WASHINGTON – The Coalition for Access Now – the leading advocate for ensuring access to quality and consistent Cannabidiol (CBD) products for mothers, caregivers, veterans, athletes, and more who rely on CBD – joined in partnership today with the U.S. Pain Foundation to advocate for the passage of legislation (H.R. 1629) to ensure the 45 million Americans who rely on the benefits of CBD have access to products regulated as dietary supplements.
To kick off the partnership between the two organizations, Coalition for Access Now founder Paige Figi traveled to the Foundation’s Pediatric Pain Warrior Family Summer Camp to learn more from those living with chronic pain and share her story fighting for children with chronic conditions to have access to safe hemp-derived products. The organizations released a video outlining the shared purpose of ensuring users of CBD can trust the products they use. WATCH
“Our utmost goal is to help individuals living with chronic diseases and serious injuries that cause pain improve their quality of life and have better health outcomes overall,” said Nicole Hemmenway, CEO of the U.S. Pain Foundation, “We are excited to become a partner of the Coalition for Access Now to ensure individuals living with chronic diseases and injuries have access to all different types for treatments like CBD.”
The U.S. Pain Foundation and the Coalition for Access Now will focus on advocating for bipartisan legislation (H.R. 1629) introduced by Representatives Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Angie Craig (D-MN) earlier this year to authorize the FDA to regulate hemp-derived products as dietary supplements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
“We are working with bipartisan lawmakers to increase access to, and safety of, CBD products that millions of Americans use to treat their pain, their illnesses and their mental health,” said Paige Figi, Founder of the Coalition for Access Now. “Our partnership with the U.S. Pain Foundation will enable us to bring the voices of Americans living with chronic pain to Washington and advocate for Congress to pass H.R. 1629 and regulate CBD as the dietary supplement to assure independent testing and accurate labeling.
Paige Figi continued, “Who’s going to say no to a parent? Who’s going to say no to ending a child’s suffering? That’s all we’re trying to do here.”
Twenty percent of adult Americans – or 51.6 million – currently suffer symptoms of chronic pain. Of those 51.6 million Americans, 17.1 million live with high-impact pain; pain that limits everyday life or work activities. For many patients, CBD products have been an integral part of managing their pain, especially when many experiencing symptoms of chronic pain do not need opioid or pharmaceutical solutions.
About the Coalition for Access Now
In 2014, Paige founded the Coalition for Access Now, a 501(c)4, to help other families in similar circumstances provide relief to their children. The work of Paige and the mothers in the Coalition for Access Now led to passage of Cannabidiol (CBD) access laws in all 50 states. The Coalition convenes medical providers, veterans, athletes, and businesses to drive public awareness and achievable solutions for ensuring access to quality and consistent CBD products. To learn more: www.CoalitionForAccess.org
About the U.S. Pain Foundation
The U.S. Pain Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to empower, educate, connect, and advocate for individuals living with chronic illnesses and serious injuries that cause pain, as well as their care partners and clinicians. Through its multiple programs and services, the organization works to elevate the patient voice, increase disease-state education, improve pain care through policy change, expand outreach to underserved and marginalized communities, and provide comprehensive resources to ensure individuals are supported and empowered along their journeys. Learn more at uspainfoundation.org.