Medical Marijuana

It’s fairly rare to see a state medical marijuana program decrease in enrollment. It happened once in my home state of Oregon. That dip in patient enrollment was due to a doubling of the enrollment fee for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. Michigan saw a dip in patient enrollment for the second straight year, which is interesting considering the fact that Michigan has one of the most established programs in the country. Per Detroit News:

 

The number of patients in Michigan’s medical marijuana program declined for the second year in a row in 2014, according to state statistics reviewed by The Detroit News.

 

Last year, the number of identification cards for patients in the program totaled 96,408, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. That compares with 119,470 patients in 2011, and 118,368 in 2013.

 

The downward trend continued in Metro Detroit, too, with the number of medical marijuana patients falling in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties for a third straight year.

 

There’s no clear reason why the numbers are decreasing in Michigan. Some point to overzealous law enforcement in some parts of Michigan. Some patients feel that the medical marijuana law in Michigan doesn’t necessarily protect them, and that it’s better to operate in the shadows. Others blame the fact that there are no clear rules for medical marijuana dispensaries in Michigan, which has left them open to attacks by law enforcement. Whatever the reason is, it’s a trend that could continue into 2015.

 

Source: http://www.theweedblog.com/michigan-medical-marijuana-program-enrollment-decreases/

It’s been almost three years since Massachusetts passed an initiative to implement medical marijuana in the state. It took almost two years for officials to award licenses for the first 20 that were approved. Now, Massachusetts health officials granted the state’s first certificate of registration for the growth and distribution of medical marijuana to a group in Salem called Alternative Therapies Group Inc. 

 

 

“Selecting dispensaries that meet our high standards takes time, but ensuring a launch of this new industry the right way for the people of Massachusetts if a top priority,” said John Polanowicz, Secretary at Health and Human Services. ATG is currently in the inspection phase of the process, where the state conducts unannounced inspections to ensure “safe patient access” to medical marijuana. 

 

 

“I am very pleased that ATG has received the first Certificate of Registration in the Commonwealth,” says Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. “From the outset the team at ATG has been forthright and professional. They went out of their way to meet with neighbors, officials, and other in Salem, to introduce themselves and explain what they will be doing.” By doing this, ATG has secured their spot in Salem, Massachusetts, as being the first medical marijuana dispensary in the state. 

 

 

Hopefully, the process of the dispensary implementation doesn’t take as long as it has been. The state had set a goal of opening the dispensaries in the summer of 2014 but a lack of initial oversight put a roadblock in their way. Some of the dispensaries that applied had to be retracted due to legitimacy issues, public support of the neighborhoods where the clinics wanted to open, and just conflicts of interest. Public health officials have spent months conducting interviews of each of the dispensaries, hoping to weed out the ones that will not be operating according to state standards. 

Many families struggle with living in illegal states while their children suffer for afflictions like cancer and epilepsy. What’s even more frustrating is waiting for the laws to change in a state, counting down the days to when the government lets these parents use a medicine that actually works for their kids. This is the reality of Angie and Josh Weaver, who are waiting for July 1, 2015, when marijuana will be available for their daughter, who is currently fighting Dravet syndrome.

 

 

On July 1st, Minnesota will begin to implement medical marijuana laws. The bill was put in to motion by legislator Carly Melin. But the law enforcement groups in the area were strongly against any sort of marijuana legalization and Gov. Mark Dayton said that he refused to sign a bill regarding the plant without the support of law enforcement. The Weavers, along with a handful of other families, worked hard to change the idea of the officers whose support they desperately needed. The inspiration was Amelia, their 8 year old daughter, who suffers from a devastating form of epilepsy. 

 

 

While Amelia managed to learn to walk and say the ABCs, along with counting to 20 at age 2 1/2, she began to have the seizures. Now, she cannot communicate verbally, walks aimlessly, falls frequently, and can’t handle a fork or spoon. A year ago, Amelia was suffering from anywhere between 20 and 30 severe seizures a day. The little girl would fall to the ground and shake, losing muscle control completely. Her parents say her condition has only worsened since then. She now has between 30 and 50 seizures a day, paired with as many as 10 grand map seizures. Even though the parents have tried numerous medicines, even those that sometimes help with Dravet haven’t worked for Amelia. 

 

 

“When Minnesota passed the medical cannabis law, our family didn’t have enough money to move to Colorado,” Weaver wrote. “During this year, we’ve been working with Amelia’s neurologist to provide the best care until cannabis is available to us.” Children like Amelia absolutely deserve treatment such as cannabis in hopes that they can develop and live life normally. Minnesota Department of Health selected two companies to manufacture and distribute medical marijuana in the state. The one that will be supplying LeafLine Labs, plans to have a distributor for Hibbing no later than July 1, 2016. Until then, the Weavers will travel to the Twin Cities as necessary to get the supplies for their daughter.

As of today, 23 states across the United States have legalized medical marijuana for patients who need it.  The uses for medical marijuana can range from treating seizure disorders to alleviating nausea caused by cancer treatment, and a majority of doctors across the nation wish they could use it as a tool.

 

However, they can’t! Most states still do not allow doctors to use marijuana as a tool to help patients, and South Dakota is one of many that does not give doctors the tools they need to successfully heal their patients. But that does not mean there is not hope for the state of South Dakota, as there is legislation being introduced to the state senate this year for the legalization of medical marijuana.

 

The legislation being introduced is called the “James Parker Mentele Medical Cannabis Act,” which aims to allow up to 2 ounces of marijuana for patients and establishes a care giver system similar to many other systems around the nation. Yet, this is not the good news. The South Dakota legislature is not incredibly supportive of medical marijuana, and the chances of this bill passing and getting signed by the governor are incredibly low.

 

The good news is that there are plans for ballot initiative in the state of South Dakota for the 2016 election, which makes the legislation proposed in the state legislature a perfect spring board for this campaign.

 

If this ballot initiative can get enough signatures in time for the election, which advocacy groups like Students for Sensible Drug Policy will be working very hard to attain, then medical marijuana can truly be a reality in South Dakota. This means doctors will finally be able to have some of the correct tools in their utility belt, per se.

 

Siource: http://www.theweedblog.com/medical-cannabis-in-south-dakota/

Big Pharma makes millions of dollars by selling prescription drugs to people. More often than not, these pills don’t actually treat the affliction that the patient is suffering from. In reality, most of these drugs cause severe adverse side effects. For example, commercials for the anti-depressant Zoloft state that the pill might actually make a person feel more suicidal, rather than assisting in the struggle to deal with depression. Cannabis has been shown to improve the condition of many different types of illnesses and afflictions. This list contains five drugs that are given out like candy by doctors that could possibly be replaced by a natural, green remedy.

 

 

Ambien

Doctors caution users against trying to stay awake while on Ambien for two reasons. The first (and most commonly heard) is that the drug is extremely powerful and fighting the effects just isn’t worth it. If you’re required to use a drug this strong to make you fall asleep, you should do just that. The second reason being that the drug has a “hypnagogic” effect on people if they don’t fall asleep right away. What this means is that the drug has hypnotizing qualities. When under the influence of Ambien, people are far more open to suggestion, whether there is a third party involved or the user’s own subconscious. This means that you might end up driving your car, stealing something that you shouldn’t take, assault, or any other number of negative actions. Additionally, there are studies that link Ambien use to heightened death rates and the FDA recommended that Ambien doses be lowered in order to prevent people from suffering from next-day-impairment. Marijuana can put someone to sleep easily, without all of these potentially deadly side effects.

 

 

Oxycontin

As a strong pain reliever, Oxy has gained a spot as one of the top medicines to treat people suffering with many different kinds of painful injuries. However, while the drug may help some, it has contributed to thousands of death per year. In 2010, more than half of 78,000 deaths were caused by illegal abuse of Oxy and Vicodin. Not only that but people aged 12 to 49 were 19 times more likely to start using heroin if introduced to non prescription use of Oxy. Even those patients who are taking Oxy for legitimate medical reasons have issues once they stop ingesting the drug… Most of the time, turning to Oxy’s cousin heroin to get their fix. If these patients were given cannabis instead, they would realize that the plant harnesses potent analgesic properties that are totally different than prescription pain killers. Instead of reducing the pain that’s being experienced, marijuana distracts the user from feeling the pain. Marijuana also probably won’t kill you or leave you addicted to heroin either.

 

 

Tobacco

Most people are beginning to realize that tobacco isn’t the greatest. CVS stopped selling cigarettes entirely and New York has been working towards eradicating these death sticks as well. Since most people smoke due to an oral fixation, using marijuana to quit butts is a great way to stay a bit healthier. Studies have shown that toking the reefer isn’t putting you at risk for lung cancer. If you’re having serious trouble ditching the butts, you could always roll a spliff. The mixture of tobacco and marijuana will give you a bit of the buzz you need but you’ll be able to wean yourself off of the cigarettes fairly fast. Tobacco is a huge industry and even though the effects are known to be negative, people still use this substance every single day. Not only that, but it’s easily obtainable at any corner store.

 

 

Xanax/Klonopin

If you’re interested in becoming part of the walking dead, taking Xanax or Klonopin is what you need. While leaving the user in a severely hazed state of mind, with no real direction or purpose, this medicine if used to “treat” anxiety. Keep in mind that the term “treat” is used loosely here, as I myself was prescribed Xanax for anxiety. Not only did it make me feel as though I was constantly swimming underwater, it erased any feelings I had, along with the desire to do basically anything. People sometimes report, however, that marijuana makes them more anxious. Why? Because marijuana strains (typically) aren’t geared for a certain illness. Since you don’t always have two different bowls loaded with a high THC strain and a high CBD stain, it can be hard to monitor what you need in order to not feel so anxious. But with the advancement of medical marijuana, hopefully there will be more condition-specific strains available for every one. 

 

 

Alcohol

For years, alcohol and marijuana have gone hand in hand, mostly based on the fact that they both faced prohibition at one point or another. Alcohol has been shown to cause liver damage, brain damage, sleep issues, cancer, and multiple other issues. But while the effects of alcohol can be serious, it is still sold almost everywhere. It doesn’t really hold any medical value and stands as a “this is fun but you will probably hate yourself in the morning” kind of substance. 

For parents of children that suffer from epilepsy, marijuana oil is something that they have been searching for. When they see doctors scratching their heads in order to find a solution to the seizures that plague their kids. More and more states are becoming accepting of the medical marijuana oil, especially to treat epileptic seizures. The Iowa Pharmacy Board recommended on Monday that marijuana oil be reclassified, making it easier for the treatment of the disorder, but not other forms of the plant. 

 

 

In 2010, the board labeled the plant as a schedule 1 substance. Medical marijuana advocates have been asking for reclassification since then. They finally got their wish when the board said that legislators should reschedule the marijuana oil, in order to make it more obtainable for patients that need it. The oil doesn’t contain much THC, which is the component of marijuana that makes the user high. The Chairman of the Board, Edward Maier, noted that the new proposal might leave Iowa with an odd situation. Different parts of the state law say that the plant is a Schedule 1 while others will say it is a Schedule 2. 

 

 

Limited recommendation on the marijuana extract would help to make Iowa code conform to a state law that was passed earlier this spring. The law is supposed to legalize the possession of the extract by those who are using it to treat epilepsy. But even if the plant’s extract is reclassified, pharmacies might not be selling it because federal law states that it is still illegal. The board also recommended that legislators remove wording from the state code that implies that Iowa may implement a medical marijuana program. As of right now, the state doesn’t think that they are equipped to undertake such a task.

 

 

Even though this is a step in the right direction for the families that need this life saving medicine, it still has flaws. Since most states that produce the oil won’t ship in bulk orders to those that are out of state, there are worries that people won’t be able to get their hands on the medicine anyway. And since the possession of the actual plant is still illegal, residents of Iowa won’t be able to grow their own. The law needs work, as does most of the legislature involving marijuana.