Who would have believed I would learn so much in a hotel room. May 3, 2011, I had the great honor to spend a day in a hotel room in West Palm with Dr. Denis Petro and Cathy Jordan learning how cannabis is good for me and good for you too.
Cathy is an ALS survivor. The doctors will tell you there is no such thing as an ALS survivor. But, what do you call someone who was given 3-5 years to live over 25 years ago?
In January 1986, Cathy’s disease was confirmed by the teaching hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. The prognosis was fatal. The disease would ravish her system, they encouraged her to get her affairs in order and advised her on protecting her pulmonary system (quit smoking). Since that first diagnosis, Cathy has seen dozens of specialists at some of the finest hospitals in the country. Duke University, University of Miami, the list goes on. Cathy jokes about neurologists thinking they are God, she quickly adds that even a god would not be so arrogant as to believe they were a neurologist…
Most of the doctors Cathy has seen are most interested in helping her die with dignity. Cathy is more interested in living.
Dr. Petro flew to Florida to participate as an expert witness in the Jeffrey Kennedy trial due to start May 2. The prosecution dropped the charges against Mr. Kennedy leaving Dr. Petro free to meet with Cathy. Cathy and Ervin Dargon of Mingo Productions have been working together for years documenting her struggle to legalize cannabis in Florida.
As a patient advocate, Cathy fights every day for people who cannot advocate for themselves. Dr. Petro is an incredibly approachable advocate himself. He knows the historic politics of cannabis, and had a front row seat for the evolution of cannabis science. Dr. Petro has worked on motor neuron disorders for over 35 years. In the 1980’s Dr. Petro performed double-blind clinical trials with Marinol on MS patients. In his opinion, no other drug has the same effect on spasticity as cannabis.
As a specialist in MS, Dr. Petro has seen thousands of patients and testified in hundreds of trials. Until recently, both International MS patient advocacy groups had opposed cannabis use, now the U.K. MS Society provides patients with details about the various strains of cannabis. In the U.S. at least 50,000 patients with MS use cannabis daily instead of the spending thousands of dollars each month on traditional MS drugs according to Dr. Petro, yet many of them are subject to arrest for their medical decision.
It was fascinating to hear the Doctor talk about the affect cannabis has on the hippocampus; some species will have more impact on the hippocampus than others. Currently, in Colorado vendors supply over 30 cannabis preparations available to treat various systems. The right strain of cannabis will increase your acuity while another strain might make you sleepy.
When asked to help us overcome the objection to smoked medicine, Dr. Petro was genus. He talked about how we take medicine tends to be cultural. We had to laugh when we learned that most French people on anti-depressants us a suppository. Contrary to some people’s belief, the distribution of cannabinoids works best if administered as an inhalant or spray in order to get it to the brain and system quickly. By using it as an inhalant you allow for faster absorption, only intravenous injections would come near the absorption rate and smoking it rather than taking a pill or eating a preparation eliminates the interaction in the liver.
When asked about the future of cannabis, Dr. Petro said he believes by the end of 2011 the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Agency will agree to schedule full spectrum cannabis based drugs as Schedule 3 products.
Cannabis-based drugs on the market, easily accessible to patients is a good thing if it happens. When Florida Cannabis Action Network designed its first strategy in 1999, we recognized moving Marinol to Schedule 3 as a positive step. When it was rescheduled, we celebrated it as a success. However, Marinol is expense, poorly promoted –therefore, rarely prescribed and even patients with access report it doesn’t work as well as smoked cannabis.
Cathy has no intention of giving up her plant in exchange for the next new thing. Just because the government has allowed pharmaceutical companies to take over a portion of the medical cannabis industry, Florida Cannabis Action Network is going to continue the crusade to give people access to this wonderful plant that can heal our bodies and prosper our planet.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Another Great Day in Florida Cannabis History
April 29 was a great day in Florida cannabis history. Jeffrey Kennedy, a pain patient from Boynton Beach was scheduled to present a medical necessity defense on Monday morning May 2nd in a Palm Beach Courtroom. Prosecutors dropped the charges rather than go to trial.
Florida has one of the strongest medical necessity defenses in the country. Established in 1991, Florida patients who meet strict criteria may present testimony at trial – known as an affirmative defense allows a compassionate jury to acquit the defendant. Jeffrey cultivated cannabis in consultation with his doctor. The defense was prepared to bring on top tier nationally respected doctors to put the efficacy of cannabis on the record. The prosecution blinked.
Nullification- when a jury decides that the law the defendant has broken, in this case cultivation of cannabis for medicine, is less harmful to society then the alternative, is a viable tactic. It requires serious people to risk their freedom and seriously ill people to risk their lives. Nullification is based on raising a level of awareness in a community to the point where a jury will not convict.
Palm Beach and Broward groups are raising the awareness in their community. This legislative session lawmaker, Jeff Clemens introduced the first medical cannabis bill in Florida since1978. He knows his constituents support cannabis reforms and this was just a baby step.
Today, Jeffrey Kennedy and his loved ones can breathe a sigh of relief. The battle is over for Jeffrey. In looking the legal system square in the eye, putting it all on the line, he won. Cannabis is his medicine. The court knows it.
Here at FL CAN we wish Jeffrey all the best. We thank him for his courage and heroism. Jeffrey, on behalf of people just like you we are committed to changing cannabis laws in Florida any way we CAN!
Florida has one of the strongest medical necessity defenses in the country. Established in 1991, Florida patients who meet strict criteria may present testimony at trial – known as an affirmative defense allows a compassionate jury to acquit the defendant. Jeffrey cultivated cannabis in consultation with his doctor. The defense was prepared to bring on top tier nationally respected doctors to put the efficacy of cannabis on the record. The prosecution blinked.
Nullification- when a jury decides that the law the defendant has broken, in this case cultivation of cannabis for medicine, is less harmful to society then the alternative, is a viable tactic. It requires serious people to risk their freedom and seriously ill people to risk their lives. Nullification is based on raising a level of awareness in a community to the point where a jury will not convict.
Palm Beach and Broward groups are raising the awareness in their community. This legislative session lawmaker, Jeff Clemens introduced the first medical cannabis bill in Florida since1978. He knows his constituents support cannabis reforms and this was just a baby step.
Today, Jeffrey Kennedy and his loved ones can breathe a sigh of relief. The battle is over for Jeffrey. In looking the legal system square in the eye, putting it all on the line, he won. Cannabis is his medicine. The court knows it.
Here at FL CAN we wish Jeffrey all the best. We thank him for his courage and heroism. Jeffrey, on behalf of people just like you we are committed to changing cannabis laws in Florida any way we CAN!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Florida’s Quest to Legalize Cannabis
The annuals of cannabis history remind us of the role Floridian's played in securing legal safe access for patients using cannabis. Florida courts were the first to recognize cannabis as a treatment for HIV, AIDS and glaucoma. The late Bob Randall Cathy spearheaded the creation of the Federal Compassionate Access program. Bob was joined by Elvy Musikka and Irv Rosenfeld, Florida residents who were among the first legal users since the passage of the Controlled Substance Act.
While early Florida efforts made the way for reforms in other parts of the country, the states own drug mania, fueled by the founders of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the Jeb Bush administration, led to the most regressive laws in the nation. Current Florida laws make possession of one seed, or one leaf, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, loss of driver's license, drug treatment, and urine testing while under community control. Florida remains among a handful of states that continue to disenfranchise felons long after the completion of their sentence and a mere 21 grams or three-quarters of an ounce is a felony.
Cathy Jordan (Bradenton) and Angel Hernandez (West Palm) know how important it is to change the laws in Florida. Cathy has been living with Lou Gehrig's disease for over 20 years. This living miracle attributes her every breath to the use of cannabis. Patients with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease are known to lose lung function and often need feeding tubes when throat muscles fail. Smoking cannabis and subsequently coughing, keeps her lungs clear and muscled strong. Angel, a 33 year old MS patient has documented his increase in function since using cannabis therapy. When a St. Lucie County Judge ruled his 6 grams of cannabis was worth of one year probation and drug testing Angel was forced into an impossible situation. For Angel, not using his medicine is akin to a death sentence, using his medicine, a jail sentence.
There are four ways to change Florida cannabis laws. Our challenge becomes making sure everyone with an interest in this issue is working on at least one path to reform.
The Florida Legislature meets for two months each year beginning in March for a 60 day session. The bicameral legislature must pass the same bill through both bodies before it can be signed by the Governor. Since 1978, only one Florida lawmaker, Democratic freshman, Representative Jeff Clemens has taken the plight of patients seriously. His bill, HJR 1407 died in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee. Which means the Florida House and Senate is poised to pass through another legislation session without addressing the needs of patients or reducing the penalties for possession. While we are done for this legislative session efforts to get a bill in both the House and Senate continue.
Two political action committees are pursuing petitioning efforts. The People United of Medical Marijuana have been collecting signatures to put protections for cannabis use in the Florida constitution; while the Florida Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy is petitioning communities to make possession a civil penalty. Florida law allows for amendments to the Constitution by petition and the strong home rule protections make local municipalities a high value target.
For patients like Angel, who are facing criminal penalties or charges,legal teams are asking the court to agree cannabis is a medicine and invalidate criminal penalties.
One person could end the suffering of patients, remove the threat of prosecution and save the state tax dollars with the stroke of a pen; FL Statute 893.0355 delegates the authority to reschedule cannabis to the Florida Attorney General.
Legislature, petition, courts and the Attorney General- Courageous Floridians made the way for over 33% of the country to live under laws protecting patients and their caregivers. We welcome a new generation of reformers to become part of the Florida Cannabis Action Network - All about Cannabis, All about Action, All about Network with one goal, bringing sensible cannabis policies to Florida.
While early Florida efforts made the way for reforms in other parts of the country, the states own drug mania, fueled by the founders of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the Jeb Bush administration, led to the most regressive laws in the nation. Current Florida laws make possession of one seed, or one leaf, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, loss of driver's license, drug treatment, and urine testing while under community control. Florida remains among a handful of states that continue to disenfranchise felons long after the completion of their sentence and a mere 21 grams or three-quarters of an ounce is a felony.
Cathy Jordan (Bradenton) and Angel Hernandez (West Palm) know how important it is to change the laws in Florida. Cathy has been living with Lou Gehrig's disease for over 20 years. This living miracle attributes her every breath to the use of cannabis. Patients with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease are known to lose lung function and often need feeding tubes when throat muscles fail. Smoking cannabis and subsequently coughing, keeps her lungs clear and muscled strong. Angel, a 33 year old MS patient has documented his increase in function since using cannabis therapy. When a St. Lucie County Judge ruled his 6 grams of cannabis was worth of one year probation and drug testing Angel was forced into an impossible situation. For Angel, not using his medicine is akin to a death sentence, using his medicine, a jail sentence.
There are four ways to change Florida cannabis laws. Our challenge becomes making sure everyone with an interest in this issue is working on at least one path to reform.
The Florida Legislature meets for two months each year beginning in March for a 60 day session. The bicameral legislature must pass the same bill through both bodies before it can be signed by the Governor. Since 1978, only one Florida lawmaker, Democratic freshman, Representative Jeff Clemens has taken the plight of patients seriously. His bill, HJR 1407 died in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee. Which means the Florida House and Senate is poised to pass through another legislation session without addressing the needs of patients or reducing the penalties for possession. While we are done for this legislative session efforts to get a bill in both the House and Senate continue.
Two political action committees are pursuing petitioning efforts. The People United of Medical Marijuana have been collecting signatures to put protections for cannabis use in the Florida constitution; while the Florida Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy is petitioning communities to make possession a civil penalty. Florida law allows for amendments to the Constitution by petition and the strong home rule protections make local municipalities a high value target.
For patients like Angel, who are facing criminal penalties or charges,legal teams are asking the court to agree cannabis is a medicine and invalidate criminal penalties.
One person could end the suffering of patients, remove the threat of prosecution and save the state tax dollars with the stroke of a pen; FL Statute 893.0355 delegates the authority to reschedule cannabis to the Florida Attorney General.
Legislature, petition, courts and the Attorney General- Courageous Floridians made the way for over 33% of the country to live under laws protecting patients and their caregivers. We welcome a new generation of reformers to become part of the Florida Cannabis Action Network - All about Cannabis, All about Action, All about Network with one goal, bringing sensible cannabis policies to Florida.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Why Valentines Day?
We spent the better part of Sunday working on the Omega Project. It was important that we put some finishing touches on the site before Valentine's Day. Why Valentine's Day? It's easy. Someone I love smokes marijuana. Someone I love is sick and cannabis makes them feel better. Someone I love will suffer and succumb to their illness without access to cannabis.
Floridians deserve to have access to cannabis if they are sick. 33% of America's live in a state that protects them from police when they use cannabis as medicine.
Last week, we had another legal support call. The man is over 60 years old, a retired vet - 23 years in the service of our country. He was arrested with less than 1 ounce of cannabis, he is facing a $1000 fine and upto 1 year in jail. He has traumatic brain damage due to his exposure to radiation in the service. How are we safer by using police resources to arrest him, tax dollars to prosecute and jail space to house him?
So - we launched the site yesterday. It has some bugs and areas we want to flesh out, but the new board is coming together, which means more voices to share their ideas here in After Thoughts.
I'm Excited about the Omega Project. The beginning of the end. You know why we need to end cannabis prohibition and we know how. It's time.
Floridians deserve to have access to cannabis if they are sick. 33% of America's live in a state that protects them from police when they use cannabis as medicine.
Last week, we had another legal support call. The man is over 60 years old, a retired vet - 23 years in the service of our country. He was arrested with less than 1 ounce of cannabis, he is facing a $1000 fine and upto 1 year in jail. He has traumatic brain damage due to his exposure to radiation in the service. How are we safer by using police resources to arrest him, tax dollars to prosecute and jail space to house him?
So - we launched the site yesterday. It has some bugs and areas we want to flesh out, but the new board is coming together, which means more voices to share their ideas here in After Thoughts.
I'm Excited about the Omega Project. The beginning of the end. You know why we need to end cannabis prohibition and we know how. It's time.
Friday, February 12, 2010
That’s a Felony Folks
I was looking at a brief in Join Together, an on-line journal chronicling changes in drug policy, about raising the tax on cigarettes one dollar per pack. Ten dollars on a carton, in addition to the already high taxes in some markets means the illegal trade of cigarettes is about to blossom.
As a teen-ager I lived in Beavercreek, Ohio, a small town outside of Dayton on the verge of Wright Patterson Air Force Base. We were close enough to the borders of Kentucky and Indiana to take advantage of the discounted prices for alcohol and tobacco. We knew to buy a dozen cartons of cigarettes when we passed through – saving five or six dollars per carton, the cost in North Carolina – if you were going that far was even cheaper.
Indiana had great places to buy beer. Apparently, we weren’t the only one who took advantage of the border to get cheap beer – all the stores limited the amount cases you could buy. Luckily, there were plenty of stores to buy from before heading back across the border.
We bought beer and cigarettes for our own consumption and the savings we made were all part of funding the road trip. The people who chose to bring the legal products, beer and cigarettes back to Dayton and sell them (at cost or at a profit, it doesn’t matter) were criminals.
So what about the 9 billion dollars we can raise with that cigarette tax? Well, I still live near an Air Force base and I’m here to tell you, those service boys buy cigarettes on base at the commissary and sell then to friends without base privileges. That is a felony folks.
Diverting a legal drug into an illegal market is a crime.
As consumers, we have to be a reasoned voice that our lawmakers hear. I don’t smoke cigarettes but I know that when we place such a high premium on products, an underground marketplace is created. Underground economies, such as the illegal drug market, may fuel communities, but it also fuels violence. Illegal economies settle disputes with guns.
The tragedy of our good intentions is that when we increase the taxes, or worse yet prohibit the commodity, you create an uncontroled market. The economics of buying low and selling high is the American way. Trouble is that is a felony folks.
As a teen-ager I lived in Beavercreek, Ohio, a small town outside of Dayton on the verge of Wright Patterson Air Force Base. We were close enough to the borders of Kentucky and Indiana to take advantage of the discounted prices for alcohol and tobacco. We knew to buy a dozen cartons of cigarettes when we passed through – saving five or six dollars per carton, the cost in North Carolina – if you were going that far was even cheaper.
Indiana had great places to buy beer. Apparently, we weren’t the only one who took advantage of the border to get cheap beer – all the stores limited the amount cases you could buy. Luckily, there were plenty of stores to buy from before heading back across the border.
We bought beer and cigarettes for our own consumption and the savings we made were all part of funding the road trip. The people who chose to bring the legal products, beer and cigarettes back to Dayton and sell them (at cost or at a profit, it doesn’t matter) were criminals.
So what about the 9 billion dollars we can raise with that cigarette tax? Well, I still live near an Air Force base and I’m here to tell you, those service boys buy cigarettes on base at the commissary and sell then to friends without base privileges. That is a felony folks.
Diverting a legal drug into an illegal market is a crime.
As consumers, we have to be a reasoned voice that our lawmakers hear. I don’t smoke cigarettes but I know that when we place such a high premium on products, an underground marketplace is created. Underground economies, such as the illegal drug market, may fuel communities, but it also fuels violence. Illegal economies settle disputes with guns.
The tragedy of our good intentions is that when we increase the taxes, or worse yet prohibit the commodity, you create an uncontroled market. The economics of buying low and selling high is the American way. Trouble is that is a felony folks.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Would 2010 be soon enough?
I spoke with Mitch with Creative Loafing today. He is writing a story about the medical marijuana initiative. PUFMM, the Florida Political Action Committee circulating the initiative still lacks the signatures necessary to make the 2010 ballot. Mitch was looking for my thought on the cannabis situation in Florida.
Florida law makers should be ashamed of themselves for not having made cannabis legal already and it is time they went on the record. Patients who use cannabis really are caught in the crossfire. 2010 is not soon enough! For once I named names. I told Mitch about the South Florida Representative - Mark Pafford, who says he thinks we should get control over cannabis by taking it off the illicit drug market.
Tomorrow, a young man goes on trial in St. Lucie county because he refuses to plead guilty to possession of 6 grams of cannabis. Cannabis helps him treat his MS. Possession of cannabis should not be a crime. While the Florida Supreme Court allows for a medical necessity defense, the judge in the case refuses to let him present it. I wonder if the fine people of St. Lucie county believe this is how they intend their tax dollars be spent. Is a young man with MS the culprit we need to be protected against?
Most people caught with cannabis will plead guilty. Law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys will bill hours getting the plea deal. The defendant will hang their heads, profess a bit of shame, take their punishment and go home (where they will promptly put their feet up, crack a beer or pour a scotch while rolling another joint). There is no justice in the war on drugs.
Florida law makers should be ashamed of themselves for not having made cannabis legal already and it is time they went on the record. Patients who use cannabis really are caught in the crossfire. 2010 is not soon enough! For once I named names. I told Mitch about the South Florida Representative - Mark Pafford, who says he thinks we should get control over cannabis by taking it off the illicit drug market.
Tomorrow, a young man goes on trial in St. Lucie county because he refuses to plead guilty to possession of 6 grams of cannabis. Cannabis helps him treat his MS. Possession of cannabis should not be a crime. While the Florida Supreme Court allows for a medical necessity defense, the judge in the case refuses to let him present it. I wonder if the fine people of St. Lucie county believe this is how they intend their tax dollars be spent. Is a young man with MS the culprit we need to be protected against?
Most people caught with cannabis will plead guilty. Law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys will bill hours getting the plea deal. The defendant will hang their heads, profess a bit of shame, take their punishment and go home (where they will promptly put their feet up, crack a beer or pour a scotch while rolling another joint). There is no justice in the war on drugs.
Monday, November 9, 2009
48.2 Million reasons to legalize marijuana
Friday, November 6 - Florida Today published an edited version of the LTE I set. It was quite the suprise! My friend, Fran asked me on Saturday - at the Democratic Women's Club meeting- if they had edited me much. The paper didn't even call to confirm the letter so I was amazed to see it in print- guess they knew to expect letters on legalization from me.
Many Reasons to Legalize Pot
With the 75th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition in Florida on Nov. 6, I am dumb-struck by the fact we still choose a policy of prohibition over one of regulation and control.
Marijuana, if it helps a sick person find relief, isn’t bad.
The value of planting crops that require less herbicides and pesticides, while investing in American agriculture, doesn’t require an advanced degree to calculate. Hemp for fuel, fiber and food makes sense.
Wasting resources prohibiting otherwise responsible adults from using cannabis/hemp, and legitimate business people from bringing it to market is what doesn’t make sense.
CNN reports Florida would gain an estimated $48.2 million in revenue from taxing cannabis. Can we afford not to rethink this policy?
Alcohol prohibition is an accepted failure. We define that policy by reduced respect for law enforcement, health emergencies as tainted alcohol and abuse threatened lives and gangs reaping the rewards of a lucrative unregulated market satisfying disputes with violence.
While consuming alcohol still has risks, the danger of being caught in the crossfire between distributors, dying from tainted products and going to jail for manufacturing is greatly diminished.
Melbourne
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