As mentioned by Sensi Seeds on many occasions, cannabis activism in France, albeit visible, does not encounter tremendous success outside of the involved spheres, mostly because of the policy of immobilism practiced by the government.
This is why each member of the cannabis community is more than appreciated, from the anonymous casual user to the fierce, dedicated soldier of peace crusading for equal rights.
And this is why it is important to support the community when it is threatened.
Bertrand Rambaud is a member of this community. Co-founder of the principal French association dedicated to therapeutic cannabis, UFCM ICare, he fights daily in order to bring French patients hope that they will one day have access to cannabis-based medication, or to medicinal cannabis itself.
He also organizes symposiums dedicated to cannabinoid research, in order to alert doctors to options which could be available to treat diseases such as HIV, multiple sclerosis or cancer. Another of his goals is to create, through the meetings, a link between these doctors and patients who, while waiting for medicinal cannabis to be authorized in France, continue to suffer.
On April 2nd 2014, Bertrand Rambaud was arrested following a random police control in the street. His home was searched and he remained in custody for 24 hours without his medication, before being finally released.
He is now being investigated for incitation, as well as possession and production of cannabis, since the police found 500 grams of cannabis in his home. This is medication which Mr Rambaud grew himself, which he uses in order to relieve the more than undesirable effects triggered by antiretroviral combination therapy.
Indeed, Bertrand Rambaud is a patient himself. Suffering from HIV, he cultivates cannabis in order to relieve his symptoms. Since the French government does not allow him access to medicinal cannabis, despite the fact that it is distributed in many other countries, and its beneficial effects (especially for people with HIV) should now be beyond question for anyone capable of assessing research, he is also forced to palliate the French government’s deficiencies by providing his own medication.
Once again, Sensi Seeds must report on a situation where a human being is attempting to improve a life daily regulated by pain and handicap and instead of being aided and applauded by their community, they are branded as criminals and punished by laws that have no bearing on the reality of their circumstances.
That the French government considers that organizing symposiums dedicated to medical research focused on cannabinoids falls into the category of “inciting others to consume psychotropic substances” seems to confirm their lack of comprehension of the immense progress that has been made in discovering applications for medicinal cannabis – this attitude could be straight from the Reefer Madness era. There is also a note of hypocrisy; France legalized Sativex last year with as little publicity as possible, perhaps in order to avoid “inciting others to consume psychotropic substances”.
Sensi Seeds supports Bertrand Rambaud, and hopes that this “incident” will finally open many eyes among the population as well as the media in regards to the outdated cannabis policy applied by the country.
Sensi Seeds mostly hopes that each member of the cannabis community, no matter the scale of their participation, will follow the movement.
Bertrand needs your help! Click on the links below in order to show your support for a man being prosecuted for attempting to ease his own suffering while harming no-one else.
Support Group for Bertrand Rambaud: facebook.com/soutienBertrandRambaud
Sign the Petition for the discharge of Bertrand Rambaud
By Sylent Jay
Source: sensiseeds.com
