Colorado has given thousands of sick people the ability to medicate with Cannabis, but while public opinion and many laws have changed, there is still a vast amount of information that most patients are left to find out on their own. When I first became a medicinal Cannabis patient, I was scared to even enter a dispensary for fear of looking stupid or naive. I heard whispers of the word “caregiver” but before I realized my folly, I had set my caregiver to someone who didnt CARE, and didnt GIVE me a thing. What you may not know about your caregiver, can hurt you. Find these things out first.

5. What’s in it for you?

Assigning a caregiver is easy, you sign some papers-send in the forms to our good friend Debra at the Colorado State Registry and bam, you have a new caregiver. But what does it mean? Legally, it means that the person assigned to you can grow 6 medical cannabis plants for you, in a place of their choosing, without risking state enforcement of federal laws. 6 plants can yield quite a bit of medical grade cannabis, allowing a mutual and profitable relationship for both parties, you and your caregiver. But what happens if you don’t need all of the medication that is grown? Likely, if your caregiver is working for multiple patients or dispensaries, the excess greenery will be offered to someone else. This often ends up as profit for the grower, and in turn should mean reduced prices for you, the patient. Demand a reduced price, your caregiver is likely making money from your plants, you should see some of the benefit. What percentage/price break you decide between yourselves should be done in writing. You deserve to trust your caregiver and they deserve to trust you.

4. How is your information protected?

Most new cannabis card holders are naive on the basics, not by fault of their own, but for lack of public resources. For this reason, many are frightened to divulge any information or even set themselves a caregiver. On the other hand, many caregivers are well versed in the legal side of Medicinal Cannabis, but often do not indulge their patients with the information to make them comfortable. As a legal, card carrying member, you are protected under Colorado Law and are allowed certain protections when it comes to your information. Discuss how your caregiver will use your personal information and make sure you set up any parameters you may need. For instance, if you are employed in a position where cannabis use is discriminated against, make sure your caregiver knows that you do not want to openly discuss your status. It is your legal right.

3.How will you get medication that you need?

When, Where, and How much medication should you expect from your caregiver? Thats between you and them, perhaps they have several plants that can provide your medication while your 6 plants are grown, perhaps you will have to wait until harvest to get anything. Either way, you need to discuss this with them and be absolutely clear on your wants and needs.

2.Can you trust them?

A distinct result of prohibition is underground criminal activity and unfortunately for those of us that are following the letter of the law, there are still criminals running marijuana trade here in Colorado. The well-known agency Cannamed was raided in conjunction with a 90 million dollar crime ring, a black eye on the face of marijuana legalization everywhere. Cannamed also suggests you put them as your caregiver in order to allow them to grow your plants, in return for a reduced rate for their doctor referral services.  Without ridding our community of this behavior we are doomed to continue fighting an uphill battle of bad PR and ugly misconceptions. Assign a caregiver that you can trust, that you know shows serious gratitude for the honor of caregiving for you, and that will treat the situation with respect. Criminals rip people off, if the person that is supposed to be providing you with compassionate medication is a criminal, expect to be treated like everyone else they steal from.

1.How is your medicine grown?

Medicinal Cannabis is a lifesaver for many people, but can also make many people sick. Prepackaged-brick weed coming over the borders in vacuumed sealed baggies often contain a toxic combination of mold and insecticides. Fort Collins Colorado happens to be one of the best places on earth to find organically grown medical grade cannabis, but that doesnt mean that many places aren’t supplementing their stock with this terrible excuse for medication. If you prefer soil, as many do, find yourself a caregiver who specializes in that type of growth. It is rare when a grower will allow you to enter their private and often highly secretive grow houses, but if you get the chance to do so, JUMP on it. Invest your time studying  proper cultivation, even if you do not plan on growing your own. Education as always, is the best way to protect yourself.

Remember, you are putting this product in your body, insist on organic!

© 2009, AntiSoccermom. All rights reserved to the original author unless stated otherwise.

Underneath the loving exterior of overly-involved parents lies a world of abuse. While common methods of child abuse, such as neglect or hitting, manifest in physical and emotional symptoms there is a lesser known and far more sinister type of abuse that is rarely talked about. You will find no bruises or symptoms of inattention but children raised under hyper-vigilant “helicopter parents” are developing far behind their peer groups. The good intentions of an attentive parent can quickly turn into the destructive practice of overprotecting children, often to the point that they are left without the ability to adequately take care of themselves.   In the day and age where “stranger danger” has an icy grip on America’s parents, we find that the long term effects of monitoring each move our children make has but one common outcome- it leaves them woefully inept in adulthood. Dubbed “Helicopter Parenting” this particular type of maltreatment has parents who involve themselves in everything from the negotiation of their 4 year olds toy disputes to arguing over their grown children’s salaries, touching every aspect in between. According to Wikipedia this phenomena was named such to indicate the hovering  activity of a parent watching in paranoia every move the child makes and hovering closely nearby whether the child needs assistance or not. In a 1990 book entitled “Parenting with love and logic: Teaching Children Responsibility.” Jim Fay defined helicopter parenting as an ineffective parenting style that “leaves a child with little to no coping skills for the day to day rigors of modern life.”  While some may say that constant involvement in their children’s lives show diligence and love it also shows parental insecurity. Fifty years ago children were allowed to play in the streets and to explore the world around them, yet suddenly there seems to be a cumulative lack of trust for the community around us. This fear has led some to overprotect their children, thwarting their natural development and fostering an increase of anxiety and distrust. While some may call this action “Super Parenting” experts agree there is nothing super about it. Studies show that children raised with overly anxious adults, a common trait of helicopter parents, often grow up to suffer from such psychological issues as General Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress, and Agoraphobia. Raising children to become strong and healthy adults should be our main goal, not to protect them from problems that arise, but to teach them to cope with the issues as they come. Experience gives us the ability to think on our feet, to cope with our surroundings and to act accordingly, while inexperience often leaves us confused and frightened. A healthy child will have as many experiences as possible before adulthood, in order to cope successfully with the trials of being an adult. A child left without the necessary life skills will find every aspect of life more difficult sometimes including the inability to foster healthy trusting relationships with people around them.  Additionally, children raised in an atmosphere of free-play often become more successful in business and relationships than their sheltered counterparts. Helicopter parents rarely let their children out of sight, so what happens when a child has a chance to be alone without direct supervision?  Just ask Izzy Skenazy, a 9 year old boy whose mother allowed him to ride the subway through New York City without the help of an adult.“I felt like I knew everything.” He says “Even though I only knew that one thing, I felt smart because I knew which street we lived on, and I got home all on my own.”  Cringe-worthy to most parents and appalling to some, leaving a nine year old alone to ride public transportation speaks volumes about what we deem acceptable parent behavior.  Many people scrutinized Lenore, little Izzy Skenazy’s mother, calling her the World’s Worst Mom. But Skenazy feels that parents worry too much about their children.. “We are not daredevils” She explains, “We believe in life jackets and helmets and air bags, but we also believe in independence. Children, like chickens, deserve a life outside of the cage. The overprotected life is stunting and stifling, not to mention boring for all concerned.” While it does not show on physical examinations helicopter parenting might just be more destructive to a child than other more recognized forms of abuse. Freedom is essential to the growth and advancement of our society, providing security to everyone involved within the community. Refusing children the opportunity to learn their own lessons leaves an otherwise healthy individual, crippled with fear of the unknown.

© 2009, AntiSoccermom. All rights reserved to the original author unless stated otherwise.