Medical Marijuana

I have always been fortunate enough to live in Oregon, which is one of the most progressive states in the nation when it comes to marijuana policy. Oregon has had a medical marijuana program since 1998, the second oldest program behind California. My entire adult life has been spent in a medical marijuana state, which is very reassuring. I used to have a medical marijuana card, but was forced out of the program due to the rising costs of enrollment. However, I know that if I ever needed to get back into the program, and could afford to do so, enrollment would not be hard, and it certainly wouldn’t be impossible like other states that do not have medical marijuana programs. Not everyone is as lucky as I am. Below is a heartfelt letter from a very hardworking activist that I hope everyone reads. Please consider donating to his relocation fund! His letter is below:

 

High Dear Friends:

 

My father and I both suffer from physical, mental, and emotional illnesses such as spinal damage, GI Tract disorders, PTSD (non-combat related), anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation to name a few. Currently we live in my grandmother’s house via a life estate she established before passing away so that we would have a roof over our heads.

 

However, with our only source of income being his SSI payments of 716 dollars a month and my inability to work we cannot afford to pay the yearly real-estate taxes let alone acquire bank loans to pay for the much needed repairs that this house desperately needs. I’ve applied for SSDI/SSI but even if I am accepted and receive back pay the repairs such as a new roof, repairing and renovating the bathroom, re-landscaping the yard and waterproofing the basement to avoid further deterioration of the foundation, to name a few, are well beyond our fiscal means.

 

Read more: http://www.theweedblog.com

Paul Stanford, the Portland-based owner of a chain of medical marijuana clinics, has filed two new initiatives to legalize pot -- including one that was similar to the initiative he sponsored in 2012 that was defeated by Oregon voters.

 

Stanford took some heat from influential pro-marijuana activists for pushing ahead with a measure in 2012 that they thought was too expansive to win favor with voters.  While Washington and Colorado voters passed legalization measures at the same election, Stanford's measure was defeated in Oregon by six percentage points.

 

This time, Stanford said he is working with a broad coalition of pro-marijuana activists and will go ahead with the measure they decide has the best chance of passage.

 

"I'm not going to sit out there being a fly in the ointment," said Stanford.  "We're going to make a group decision, that's my plan."

 

The Legislature is considering a marijuana legalization measure, House Bill 3371, but its chances of passage this year appear slim.  Stanford said he expects a version of that bill to be introduced as an initiative if it can't pass the Legislature this year or next.

 

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com

Despite a recent amendment in Arizona law, a UA researcher must continue to wait for federal approval before conducting medical marijuana research.

 

Dr. Sue Sisley, assistant director of interprofessional education and assistant professor of internal medicine and psychiatry, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration two years ago to study the effect of cannabis on veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.

 

However, the FDA’s approval is one of many regulations Sisley will need to get through in order to move forward with the study.

 

Although Arizona voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 2010, an Arizona law was passed in 2012 that prohibited the possession and use of medical marijuana on college campuses.

 

After realizing the law didn’t make exceptions for marijuana research, UA administration urged the state to adopt a statute allowing such research on college campuses.

 

Read more: http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Until she introduced "magic cheese" to her sick and aging bulldog, Laura Bugni-Daniel watched him suffer for two years. He'd spend his days lying down or throwing up.

 

Today, at age 12, he plays like a puppy through the day, his fur is soft and he sleeps at night, soothed not by magic, but by the dose of marijuana in that cheese.

 

Bugni-Daniel is part of a growing movement to give medical marijuana to pets in pain. Many urge caution until there's better science behind it. But stories abound about changes in sick and dying pets after they've been given cannabis — even though it isn't a proven pain killer for man or mutt, and it's an illicit drug under federal law despite being legal for people in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

 

Leading the charge is Los Angeles veterinarian Doug Kramer, 36, known as the "Vet Guru," who felt it was his duty to speak out while he has no family that would feel a verbal or financial backlash.

 

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com

On Monday, a bill that would allow medical marijuana use sailed through the New York State Assembly, passing with a clean 95-38. If the bill makes it through the Senate, folks with "severely debilitating or life-threatening conditions" could be prescribed pot by their doctors.

 

Yesterday's Assembly session heard many compelling arguments for medical marijuana--one of which came from Assemblywoman Deb Glick (D), who shared a story of her sister's chemotherapy treatment. But an unexpected anecdote also came from Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D), a co-sponsor of the bill, who argued that marijuana wasn't similar to other criminalized drugs in that it was "one of the most benign, clinically active substances known to humanity."

 

"Nothing is completely safe--I wouldn't say that about marijuana or anything else," Gottfried added. "President Bush almost choked to death tossing pretzels in his mouth."

 

So there you have it. Too much of a good thing--including pretzels and pot--is a bad idea. But isn't one perhaps more likely to choke on a pretzel if one is dangerously high? Just kidding, Assembly. You do us proud.

 

Read more: http://blogs.villagevoice.com