Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The judiciary committee in the Nebraska Legislature is expected to decide this week what avenues to pursue -- or not pursue -- in the medical marijuana debate. Many families are making a last minute push for change.
If any of the bills being considered become law, Nebraska would become the 24th state to allow a form of marijuana to be used as medicine.
"I just want to know what Nebraska is going to do for those who are sick and have debilitating illnesses," said Shelley Gillen, from her Bellevue living room.
She was joined by two other mothers. Their children all suffer from a form of epilepsy.
"I've witnessed where she can't write her name and then can again," said Becky Budden describing her 4-year-old daughter Ali. "Some days she'll sleep 18-hours. Some days we're up all night. It depends on how it is. But how much more brain damage can my 4-year-old get because of the anti-seizure meds?"
Becky Budden believes oils derived from the marijuana plant could help limit her daughter's seizures. At one point, the girl was taking 23-pills a day for that.
"Our kids need help now. None of the other meds they are on are denied because of the high abuse," said Shelley Gillen. "All the drugs our kids are on now are all highly abused. No one prevents them from being used. This shouldn't be any different."
Shelley Gillen's son Will is in 7th grade. There have been times he was on 24-pills a day for his epilepsy.
Days ago, one of his seizures was so strong he fell into his bedroom wall. The helmet he wears put a bowling ball-sized hole in the wall.
"It's a bad message for Nebraska. If you're sick, move," said Shari Lawlor of Valley.
Her daughter Brooke is 22. At one point she took 20 pills a day to mask the epileptic seizures.
The families are asking state lawmakers to help them with quality of life — to allow Nebraska to allow medical marijuana to lessen the seizures for their children without the side effects of their current pills.
"I hear a lot of Senators who say this isn't what Nebraska is about," said Becky Budden. "I don't want anything legalized. I just want medical use so I can stay in Nebraska with my family."
Even though the state's top cop Attorney General Doug Peterson is on the record that medical marijuana has been shown to help alleviate some symptoms in those who are sick — he's been reluctant to support the issue for one main reason. "It's just another way to open the door. It's a very slippery slope. "
These women don't understand why lawmakers cannot separate medicinal marijuana from the handful of states that now allow recreational sales.
"Why are they focusing and worrying about the potential abuse of a user?" wondered Shelley Gillen, "When there are thousands suffering here in Nebraska. When are you going to help our families and our loved ones?"
State Senator Garrett has offered suggestions for common ground for the committee -- proposing what he believes is an amendment with more regulation than any other medical marijuana law on the books in the United States.
WOWT 6 News asked the Attorney General for reaction to some of the proposed changes to the bill. He said in a written statement, "Rather than tightening language and increasing protections, it appears amendment language is broadening the number of medical conditions that would be covered by the bill and includes a category of "pain" without defining the term. This has the potential for creating a loophole for broad use/abuse of marijuana."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana in Nebraska Spotlight
Author: Brian Mastre
Contact: sixonline@wowt.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Breaking Omaha News, Weather and Sports. Nebraska News. | WOWT.com
If any of the bills being considered become law, Nebraska would become the 24th state to allow a form of marijuana to be used as medicine.
"I just want to know what Nebraska is going to do for those who are sick and have debilitating illnesses," said Shelley Gillen, from her Bellevue living room.
She was joined by two other mothers. Their children all suffer from a form of epilepsy.
"I've witnessed where she can't write her name and then can again," said Becky Budden describing her 4-year-old daughter Ali. "Some days she'll sleep 18-hours. Some days we're up all night. It depends on how it is. But how much more brain damage can my 4-year-old get because of the anti-seizure meds?"
Becky Budden believes oils derived from the marijuana plant could help limit her daughter's seizures. At one point, the girl was taking 23-pills a day for that.
"Our kids need help now. None of the other meds they are on are denied because of the high abuse," said Shelley Gillen. "All the drugs our kids are on now are all highly abused. No one prevents them from being used. This shouldn't be any different."
Shelley Gillen's son Will is in 7th grade. There have been times he was on 24-pills a day for his epilepsy.
Days ago, one of his seizures was so strong he fell into his bedroom wall. The helmet he wears put a bowling ball-sized hole in the wall.
"It's a bad message for Nebraska. If you're sick, move," said Shari Lawlor of Valley.
Her daughter Brooke is 22. At one point she took 20 pills a day to mask the epileptic seizures.
The families are asking state lawmakers to help them with quality of life — to allow Nebraska to allow medical marijuana to lessen the seizures for their children without the side effects of their current pills.
"I hear a lot of Senators who say this isn't what Nebraska is about," said Becky Budden. "I don't want anything legalized. I just want medical use so I can stay in Nebraska with my family."
Even though the state's top cop Attorney General Doug Peterson is on the record that medical marijuana has been shown to help alleviate some symptoms in those who are sick — he's been reluctant to support the issue for one main reason. "It's just another way to open the door. It's a very slippery slope. "
These women don't understand why lawmakers cannot separate medicinal marijuana from the handful of states that now allow recreational sales.
"Why are they focusing and worrying about the potential abuse of a user?" wondered Shelley Gillen, "When there are thousands suffering here in Nebraska. When are you going to help our families and our loved ones?"
State Senator Garrett has offered suggestions for common ground for the committee -- proposing what he believes is an amendment with more regulation than any other medical marijuana law on the books in the United States.
WOWT 6 News asked the Attorney General for reaction to some of the proposed changes to the bill. He said in a written statement, "Rather than tightening language and increasing protections, it appears amendment language is broadening the number of medical conditions that would be covered by the bill and includes a category of "pain" without defining the term. This has the potential for creating a loophole for broad use/abuse of marijuana."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana in Nebraska Spotlight
Author: Brian Mastre
Contact: sixonline@wowt.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Breaking Omaha News, Weather and Sports. Nebraska News. | WOWT.com
