MEDICAL MARIJUANA

 

This issue was voted in by the people of the state of Montana. I will protect the rights given to our citizens and work to keep this available to those who qualify to use Cannabis.

 

As with any kind of alternative medical treatment there is opposition. This comes from a life long brainwashing which teaches that if it doesn't come as a little pill from a pharmacy then it isn't medicine. This is 100% FALSE. Most of these alternative treatments work much better, by actually curing a problem instead of just covering things up as most medicines from a pharmacy do.

 

No one in this country has the right to force a particular means of medical treatment on any of us. We must remain free to use the method which we chose as individuals to treat ourselves. Even when this treatment is not accepted by some or not understood.

 

In the next session we can look for changes to be brought up concerning this issue. There are a few things which must be looked at here.

 

 

Many who oppose the use of marijuana in most cases have not really done their homework on the issue.

 

1) there is no evidence to support the gateway drug syndrome.

 

2) we will not have to put up with people showing up to work "High" -there are safeguards in place to protect from this happening. Much like our laws concerning alcohol. There are limits to where marijuana can be used and the user to be in public.

 

3) Most who are against it are not basing their opinion on fact as much as personal feelings, and buy into the emotional hot buttons being pushed by others.

 

4) Many people who oppose this as a medical relief also have a problem with herbal or natural cures in the first place. The pharmaceutical meds they support are nothing more than man made artificial knock offs of herbals in the first place. Only with massive side effects.

 

5) We have had a large growth in the number of medical marijuana users in this state, yet we must consider the percentage of disabled, or chronically ill people we have in Montana.

 

6) A recent figure I have heard is 1 in 5 Montanans have some sort of mental illness. Many of which can be treated with the use of marijuana. By the figures being pushed that would put the possible marijuana users way up. So to complain about a 10,000 person jump in approved users is totally lame.

 

There are some things in the proposed bill I could agree with, other parts I can not. Part of it reads as a legislative sneak attack to do away with what the people of Montana themselves activated.

 

I have talked with caregivers about this issue. Most of which agree that some re-working of the law concerning control of the substance needs to be made in order to keep things from getting out of hand, and shady deals going on. One thing to remember here is that just like any other industry, members of the industry MUST be included in the process in order to make things come together. Who better than the caregivers have the first hand knowledge needed to help control and monitor the process and use of the product. I have talked with some caregivers who have voiced issues which would tighten controls above and beyond what has been proposed by others outside of the industry. Thus showing better responsibility than those which have taken part to date.

 

I will fight for the rights of Montanans to continue the use of Medical Marijuana, and for the safe and common sense control of this product. As with any controlled substance, safeguards should be in place, yet once again common sense and not hysteria must rule here.