# Why Do People the Government Says Don't Exist Keep Writing Us?



## triprey (Sep 6, 2007)

C&P from Cannabis Culture Magazine

[SIZE=+2]*US: Web: OPED: Why Do People the Government Says Don't  Exist Keep Writing Us?*[/SIZE] 
by David Borden, (04  Sep 2007)  _Huffington Post United States_
According to the federal government,  53-year-old Deborah Palmer ( not her real name ) doesn't exist.  A grandmother  and former California corrections officer, Ms.  Palmer suffers from chronic  spinal pain ( the result of a pair of botched back surgeries ) and  fibromyalgia.  Because her body is allergic to opioid medications, she recently  began using medical marijuana to obtain relief from her daily suffering.  That  is until federal and state law enforcement officials raided the California  dispensary that provided her medicine.  

"What am I going to do?" she  lamented in one of our recent conversations.  "If I have to live in this amount  of pain 365 days a year without access to my medicine, then I'm not going to  stay on this Earth very long." 

Having worked in drug-law reform for  decades, we personally know hundreds of patients like Deborah Palmer.   Unfortunately, those in the federal government who oppose the therapeutic use of  medical marijuana appear to be unaware of even one.  

Speaking last month  to the Associated Press, Tom Riley -- spokesman for the White House Office of  National Drug Control Policy -- launched into an all too common ad hominem  attack against medical marijuana and those who advocate for its regulation.   "There is a charade going on here," he charged.  "[P]eople who are interested in  drug legalization using genuinely sick people as pawns to get sympathy to get  their agenda through." 

This critique bemuses us.  After all, we actually  know medical marijuana patients -- yes, real live medical marijuana patients.   We interact with them at conferences.  We help them organize protests.  Some of  us lobby with them in Congress or the state houses.  Others help coordinate  their legal defenses when they've been arrested.  Many of them are our friends  and colleagues too.  Sure, we also want legalization, not just for medical use.   But while the drug war continues to rage, we desire to have the sick and dying  taken off the battlefield.  Who wouldn't? 

Meanwhile, we keep getting  these letters from the people that our government claims don't exist.
_____________________________________________________________________

"I have had multiple sclerosis and a seizure disorder for 13 years  now.  I tried treating my disease the legal way and just got sicker and sicker -  to the point of staying in bed all day.  Then I tried marijuana, and it's like a  wonder drug for me! I do not get high from the marijuana; it helps relax my  muscles and takes the spasms away.  Not to mention it's the only way I have an  appetite to eat anything.  How could someone tell me, 'no medical marijuana for  you?'" 

"Six years ago I was literally struck down with fibromyalgia.  I  simply couldn't get out of bed one morning.  I crawled versus walking most of  the time as it was less painful.  I was of no use to anyone, including myself.   I also had no appetite whatsoever.  I lost 20 pounds in a matter of weeks,  leaving me a frail 100 lb 50-year-old.  My husband thought maybe marijuana might  help with my appetite, so he 'scored' some for me.  It not only restored my  appetite, it also took a lot of my pain away.  It makes me sick to think we both  could [be] arrested.  When is this country going to wake up?" 

"I am a  six-year ulcerative colitis patient who quit all prescribed medicines and only  took to cannabis.  It worked faster and more effectively than standard  medications and had fewer side effects.  Now I can't have cannabis for job  purposes and my symptoms are returning." 

"I have Crohns disease.  I do  not smoke anymore because I'm afraid I could lose my job.  My health has  suffered because of quitting and I have suffered greatly.  My own doctor has  told me that cannabis can greatly benefit my disease, which has left me with the  intestines of a 75-year-old person even though I am only 38." 

"I've  moved back home to a state that does not allow the medical use of marijuana, and  it is very hard for me to find relief from my pain now.  My doctor has increased  my medications twofold, and I [still] do not get the pain control I had with  [marijuana].  I just hope some day the government will stop demonizing a very  useful tool." 

"I am a highly qualified physician with years of  experience in Africa and Asia, as well as seven years at the World Health  Organization in Geneva.  In 1991, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.  I  now have a serious form of the disease with marked rigidity, loss of balance and  tremor.  Medication has proved useless or worse.  At present I take none.  About  ten days ago I tried marijuana.  After a delay of several hours there was an  amazing improvement.  Rigidity and loss of balance were much milder.  I 'got my  body back,' and could do things that had been impossible for five years."  

"I was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor inside the left  the temporal lobe of my brain.  I had surgery, and I've just started  chemotherapy and radiation.  The surgeon actually apologized for the fact that  he could not write me a prescription for marijuana, but he told me it was safe  to smoke.  My prescriptions make me very dizzy and nauseous and I have  ever-present headaches that top any of the worst hangover headaches anyone could  possibly have.  My brain is still so badly swollen.  The swelling has actually  gotten worse and is exacerbated by the radiation.  Marijuana is saving my life  right now; it has helped to kill my seizures, nausea, dizziness, and calm my  headaches.  If marijuana can help me with all my other problems in addition to  possibly reducing the size of my tumor and extending my life, then why on earth  would our government not allow me to have it?" 
____________________________________________________________________

Despite the venom of Tom Riley and his ilk, this issue is not about  us.  It is about these real Americans, from all walks of life, who are  desperately in need, and who are desperately seeking help and looking for  answers.  They deserve the freedom to manage their serious medical travails as  best they can -- with medical marijuana, if that's what works best for them.  At  a minimum, they deserve an acknowledgement from the Tom Rileys of the world that  they are alive -- and living in pain.  

Perhaps to finally receive that,  instead of just writing to us, they will need to confront those government  officials who think so little of denying them legal access to a plant that can  improve their health and well-being.  Maybe then politicians and bureaucrats  will stop cynically bashing "our agenda," and finally start responding to needs  of the citizens it is their duty to serve.  


[SIZE=-1]_MAP posted-by:  Richard Lake _[/SIZE]


*Pubdate:* Tue, 04 Sep 2007 
*Source:*  Huffington Post (US Web) 
*Copyright:* 2007 HuffingtonPost com, Inc.  
*Website:* http://www.huffingtonpost.com 
*Authors:* David Borden  and Paul Armentano 
*Note:* David Borden is founder and executive  director ofStoptheDrugWar.org, the Drug Reform Coordination Network. Paul  Armentano is the senior policy analyst of NORML and the NORML Foundation.  
*Bookmark:* http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)


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## trichnut (Sep 6, 2007)

this country is run by select indeviduals, corperations (such as DuPont, and many pharmicutical co. and...  well i guess the list could go on and on) fact is these co. are making money, power... and well you get the picture.  I think it just has to be accepted that not everyone can have what they want.  
If you want lagitamit bud move to a bud friendly state.  and keep a low profile.  the government does not mind us growing and providing to patients as long as we dont attract to much attention and start "public movements"
if we stay out of there business they will stay out of ours.


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## Mutt (Sep 6, 2007)

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Morphine side effects include but are not limited to:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]anxiety
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]involuntary movement of the eyeball
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]blurred vision / double vision 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]constipation[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"pinpoint" pupils
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]chills
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]depressed or irritable mood
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]itching
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]cramps 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]dizziness 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]rash 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]diarrhea 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]drowsiness 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]rigid muscles 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]inability to urinate 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]exaggerated sense of well-being 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]seizure
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]dreams 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]light - headedness 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]swelling due to fluid retention
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]dry mouth 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]nausea
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]tingling or pins and needles 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]facial flushing 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]sedation
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]tremor
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]fainting / faintness 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]sweating 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]uncoordinated muscle movements
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]floating feeling 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]vomiting 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]weakness 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]hallucinations 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]agitation
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]abdominal pain 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]headache 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]allergic reaction
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]abnormal thinking
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]high/low blood pressure 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]appetite loss
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]accidental injury 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]hives 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]apprehension 
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]memory loss[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]insomnia [/FONT]
 
Side effects of MJ
unknown....untested...listings are slf-contradictory and many proven to be myths...but still listed by the FDA.

I'll take the green over morphine

Look up the other side effects for the other drugs the poor unfortunate souls have to endure.
but then...the pharms will LOSE money....Govt. will LOSE money. but these people will be better off. Guess the price of life is pretty damn cheap now a days huh.


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## trichnut (Sep 6, 2007)

hey what do ya know... MJ helps alleviate many of these symptoms.


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