Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #1 |
I'm not a pothead and I'm not a teenage boy.
I am a 61-year old female with glaucoma in both eyes. Medical Marijuana has been recommended for treating my glaucoma by medical providers and eye doctors for the 31+ years I've battled the incurable disease.
Glaucoma slowly, painfully blinds sufferers who cannot lower their eye's pressure with prescription drops and/or Medical Marijuana use.
Treatment doesn't mean smoking marijuana for a "high". Medical Marijuana is eaten in palatable recipes and sprayed on as tincture for pain relief. MM is used in conjunction with massage and physical therapy for many debilitating, crippling, painful impairments.
Driving to Durango isn't feasible for people whose sight is failing or whose physical ability is impaired by wheelchair, crutches, walkers, etc. who will buy locally from legal, law-abiding, taxed dispensaries. Delivery is expensive, wastes fuel, increases pollution and is unreliable in winter months.
I encourage our Town Council to grab the bull by the horns and move forward to institute zoning and strict guidelines for the dispensaries to legally operate under in PS. This has worked in California for years and could work here, too.
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #2 |
There's a Town meeting the 22nd and some input before then would be much appreciated! Is there anyone who is favor of (or against) Medical Marijuana?
What are your thoughts about a dispensary in Pagosa Springs being allowed to obtain a business license to operate within the City limits?
Is anyone out there? |
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Ded
Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 39
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| #3 |
Sherrill: Since last I posted on thios topic, it appears that things are moving much more quickly than I ever thought they would. Medical usage of marijuana in treating glaucoma, nausea from chemotherapy, menstrual cramps, etc., have all been proven to be effective, natural alternatives to pharmacuetical drugs.
Problems that need to be addressed are regulations on monitoring quantity of stock purchased and amount sold. As long as the two agree, there should be no problem with illegal distribution. In your case, the mere fact you have suffered for more than 61 years would, IMO, make you a viable candidate to test the possibilities of starting a dispensary.
I am certain that there are others who could benefit, but the stigma of "pothead" or "doper" could very well deter them from coming forth and seeking treatment. The temptation to sell outside the boundaries of a dispensay also exist, but with a tight check on distribution, stock and sales, I am certain that this problem could be easily controlled.
Abuse of drugs is an ongoing problem in Pagosa as it is, so why not legally dispense it under controlled conditions? We are not talking crystal meth and cocaine can be legally used by a doctor for certain medical problems. There is no need to go into a litany of benefits vs the laws other than investigating how those laws came into existence is a very good story. It is as I said before, giving terminal cancer patients herion, which is a better pain killer than morphine doesn't turn them into addicts for some reason, but it does alleviate the pain. Are we to worry that a person with six months or less would become an addict? In fact, a study in Britain found it was the impurities and varying potency of heroin that killed junkies, not the heroin. I wish you luck, living with the threat of going blind when there is an alternative would make me go nuts or find a way to grow my own but doing that just makes more problems, but please know that you do have my sympathy, understanding and best wishes. With someone who suffered from the same problem but never received treatment until it was too late, its time to grow up in our attitudes and seriously examine what can be done to either cure or arrest diseases like glaucoma and weightloss in chemo patients. Ded.
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #4 |
Thank you for your support, Ded. The MM sold in Colorado dispensaries is tracked by weight, down to the gram. Beginning with the grower, Medical Marijuana is meticulously tracked by our government. This system has been in place for many years in some areas of the US. Colorado accepted and legalized MM almost a decade ago.
From grower to dispensary, from dispensary to patient, every gram of MM is tracked, taxed and accounted for. Purchases are limited to small amounts weekly per patient.
As I mentioned before, not all MM is smoked. This fact must be realized and accepted. MM is not used to get "high" by all patients!
Dispensaries often look exactly like wellness centers, with the MM area occupying a small portion of the business. Many MM dispensaries incorporate sauna, massage, physical therapy and hot soaks in their clinical environments.
Thank you for sharing your open-minded, thoughtful opinion. You give me hope that Pagosa will agree with you! |
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #5 |
The link I've included is a Federal government website. I've quoted the introduction to the document.
The guidelines provide the only evidence the Town Council needs to make a LEGAL decision and immediately remove the Medical Marijuana moratorium.
"Today Attorney General Eric Holder announced formal guidelines for federal prosecutors in states that have enacted laws authorizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Those guidelines are contained in a memo from Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden which was sent to United States Attorneys this morning."
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #6 |
I fully support legal Medical Medical dispensaries and LEGAL Colorado MM card holders' responsible use of MM, let me go on the record -
I am not related to Michael Smith, owner of a healing center in Montana.
Smith's combative attitude towards local government troubles me. He appears to be the type who makes sincere MM advocates in a very small town like PS kind of cringe. Is he a Colorado MM Card holder?
I urge the town to shorten their MM moratorium time and ask them to act quickly to resolve the MM dispensary issue in PS -- like the Town of Durango did. Please allow dispensaries in PS as set forth in our state's Amendment 20.
Let's avoid more lawsuits. Let's avoid the many MM vendors who will be at our door as soon as the moratorium is lifted. Please act now and not later. |
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Thehealingcenter
Registered: 11/19/09
Posts: 2
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| #7 |
Sherrill,
I am not combative unless you feel fighting for patients rights.
I am a card holder.
Before you judge me get your facts straight.
I was there before anyone.
Have you heard of ryan lister?
cannabis helps cancer!
Tired of the bible thumpers.
God made this plant for us, to deny that is to deny god.
I will fight any city or county office or official in court for the rights of patients under amendment 20.
Sometimes lawsuits are the only way to get the peoples choice to be understood by the good ole boy club running this town or to clean up corruption!
Our attorney Brian Vicente has already stopped the Colorado dept of health from trampling on amendment 20 and he will stop this BoCC if the do not adhere to the rights of patients...access to there meds.
Our collective is now open and has been open before the BoCC made this horrible action against the patients in archuleta county.
__________________
mike smith |
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sharipierce
Moderator
Registered: 10/03/08
Posts: 9
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| #8 |
Mike,
Your previous post regarding your business was deleted by the moderator. We welcome and appreciate your discussion regarding these issues, but do not allow ads for businesses to be posted on this forum.
Thank you.
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