United Patients Group Announces Non-Profit Status to Focus on Advocacy and Action in Education and Information to Medical Cannabis Industry

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Patients Group, the leading medical cannabis information and education website, has officially been granted its 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. The new division of United Patients Group will function as a nonprofit entity, and is now registered with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Contributions to support the organization's mission are now 100% tax deductible.

Founder, John Malanca said "Education is paramount in the potential for medical cannabis treatment and is the cornerstone of our goals and initiatives that will be carried out through our 501(c)(3) non-profit." 

Since its inception in 2011, United Patients Group has earned the trust of physicians, patients and health-related organizations by providing reliable, up-to-the-minute information and education focused on the medical cannabis industry. At the forefront of this complex and ever-evolving industry, UPG functioned as a virtual hand to hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide seeking credible, unbiased information in an area of health and medicine that is still fraught with obstacles and half-truths.

The impetus to create a non-profit entity of UPG came about organically, as the company saw an increasing need to expand their services and take a leadership position in spearheading funding for research and clinical trials, truth and transparency as governments shape and develop medical cannabis legislation, as well as the critical need to fund and build out cannabinoid education programs and training for healthcare providers, mental health professionals, nurse practitioners and others in the medical cannabis field.  

As the concept of medical cannabis emerges from the cloak of being an  illicit and dangerous drug to a legal, natural and effective medicine – access to information is more critical than ever before – but not always available to masses.  The establishment of United Patients Group non-profit division aims to change that. 

"We founded UPG out of a desperate desire to help my terminally ill father-in-law who was given two weeks to live.  We scrambled for information.  We went down some questionable paths.  But we were fortunate to be surrounded by educated, supportive individuals and eventually uncovered a sound, effective treatment plan.  But not everyone is able or capable of doing their own due-diligence in the manner we were able to," commented Malanca, "and that's how United Patients Group was started."

Grammy and Academy Award winning-singer, Melissa Etheridge has a similar viewpoint, pulling from her own experience with breast cancer ten years ago. She credits medical cannabis with helping her to survive and thrive in spite of the devastating effects of chemo therapy.  "By the time I left my first chemo treatment, I had the choice of five pills, or cannabis, to help me deal with the nausea and pain. I chose cannabis."  Etheridge further commented,  "What United Patients Group is doing is bringing education and information to the masses – regardless of celebrity, wealth, location or other statuses that shouldn't impact access to others.  The work they are embarking on in the medical cannabis arena is paradigm shifting."

With the formation of the new non-profit division, United Patients Group is honored to announce the group's inaugural slate of Advisory Board members:

• Dr. Bonni Goldstein
• Dustin Sulak, DO
• John Holaday 
• Amanda R. Conley. Esq

For full bios and professional affiliations, please go to http://unitedpatientsgroup.com/advisory-board

About United Patients Group – Non-Profit Division

United Patients Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that  directs your donations to further our mission of bringing financial support to clinical research programs; cannabinoid education programs and training for healthcare providers, mental health professionals, nurse practitioners and others in the medical cannabis field; advocacy and reform at the government level for medical cannabis legalization and research initiatives,  along with providing up-to-the-minute access to resources and reliable, relevant information to medical cannabis patients and those that care for them throughout the US and beyond.

Learn more about making a donation, volunteering or other ways to get involved at www.unitedpatientsgroup.com/donate

About United Patients Group

United Patients Group (UPG) is the unparalleled online resource and trusted leader for medical cannabis information and education for physicians, patients and health-related organizations.

Learn more about United Patients Group at www.unitedpatientsgroup.com

Media Contact:

Michele Large  
[email protected]  
310-800-8208

SOURCE United Patients Group