Jacob Bell
New Member
Geralyn Reed didn't find relief from the degenerative disc disease she has had since she was 12 until she tried marijuana.
Medical marijuana has helped her because she can't take prescription painkillers because of the side effects, she said at a medical marijuana rally outside the Isabella County Building Tuesday.
Reed calls medical marijuana a "great drug" and said it is no worse than other herbal supplements.
Crowds gathered outside the county building to listen to speakers tout the benefits of medical marijuana, which has come under fire since the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that the state's medical marijuana law does not allow for dispensaries.
On hand were Brandon McQueen and Matt Taylor, who own CA LLC, formerly the Compassionate Apothecary in Mt. Pleasant.
Since shutting their doors after receiving a cease and desist order, the two have appealed the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court.
During the demonstration and protest Tuesday, Taylor helped Jenny Read, a medical marijuana patient who has mitochondrial cytopathy, a type of leukodysrophy, that has left her with headaches, tremors and no appetite.
Read had been hospitalized at Bethesda in Maryland as a child, and began seeing a rehabilitation physician 12 years ago, who suggested she try medical marijuana, she said.
Struggling to continue, Read let Taylor finish her speech.
For the first time in Read's life, the headaches improved, she could eat and keep her weight up and her overall pain improved, Taylor told the applauding crowd.
In addition, her tremors decreased, he said.
Read, who obtained medical marijuana at a compassion club in Lansing, wanted to tell the group that she was thankful for the drug, Taylor said.
He also said it's "disgusting" that Read and other medical marijuana patients don't have a "safe third option" in obtaining the drug.
In August, the court of appeals issued an opinion that prohibits the sale of medical marijuana from patient to patient in a case in Isabella County.
Prosecutor Larry Burdick appealed Chief Judge Paul Chamberlain's ruling that Compassionate Apothecary was operating under state law, and court of appeals judges ruled in Burdick's favor.
While the appeals ruling does not prohibit the use of medical marijuana, it makes it difficult for patients at times to obtain the drug, Taylor said Tuesday.
If a caregiver is between crops, a medical marijuana patient will have to go without, he said.
Ditto for new medical marijuana patients and those who try to grow their own crop because it takes time to grow the plants and some may not be successful, Taylor said.
Another option is to find a caregiver, but that can also be difficult, Taylor said.
Meanwhile, Burdick said the law that Michigan voters passed in 2008 does not include any provision making dispensaries legal.
Although Burdick said people who opened dispensaries could have been well-intentioned, they would have been more productive focusing on educating medical marijuana patients on how to grow their own plants or by helping to expand the network of caregivers.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: themorningsun.com
Author: Susan Field
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The Morning Sun
Website: Medical marijuana supporters speak outside Isabella County Building
Medical marijuana has helped her because she can't take prescription painkillers because of the side effects, she said at a medical marijuana rally outside the Isabella County Building Tuesday.
Reed calls medical marijuana a "great drug" and said it is no worse than other herbal supplements.
Crowds gathered outside the county building to listen to speakers tout the benefits of medical marijuana, which has come under fire since the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that the state's medical marijuana law does not allow for dispensaries.
On hand were Brandon McQueen and Matt Taylor, who own CA LLC, formerly the Compassionate Apothecary in Mt. Pleasant.
Since shutting their doors after receiving a cease and desist order, the two have appealed the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court.
During the demonstration and protest Tuesday, Taylor helped Jenny Read, a medical marijuana patient who has mitochondrial cytopathy, a type of leukodysrophy, that has left her with headaches, tremors and no appetite.
Read had been hospitalized at Bethesda in Maryland as a child, and began seeing a rehabilitation physician 12 years ago, who suggested she try medical marijuana, she said.
Struggling to continue, Read let Taylor finish her speech.
For the first time in Read's life, the headaches improved, she could eat and keep her weight up and her overall pain improved, Taylor told the applauding crowd.
In addition, her tremors decreased, he said.
Read, who obtained medical marijuana at a compassion club in Lansing, wanted to tell the group that she was thankful for the drug, Taylor said.
He also said it's "disgusting" that Read and other medical marijuana patients don't have a "safe third option" in obtaining the drug.
In August, the court of appeals issued an opinion that prohibits the sale of medical marijuana from patient to patient in a case in Isabella County.
Prosecutor Larry Burdick appealed Chief Judge Paul Chamberlain's ruling that Compassionate Apothecary was operating under state law, and court of appeals judges ruled in Burdick's favor.
While the appeals ruling does not prohibit the use of medical marijuana, it makes it difficult for patients at times to obtain the drug, Taylor said Tuesday.
If a caregiver is between crops, a medical marijuana patient will have to go without, he said.
Ditto for new medical marijuana patients and those who try to grow their own crop because it takes time to grow the plants and some may not be successful, Taylor said.
Another option is to find a caregiver, but that can also be difficult, Taylor said.
Meanwhile, Burdick said the law that Michigan voters passed in 2008 does not include any provision making dispensaries legal.
Although Burdick said people who opened dispensaries could have been well-intentioned, they would have been more productive focusing on educating medical marijuana patients on how to grow their own plants or by helping to expand the network of caregivers.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: themorningsun.com
Author: Susan Field
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: The Morning Sun
Website: Medical marijuana supporters speak outside Isabella County Building
