The border, where medicinal marijuana seeps over the line.
Posted by December | Posted in MEDICINAL CANNABIS, MISC. | Posted on 30-09-2009
Tags: Dispenary, medicinal, MEDICINAL CANNABIS, MISC., pot, THC
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With the passing of Proposition 215 the medicinal marijuana industry has grown to staggering heights, leading a revolution meant to accommodate the ever growing masses of critically ill patients. California started the trend in 1996, followed by a slew of states that crafted their laws based on the success and failure of that first and most forward-thinking state. Living in a place where medicinal marijuana is legal, under state law, has been a blessing to my family and many others in my community, but living near the border of one of the strictest and profoundly old-fashioned states, has made for an interesting dissection of culture.
Fort Collins, Colorado has long been hailed one of the best places in the entire country to live. It has also become well-known for being a great place to raise a family, go to school, and rock climb but Fort Collins has also become well-known as one of the best places in the country to obtain Organically Grown Medical grade Marijuana. Dispensaries around the state have started popping up, in order to provide a location for Medical Marijuana patients who need the medicine but are unable to grow their own.
In Fort Collins you can walk into the store and buy pot from the shelf like any other commodity, but a short 40 miles North finds you in Cheyenne Wyoming, where you can purchase a trunk-full of explosives (that are illegal in Colorado) but any amount of marijuana will get you 90 days in the county jail, and a $1000.00 fine. Wyoming, while their stance on fireworks remains relatively loose, the use of marijuana in the state remains illegal.
As a medicinal marijuana advocate I carry with me a certain responsibility to educate people. Yesterday, when a retirement party 
took me to Wheatland Wyoming, I found myself intensely debating the medical use of marijuana. Knowing that my legal rights for medicinal use end at the Colorado state border, I hadn’t prepared for what happened next. An elderly man sat on the edge of the patio. His face weathered from years of hard work, but a pleasant smile that made me think he had significant love for his grandchildren. He wore a POW hat pulled deep onto his head, as if he had not taken it off since he came home from the Vietnam War. He spoke quietly about the things he had seen there, the devastation of the lives of the men involved . We sat in rapt attention as he told stories of drug abuse in the jungle, and how many of his friends had become addicted to heroin. When he overheard the heated discussion on medicinal marijuana, his ears perked and he sat forward in his chair.
Whenever you are in a situation with a group of people you hardly know, a dance must be done to in order to gauge your surroundings. When discussing all hot topic issues be it abortion, gay rights, or socialized health care, Tact is your most faithful friend. We all sat listening to his stories, the children playing idly in the yard. The man who had spent much of his life fighting for mine and the same man who proudly wore the hat that said he had been there and that he had seen the war first hand and ultimately that he deserved respect, dug into his trouser pockets and produced a fully loaded chillum.
“Anyone still partake?” He said over the rim of his glasses as the five of us sat in silence. No one moved. No one went to grab the pipe out of this man’s hand and no one said a word for a moment. As a Colorado Resident, hell bent on protecting my medical status from the eyes and ears of people that needn’t be aware, I found myself smiling. I thanked him for the offer, but declined his offer of medication kindly.
I know that marijuana has touched all walks of life, but this was a first. He went on to explain the use of narcotics in his life and what medications were prescribed for the pain he endures daily. Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine, I cringe with the last one knowing morphine is as addictive as heroin and most doctors prescribe it like candy. No one takes his offer, after all, marijuana is a crime in the state of Wyoming and even at a backyard barbecue the majority of us still aren’t willing to break the law. The man medicates himself in front of the crowd, with a quiet click of a lighter, the slow inhalation of a deep but untroubled breath and the release of the smoke into the sky. He does not get up from his chair, but sits quietly sipping pink lemonade from a giant cooler perched nearby. I watch as he relaxes comfortably back into his chair. Marijuana is illegal in the state of Wyoming, and many others, yet there is no moral urging to stop this man from doing the one thing that makes him feel better, legality aside.
The question as to why Medical Marijuana is so beneficial to some can be answered in this one simple interaction. When pain becomes a constant in your life, be it because you spent your youth fighting wars on our behalf or are diagnosed with a painful disease, pain relief is necessary to live your life. Doctors will prescribe pills, patches, shots and serums to help with your pain and at the expense of more side-effects.
The problems within mainstream medication doesn’t end with the addictive qualities of opiates, but in the inability to control your dose. Marijuana is (usually)inhaled and the pain relieving effects are felt within minutes. When you take a pill, you must take the entire pill and wait half an hour or so for it to kick in. Pain relief with marijuana is faster and can be readily regulated to avoid taking more medication than needed. No pill can do that for you.
The ride home was quiet, a somber atmosphere and an unspoken urge to help. I sighed as I crossed the state border, back to Colorful Colorado. My home, where sick people who need pain relief can medicate to their liking. Where people with crippling arthritis can be prescribed a non-invasive anti-inflammatory agent, without losing the ability to play with their grandchildren and love their spouse. A place where the growth and cultivation of medical grade pot, is accepted and encouraged.
Colorado is a progressive state, and the residents here welcome the ever-changing landscape in this garden of green. The legalization of Medical Marijuana in Colorado has affected thousands of people. Almost 7,000 people are currently on the registry with the number growing steadily. Those numbers according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s website:
altogether. Unfortunately, not every state is interested in changing a long-held opinion against the weed that was once grown on the grounds of the White House by none other than Major General George Washington, who in a letter to his farmers said “Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp Seed. Sow it everywhere.”
The battle lines have been drawn, Pro-Pot Supporters will give you a hundred reasons why legalizing marijuana is good for the economy and the people in it. Anti-Pot Supporters will also give you a hundred reasons why legalization should be thwarted altogether. Whatever line you stand on, whichever flag you wave, Do everyone a favor and educate yourself on the facts. Ask questions, explore the facts for yourself and keep an open mind.
took me to Wheatland Wyoming, I found myself intensely debating the medical use of marijuana. Knowing that my legal rights for medicinal use end at the Colorado state border, I hadn’t prepared for what happened next. An elderly man sat on the edge of the patio. His face weathered from years of hard work, but a pleasant smile that made me think he had significant love for his grandchildren. He wore a POW hat pulled deep onto his head, as if he had not taken it off since he came home from the Vietnam War. He spoke quietly about the things he had seen there, the devastation of the lives of the men involved . We sat in rapt attention as he told stories of drug abuse in the jungle, and how many of his friends had become addicted to heroin. When he overheard the heated discussion on medicinal marijuana, his ears perked and he sat forward in his chair.
Whenever you are in a situation with a group of people you hardly know, a dance must be done to in order to gauge your surroundings. When discussing all hot topic issues be it abortion, gay rights, or socialized health care, Tact is your most faithful friend. We all sat listening to his stories, the children playing idly in the yard. The man who had spent much of his life fighting for mine and the same man who proudly wore the hat that said he had been there and that he had seen the war first hand and ultimately that he deserved respect, dug into his trouser pockets and produced a fully loaded chillum.
“Anyone still partake?” He said over the rim of his glasses as the five of us sat in silence. No one moved. No one went to grab the pipe out of this man’s hand and no one said a word for a moment. As a Colorado Resident, hell bent on protecting my medical status from the eyes and ears of people that needn’t be aware, I found myself smiling. I thanked him for the offer, but declined his offer of medication kindly.
I know that marijuana has touched all walks of life, but this was a first. He went on to explain the use of narcotics in his life and what medications were prescribed for the pain he endures daily. Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine, I cringe with the last one knowing morphine is as addictive as heroin and most doctors prescribe it like candy. No one takes his offer, after all, marijuana is a crime in the state of Wyoming and even at a backyard barbecue the majority of us still aren’t willing to break the law. The man medicates himself in front of the crowd, with a quiet click of a lighter, the slow inhalation of a deep but untroubled breath and the release of the smoke into the sky. He does not get up from his chair, but sits quietly sipping pink lemonade from a giant cooler perched nearby. I watch as he relaxes comfortably back into his chair. Marijuana is illegal in the state of Wyoming, and many others, yet there is no moral urging to stop this man from doing the one thing that makes him feel better, legality aside.
The question as to why Medical Marijuana is so beneficial to some can be answered in this one simple interaction. When pain becomes a constant in your life, be it because you spent your youth fighting wars on our behalf or are diagnosed with a painful disease, pain relief is necessary to live your life. Doctors will prescribe pills, patches, shots and serums to help with your pain and at the expense of more side-effects.
The problems within mainstream medication doesn’t end with the addictive qualities of opiates, but in the inability to control your dose. Marijuana is (usually)inhaled and the pain relieving effects are felt within minutes. When you take a pill, you must take the entire pill and wait half an hour or so for it to kick in. Pain relief with marijuana is faster and can be readily regulated to avoid taking more medication than needed. No pill can do that for you.
The ride home was quiet, a somber atmosphere and an unspoken urge to help. I sighed as I crossed the state border, back to Colorful Colorado. My home, where sick people who need pain relief can medicate to their liking. Where people with crippling arthritis can be prescribed a non-invasive anti-inflammatory agent, without losing the ability to play with their grandchildren and love their spouse. A place where the growth and cultivation of medical grade pot, is accepted and encouraged.
Colorado is a progressive state, and the residents here welcome the ever-changing landscape in this garden of green. The legalization of Medical Marijuana in Colorado has affected thousands of people. Almost 7,000 people are currently on the registry with the number growing steadily. Those numbers according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s website:
- 8,315 new patient applications have been received to date since the registry began operating in June 2001. Thirty-two (32) applications have been denied, 18 cards have been revoked, 171 patients have died, and 1,390 cards have expired, bringing the total number of patients who currently possess valid Registry ID cards to 6,704. The renewal rate is 56%.
- Seventy-two percent of approved applicants are male.
- The average age of all patients is 27. Currently 4 patients are minors (under the age of 18).
- Sixty-three counties (98% of counties) in Colorado have registered applicants. Forty-nine percent of patients reside in the Denver-metro and Boulder area, with the remainder of patients found in counties throughout Colorado.
- Patients on the Registry represent all the debilitating conditions covered under Amendment 20. Severe pain accounts for 88% of all reported conditions; muscle spasms account for the second-most reported condition at 24%.
- Forty-six percent of patients have designated a primary care-giver (someone who has significant responsibility for managing the patient’s care).
- Over 600 different physicians have signed for patients in Colorado.
altogether. Unfortunately, not every state is interested in changing a long-held opinion against the weed that was once grown on the grounds of the White House by none other than Major General George Washington, who in a letter to his farmers said “Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp Seed. Sow it everywhere.”
The battle lines have been drawn, Pro-Pot Supporters will give you a hundred reasons why legalizing marijuana is good for the economy and the people in it. Anti-Pot Supporters will also give you a hundred reasons why legalization should be thwarted altogether. Whatever line you stand on, whichever flag you wave, Do everyone a favor and educate yourself on the facts. Ask questions, explore the facts for yourself and keep an open mind.
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If Marijuana has no medicinal value, why is the medical community trying to make a synthetic medicine from the healing properties of this plant?
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December is a medical marijuana activist and blogger. Radio personality, Talk host, Media representative and mother of three. Welcome to my blog! Read my stories about parenting and pot, or hang out with me on facebook!
