.

Even if you've never been to a community advisory board meeting before, you're welcome to come and find out what it's like. Maybe serving on a CAB is the volunteer opportunity you've been looking for!

To RSVP, Click Here

Film Presentation & Discussion: Mother to Child

The Youth AIDS Team will host a screening and discussion of the film "Mother to Child" by Jane Lipman. The event will take place Thursday September 21st from 12:30 to 2:00 PM at 701 18th St, Room J1-050.

The prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV — the statistics, the people — come vividly to life in this astounding documentary, which follows the lives of two pregnant and HIV-positive women lucky enough to be on a drug trial at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. The film charts the lives of Pinkie and Patience as they approach the delivery of their babies. It reveals their expectations, hopes, and inevitable fears concerning not only the health of their babies, but the trauma around the disclosure of their status to their families and partners as well.

Following the film there will be a panel discussion featuring:

Jacomina de Regt
Lead Specialist, Social Development Africa Region, World Bank

Cassandra de Souza
Operations Analyst, AIDS Campaign Team for Africa, World Bank

Marelize Gorgens
Consultant, Global HIV/AIDS Program, World Bank

Carolyn Baek
Staff Program Associate, Population Council DC, Horizons HIV Program

Samantha Huffman
Moderator, IFC (YouthAIDS Team)

If you would like to RSVP for this event please RSVP to Emily Horgan (ehorgan@ifc.org).

Time for DC to Rethink Medical Marijuana?

Imagine being sentenced to ten years in prison simply for using simply for using a medication recommended by your doctor. Think it couldn't happen in DC? Think again. Jimmy Montgomery, a parapalegic, used medical marijuana to control muscle spasms caused by his the pouch of his wheelchair, he was (incredibly) charged with intent to distribute. Montgomery was convicted and received a life sentence, which on appeal was reduced to ten years.

This may be an extreme example, but it reminds us that patients that use Medical Marijuana do so at risk of imprisonment.

Now this week, new research shows Marijuana can improve the effectiveness of drug therapy for Hepatitis C

Treatment for Hepatitis C involves two drugs: interferon and ribavirin. These drugs have so many harsh side effects, it's hard for many people to get through the treatment. Side effects vary widely, but individuals can go through bouts of deppression, aching muscles and severe fatigue, and nausea that can be so severe that simply eating enough food every day can be a challenge. Find out more here.

Well now research from University of California at SF and at an Oakland shows that marijuana can help address those side effects, and that folks who use marijuana during the treatment are more likely to finish the treatment, and more likely to have a succcesful treatment outcome.

An estimated 4.1 million Americans have been infected with Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a major issue for DC, both for people who are HIV negative, and people who are co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis C.

This is a disease that hits the African American Community hardest. African Americans are two times more likely than whites to have Hepatitis C. Further, African Americans don't respond as well to current available treatments.

In light of this news about Hepatitis C, and what we already know about how medical marijuana can help folks with other conditions like HIV, Washington DC must revisit the issue of Medical Marijuana.

As you may remember, in 1998 there was a DC referendum on medical marijuana, and polling data suggested that there was strong support for in DC.
Unfortunately, the results of that vote were never released to the public. Here's what the DC Board of Elections said:

"Under pressure and mandate from Congress, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics today announced that the Board will not release the vote results of Initiative Measure No. 59, 'Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1998'. D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics Chairman Benjamin F. Wilson stated that 'a recent statute passed by Congress precludes the expenditure of any appropriated funds for Initiative Measure No. 59.'"

That's right. After the vote took place, Congress blocked the release of the results. Read the whole press release here.

It's been eight years since that happened, though. And now, we have even more valid scientific data about the benefits of Medical Marijuana. How do we get this issue back into the spotlight? Is there any hope? I don't know to be honest, but I hope that this post will spark the debate, and if you have suggestions or are interested in working on this, please let me know.