Pubdate: Wed, 15 Jul 2009
Source: Tryon Daily Bulletin, The (NC)
Copyright: 2009 Tryon Daily Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.tryondailybulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1973
Cited: North Carolina Cannabis Patients' Network http://www.nccpn.org/
Referenced: House Bill 1380 - Medical Marijuana Act 
http://drugsense.org/url/DKvZsFlN
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

PARKS APPOINTED VETERAN'S OUTREACH DIRECTOR FOR N.C. CANNABIS PATIENTS NETWORK

The North Carolina Cannabis Patients Network (NCCPN) based in Mill 
Spring, NC has announced the appointment of Mr. Perry M. Parks III, 
of Rockingham, NC as its new Veterans Outreach Director. Parks is a 
retired chief warrant officer (CW-4 US Army). He served two and a 
half tours in Vietnam flying helicopters and retired from the NC 
National Guard in 2001 with 28 years of service.

He was a highly decorated pilot having been awarded the Distinguished 
Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, the Army Commendation Medal with "V" 
devise (4 awards) and 31 awards of the Air Medal. Parks is featured 
in the upcoming documentary "The Good Soldier" scheduled for release 
in select theatres nationwide later this year. In addition to his 
flying career, Parks is an aviation safety expert.

He was designated as an Subject-Matter-Expert (SME) in vehicle safety 
and served as a member of a National Guard Task Force for vehicle 
safety in Washington, DC, for both the Army and the Air Force. He is 
a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and also retired as director of 
safety for Murphy-Brown, LLP in Warsaw, NC. He serves as vice-chair 
of the Richmond County Democratic Party. Parks also served the 
Federal Aviation Administration as a Designated Pilot Examiner (33SO 
2PE) from 1981 through 2003 and was a pilot for US Airways before 
joining Murphy Farms as corporate pilot.

NCCPN officials say they are proud to bring aboard Parks who will 
serve as outreach professional for veterans across the state. NCCPN 
has been working with representatives to bring safe, legal access to 
cannabis for medical purposes and research, to the state of North 
Carolina and its patients.

HB 1380, the North Carolina Medical Marijuana Act was introduced on 
April 9 and passed the first reading on April 13. He bill is now in 
the House Health Committee, where first hearings were held on June 
18, 2009. You can find more information by visiting the website at 
http://www.nccpn.org and the YouTube video channel where you can see 
the committee hearings and patient testimony for yourselves at: 
http://www.youtube.com/nccpn

Opposition to this bill is dwindling as our lawmakers educate 
themselves to the science and research now available and we are 
feeling a true desire in the General Assembly to pass this bill for 
the patients who need it.

"We believe our lawmakers will give this bill the attention it 
deserves," said NCCPN Executive Director, Jean Marlowe. With more 
than 365 member/patients from every North Carolina county, NCCPN is 
the largest and fastest growing medical marijuana organization in the state.

NCCPN believes providing safe, legal access for medical marijuana 
patients would benefit the state, the patients, the health care 
community, and society. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake