Minnesota: Families Desperate For Medical Marijuana Closer To Home For Constant Pain

[Jacob Redmond]

"It has made me sit up at the computer many nights until two looking for answers."

Many sleepless nights for families who say medical marijuana is their last chance at giving loved ones the life they deserve.

The Minnesota Department of Health stopped in Moorhead Monday to explain how medical cannabis works and to find out if it should expand usage to those who suffer from intractable pain.

This group may be small in size, less than 20 people showed up, but they're large in hope that medical marijuana is the answer to bring a normal life back to their families.

A solution Tracy Heng has seen work for her 17-year -old daughter.

"You can be talking to her and she can be smiling and giggly and all the sudden she'll drop over," Heng said.

Ashlin has Rett Syndrome and has suffered from violent seizures for the last 10 years.

Medical marijuana has shortened the length of those seizures but living in Barnesville, Tracy travels to the cities to get it.

"It ends up being about $1,500 for the month."

A cost she's waiting to cut down, with no answers or signs of the Moorhead dispensary opening soon.

"They tell me because they're not sure how many people in the general area will really use this location here in Moorhead."

As Tracy waits for cannabis closer to home, others are simply waiting to get help at all.

"She lives basically in her house in a recliner," Michelle Peterson said.

Peterson speaks for her 83-year-old mother who, after knee surgery, suffers from constant pain that leaves her nearly motionless

She's not qualified for medical marijuana.

"My siblings and I even said we'll go to Colorado with you, whatever. We keep waiting for just a chance that something might help," Peterson said.

That could change as the health department continues to travel the state, looking for stories like Michelle's and Tracy's to see if intractable pain should be added to the list.

Legally, the Moorhead dispensary has to open by July 21st 2016.

The medical cannabis board has until the end of the year to decide if intractable pain should be added to the treatment list.

News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Families Desperate For Medical Marijuana Closer To Home For Constant Pain
Author: Krista Boehm
Photo Credit: The Associated Press
Website: Valley News Live

 

[SilverKing]

Re: Minnesota: Families Desperate For Medical Marijuana Closer To Home For Constant P

I am new here and I am from Minnesota. Hello to all and thanks for having this great forum with so much info on it. I am 67 years old I have arthritis, sleep apnea and sciatica. I also had a shoulder that got crushed replaced about 20 years ago. I had not smoked cannabis since about 1971 until a year ago. I was getting percocets from my doctor and they did make me feel better but I was getting scared I would get addicted. I did some research on the internet and found out many people found relief using cannabis. Well at 67 I had no dealer friends like I did back in 1970 so I decided to make trip to Colorado to see if it would help me. Not only did it take away the pain it also helped my sleep apnea. The first day I used it I smoked half of a small joint in my hotel room and it put me to sleep I woke up about 6 PM and smoked the rest of it and then about 9 PM I had an edible and was sleeping by 10:30 PM and I slept until 10 AM the next morning. I woke up to no pain at all and normally when I wake is when I have the worst pain. I went to a park In Boulder where I used to live in 1970. I sat on a bench and noticed I had no pain anywhere at all. I was not high it was 12 noon the day after I used it like 15 hours ago. I think what it does for me is stop all the inflammation even the sciatica was gone. I normally can only sleep about 4 hours at a time and I had just slept 12. I just wanted to say for me cannabis works and it works better than pain pills for me.

Now lets get back to this article. Right now all they offer in MN is an oil from the plant made by I believe it is two companies. As most of you all know there must be bout a 1000 strains of cannabis. Some of them work better for me and pain relief and sleep apnea than others do. Well in Minnesota one oil is supposed to work for all. The article states 1500 bucks a month for this oil that may not even work? I am retired and live on a low fixed income and 500 a month would be way to much if I want to eat also. I need to be able to grow it - find the strain and the seeds. It is a shame I can go to jail for taking care of myself. What a waste of taxpayer money - like anyone gives shit if my 67 year old ass smokes a joint or not. Minnesota politicians suck and what we have is useless to most of us in Minnesota. I am happy for the kids and people that this may work for and wish the best for them. For the rest of us we will still get arrested even though it helps us.