Measure #5, the legalizing of medical marijuana is on the ballot in North Dakota on November 8th.
As a young girl growing up on a farm in North Dakota, I was taught by my alcoholic father that marijuana (cannabis) was a horrible “gateway” drug that would destroy my life. Little did I know that later, as a 70 year old retired teacher and grandmother, I would throw all caution to the wind and search in the night for this drug to help my daughter find relief. Medical marijuana is helping adults and children of all ages who are undergoing all sorts of disorders. Kids that have tried and exhausted all prescription medications for seizures are using MM to control them. People with chronic pain are using it with success thus being able to decrease or completely stop taking Rx addictive pain meds like the opiates we read about in the news. Patients with MS and ALS use it for relief from painful muscle spasms. And then, of course, there is the cancer patient who may be you, a relative, or a friend. Modern treatment of cancer includes high dose steroids, addictive pain meds, anti-nausea medications, and laxatives all to lessen the side effects of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. How many of you have witnessed a chemo treatment where a nurse enters a cubicle dressed in what resembles a hazmat suit and inserts that cocktail of drugs into an unprotected patient’s port that goes directly into the blood stream? Anyway, we are okay with doctors treating a patient with these important, although horrific, life-saving medications but we’re not ok with that same patient using MM to help relieve their pain and nausea. Why? I helped my daughter use MM following her last chemo treatment. She was given anti-nausea meds and steroids intravenously plus going home with more of the same. Nothing was working. After using MM I watched in disbelief as, in a matter of minutes, she went from being in wretched hell to sitting up in a chair saying, “If it wasn't dark, I’d go for a walk around the block." Do you believe in miracles? For us that night, medical marijuana was a miracle! So now I ask, why do my daughter or I have to feel ashamed of using this drug or even writing this letter? Why are we ok with her taking Percocet, Oxycodone, Vicodin—all with their huge list of side effects and high addiction rates, but using MM makes us shake our heads and look down on one another. The thing is that anyone reading this right now knows people using marijuana recreationally. They are out there. The people that want to use it do, and the people that need it for medicinal benefits have to hide and feel like a criminal. Why? You’re maybe asking where is the medical profession on this? Why aren't they backing it? Here’s my answer: Ask a doctor “on the record” and “off the record” and see if his answer is the same. Doctors like their licenses and have to stay on the good side of the AMA. And pharmaceuticals, hey, the whole EpiPen debacle has taught us where their hearts lie. States where medical marijuana is already legal are seeing a decrease in the sale of pain, anti-nausea, and even depression meds. Less use=less money. By the way, besides pharmaceuticals, the alcohol and privatized prison industries are among the biggest lobbyists against legalizing marijuana. Go figure. I end by saying educate yourself. Get on the Internet and search the benefits of cannabis. Think about all the children and adults with cancer, PTSD, Parkinson, MS, ALS, dementia, epilepsy and numerous other diseases that can, if they desire, find relief using it. Let’s not let one more patient or caregiver have to break the law or move to another state in order to bring a loved one relief. This caregiver and her daughter have already discussed both options should the cancer return. I am personally asking for your help with a “yes” vote on Measure #5. Thank you. Early voting is upon us. Linda Kersten- Newburg, ND
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So one of our fabulous under 25 year old circulators told me he had 100 signatures to turn in.
Me: Great, get it notarized at the Bank and I’ll pick it up. Him: Okay - but how do you do it? I’ve never been to a notary. I’m thinking - How do you no know what a Notary Public is? Then I realized, at his age, he’s probably never done a lease, done a bill of sale or done a promissory note. Among other things, A Notary Public witnesses or authenticates documents…such as attesting the signature and execution of documents. ANYWAY: It took 1:34 minutes to make sure his pages were in order - The bill pages 1-34 and signatures on pages 35-36-37-35-36-37 and the notary page. Walked into the Bank where the Notary ask for his driver’s license, watched him print his name, street number, city, state and zip, watched him sign his name. She signed and stamped the paperwork recorded the transaction in her journal and POOF Done and Done - Whole thing from start to finish took 6:18:34 minutes. So, what’s the excuse for spending hours and hours collecting signatures yet, you won’t take under 10 minutes to finish the job? Find one at your bank plus some shipping stores or grocery store customer service counters. Get your petitions notarized, mailed in and counted. Send to: NDCC Petitions Attn: Tracker (Anita) 3114 37 1/2 Avenue South Fargo , ND 58104
Mary Rennich captured this video filled with good wishes from Heather Jackson, a representative from the Realm of Caring, at a recent Colorado conference on epilepsy.
"The Realm of Caring Foundation was informally established by the Stanley Brothers, Paige Figi, and Heather Jackson. Paige's daughter, Charlotte, and Heather's son, Zaki, were the first two success stories using Charlotte's Webâ„¢ in early 2012. After receiving several inquiries from families seeking help around the world, the group recognized the need to create a formal organization to not only collect research and data on individuals using cannabis products, but to also educate and advocate about this often misunderstood form of therapy.... We [The Realm of Caring] improve lives through Research, Education, and Advocacy. By funding and conducting Research, we learn more about cannabis and its effects while legitimizing the therapy. Education empowers consumers to select the best products for their individual needs, and informs healthcare professionals about options for their patients. Through Advocacy, we spread the truth about cannabis and expand access to those in need." -The Realm of Caring, 2016 (to learn more about The Realm of Caring click here.) |
AuthorsAnita P Morgan ArchivesCategories |
NDCCA 2016 | fiEld notes |
Sponsored by North Dakota Compassionate Care 2016, Treasurer Murphy Anderson