Jacob Bell
New Member
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Medical marijuana dispensaries could be banned in Kern County, and that has some users asking how they'll get supplies they rely on. Tuesday afternoon, Kern County Supervisors take up a second-reading of proposed new ordinances. Users and collective operators insist dispensaries are needed.
"It's just a shame that they're going to do something like take away a drug that literally saved my life," Arnita Matthews told Eyewitness News. At 70 years old, she's now in remission. But, she says her battle with cancer convinced her of the benefits of medical marijuana.
"Within three days I was eating, and I started gaining weight," Matthews said. She was diagnosed with cancer in November 2009, and was down to 108 pounds when her family convinced her to try medical marijuana.
Matthews said she got information about its use from her doctors at a local cancer treatment center. She then got a recommendation for medical marijuana from another doctor, and went to a dispensary.
They gave her a pipe, she bought some marijuana, and they showed her how to use it. "It takes about two puffs is all," Matthews said.
The senior citizen said she tried the marijuana and was surprised at the results.
"In fact, I was a little disappointed when I smoked it," Matthews said. "I thought, where's the ha-ha's and the hee-hee's? What's wrong? I just felt pleasantly at peace right now, and I'm hungry." She said being hungry again saved her life. She could eat and get her strength back.
On Tuesday, Kern Supervisors will vote again on an ordinance that would ban all "storefront" dispensaries. A memo from county attorneys outlines how users could get medical marijuana after a ban.
"Those seeking to obtain medical marijuana may obtain it through growing it themselves or through informal networks of patients and care givers, with referrals from physicians or support networks to care givers or other patients, capable of effective and legal cultivation of marijuana," it reads.
Matthews isn't so sure about that.
"That could be a solution," she said. "But, I still think it would cause a lot of problems."
California voters approved medical marijuana use with passage of the "Compassionate Use Act of 1996," but the memo from county attorneys says that law did not give patients or caregivers a right to provide marijuana through a collective or dispensary. Adding, the law "does not require the County to allow storefront collectives or dispensaries as a means to accomplish this purpose."
The memo goes on to say the proposed county ordinance will allow patients to get marijuana, under the original intent of the State law. They believe that's through informal networks.
'If seriously ill patients or care givers are not able to cultivate their own product, and do not know other patients or care givers, staff believes that a network of legal providers, including on line social networking, will emerge to facilitate their needs," the memo says. "Staff also believes that physicians who recommend marijuana to seriously ill patients can help facilitate this network..." it continues.
At last Tuesday's board meeting, Oildale businesswoman Juanita Bradshaw said the dispensary next to her store has caused a lot of problems. She thinks the collectives should be banned.
The Kern County Sheriff's Department has also said they believe the collectives and outdoor grows of medical marijuana can be the targets of crime and violence.
Matthews said she felt very safe at the two dispensaries where she went to legally get marijuana. "We went to a real nice store, that's all they have there," she said. "They knew what they were talking about."
Matthews also said the one-year doctor's recommendation for medical marijuana was thorough. And, she thinks its use is better than other medication severely-ill patients may rely on. "I got off my Vicodin," she said.
The proposed county ordinance would also ban all outdoor grows of marijuana over 99 plants. Sheriff officials say those are another target for violence.
The new county rule would also prohibit any "edible" products with marijuana.
Dispensaries have reportedly asked whether the county could regulate and permit storefront medical marijuana collectives. County attorneys say that won't work.
"One of the reasons your Board repealed the previous ordinance in March 2009 was because the (Kern County) Sheriff clearly stated that he would not issue licenses in violation of Federal law, and would not require his staff to violate Federal law," the memo reads. All marijuana use, cultivation and sale is illegal under federal law.
County lawyers say the proposed ordinance meets both federal and state laws.
But as a user of medical marijuana, Matthews thinks the new county rule will force patients to buy their supplies from illegal sources. "
That's what worries me," she told Eyewitness News. "This is going to force people to cross over into the criminal world. And that's a real dangerous world."
Matthews said she used medical marijuana daily when she was going through chemotherapy and radiation. She's been in remission for just over a year, and only uses it now if she's dealing with severe pain. If she continues use, Matthews says she'll use "edible" marijuana, she doesn't like smoking it.
But, she thinks there needs to be a way that seriously ill people can still get medical marijuana in a way that's safe and legal. She thinks there must be a solution out there.
"I just know what it did for me," Matthews said. "I am so grateful, and I believe in it."
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: bakersfieldnow.com
Author: Carol Ferguson
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Fisher Communications, Inc.
Website: Patients question impacts of pending medical marijuana rule changes
"It's just a shame that they're going to do something like take away a drug that literally saved my life," Arnita Matthews told Eyewitness News. At 70 years old, she's now in remission. But, she says her battle with cancer convinced her of the benefits of medical marijuana.
"Within three days I was eating, and I started gaining weight," Matthews said. She was diagnosed with cancer in November 2009, and was down to 108 pounds when her family convinced her to try medical marijuana.
Matthews said she got information about its use from her doctors at a local cancer treatment center. She then got a recommendation for medical marijuana from another doctor, and went to a dispensary.
They gave her a pipe, she bought some marijuana, and they showed her how to use it. "It takes about two puffs is all," Matthews said.
The senior citizen said she tried the marijuana and was surprised at the results.
"In fact, I was a little disappointed when I smoked it," Matthews said. "I thought, where's the ha-ha's and the hee-hee's? What's wrong? I just felt pleasantly at peace right now, and I'm hungry." She said being hungry again saved her life. She could eat and get her strength back.
On Tuesday, Kern Supervisors will vote again on an ordinance that would ban all "storefront" dispensaries. A memo from county attorneys outlines how users could get medical marijuana after a ban.
"Those seeking to obtain medical marijuana may obtain it through growing it themselves or through informal networks of patients and care givers, with referrals from physicians or support networks to care givers or other patients, capable of effective and legal cultivation of marijuana," it reads.
Matthews isn't so sure about that.
"That could be a solution," she said. "But, I still think it would cause a lot of problems."
California voters approved medical marijuana use with passage of the "Compassionate Use Act of 1996," but the memo from county attorneys says that law did not give patients or caregivers a right to provide marijuana through a collective or dispensary. Adding, the law "does not require the County to allow storefront collectives or dispensaries as a means to accomplish this purpose."
The memo goes on to say the proposed county ordinance will allow patients to get marijuana, under the original intent of the State law. They believe that's through informal networks.
'If seriously ill patients or care givers are not able to cultivate their own product, and do not know other patients or care givers, staff believes that a network of legal providers, including on line social networking, will emerge to facilitate their needs," the memo says. "Staff also believes that physicians who recommend marijuana to seriously ill patients can help facilitate this network..." it continues.
At last Tuesday's board meeting, Oildale businesswoman Juanita Bradshaw said the dispensary next to her store has caused a lot of problems. She thinks the collectives should be banned.
The Kern County Sheriff's Department has also said they believe the collectives and outdoor grows of medical marijuana can be the targets of crime and violence.
Matthews said she felt very safe at the two dispensaries where she went to legally get marijuana. "We went to a real nice store, that's all they have there," she said. "They knew what they were talking about."
Matthews also said the one-year doctor's recommendation for medical marijuana was thorough. And, she thinks its use is better than other medication severely-ill patients may rely on. "I got off my Vicodin," she said.
The proposed county ordinance would also ban all outdoor grows of marijuana over 99 plants. Sheriff officials say those are another target for violence.
The new county rule would also prohibit any "edible" products with marijuana.
Dispensaries have reportedly asked whether the county could regulate and permit storefront medical marijuana collectives. County attorneys say that won't work.
"One of the reasons your Board repealed the previous ordinance in March 2009 was because the (Kern County) Sheriff clearly stated that he would not issue licenses in violation of Federal law, and would not require his staff to violate Federal law," the memo reads. All marijuana use, cultivation and sale is illegal under federal law.
County lawyers say the proposed ordinance meets both federal and state laws.
But as a user of medical marijuana, Matthews thinks the new county rule will force patients to buy their supplies from illegal sources. "
That's what worries me," she told Eyewitness News. "This is going to force people to cross over into the criminal world. And that's a real dangerous world."
Matthews said she used medical marijuana daily when she was going through chemotherapy and radiation. She's been in remission for just over a year, and only uses it now if she's dealing with severe pain. If she continues use, Matthews says she'll use "edible" marijuana, she doesn't like smoking it.
But, she thinks there needs to be a way that seriously ill people can still get medical marijuana in a way that's safe and legal. She thinks there must be a solution out there.
"I just know what it did for me," Matthews said. "I am so grateful, and I believe in it."
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: bakersfieldnow.com
Author: Carol Ferguson
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Fisher Communications, Inc.
Website: Patients question impacts of pending medical marijuana rule changes
