Breast cancer has made me a criminal

[dogday]

AT 9 O'CLOCK on the night of my first round of chemotherapy, exactly six hours after I left the oncologist's office wondering what all the fuss was about, my stomach tumbled into my knees, my knees refused to work altogether, and I crumpled to the floor in a clammy, shivering heap.

I lay there until dawn, at one point vomiting on myself, at another crying that I'd rather die of cancer than undergo chemo again. I was hot. I was cold. My shoulders wouldn't stop shaking. My legs wouldn't move at all. Huge hallucinations rolled over me.

In the morning I was stunned to realize I was still alive. But there was my 2 1/2-year-old daughter, poking me with her toe, wondering whether we could dance. I made my way to the stereo and made myself a vow: I'd do whatever necessary to avoid having her find me on the ground again.

First call was to the doctor, who promised to fine-tune my protocol and adjust my pre-chemo meds. The second was to a friend I thought might have a marijuana connection. I had read enough, and written some, about the medicinal uses of marijuana to believe it might keep me from suffering so in three weeks, when I was scheduled for my second poison drip. Not to mention that months of treatment loomed.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/05/02/breast_cancer_has_made_me_a_criminal/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Op-ed+columns

FUCK THE FDA AND THEIR FINDINGS, PEOPLE KNOW THE BENIFITS OF POT

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. That is powerful...

Especially the last sentence. Thanks for posting that.

[graywarrior]

2. I'm with you all the way.

You've got courage, my friend.

[elehhhhna]

3. It's weird. I had a neighbor who would be the first (freeper) person to

turn in a pot smoker, until chemo started...needless to say she was assisted in locating some smoke, instructed on the use of a one-hitter, and found sweet relief within ten minutes.

My Dad died on Easter 1977 and HIS oncologist told him to smoke pot for chemo effects. Thirty years later where are we? This is just stupid.

[Ian David]

4. Rush Limbaugh illegally obtained 12,000 oxycontin pills in four months...

and the government is withholding a little pot from people with cancer.

Something isn't right.

[peacetalksforall]

6. And he is going to get off. n/t

[Ian David]

7. People need to seek him out and encourge him to re-offend

Find him at parties and tempt him.

(Satirical riff).

[atreides1]

5. Very Well Said

My mother was undergoing chemo and the joint that she had after her sessions helped her to deal with the effects of the treatments.

She lost her battle, but I know what I saw, and it helped her.

[Lars39]

8. The strongest ant-nausea meds are really expensive.

Seems like I remember one prescription was hitting cloce to $300.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

28. My Zofran 8mg Tablets costs my insurance over $1000 for 30 tablets.

My copay is $25.

The last refill: 04/19/06: Days supply:10, Qty:30.

Ins Pay: $1048.85
My coPay: $25

I have severe migraines. The nausea gets so bad when a migraine hits that I just wouldn't eat or drink anything- and then I'd wind up back in the hospital dehydrated and in bad condition. Most anti-nausea meds, from what I hear make you sleepy... The Zofran doesn't make me sleepy at all and I can thus go about doing my job.

I don't know WHAT I'd do if I lacked insurance. I don't know if I'd be able to keep up the weight or with the pressures of a job.

It's criminal that so many people have to think about how they're going to pay for their meds, or if their meds are even going to be legal at all.

[havocmom]

9. Heaven and hell, we have all the components to build either on earth.

Because of economics and greed, we have the latter.

I have never done that herb myself, but applaud legalizing for so many reasons. Our drug policy is insane. It protects the profits of huge corporations who occasionally create very dangerous drugs, gateway drugs and so do much damage to our society.

Pot can do so much so safely for so many. Big Pharma won't stand for that.

K & R for the many who need the help this leaf offers.

My sis got over a round of chemo and was lucky enough to have really good insurance so she could afford most excellent care. She suffered horribly. Those without such medical options? What of them?

We have the components for making heaven or hell here on earth. We have what we need to help each other. Too many choose to punish by denying.

I have chronic, debilitating pain which only gets worse. I probably should learn to use the weed to stay somewhat productive instead of a burden. There is cold hard steel for too many who cannot manage one more day of the pain that grows. There could be a better alternative so very easily.

Stop the punitive banning of a very beneficial substance. Stop the torture of innocent men, women and children by denying something which can make life so much easier while they fight cancer and other ailments.

Stop the insanity of current drug policies.

[hootinholler]

18. Not to mention the effects of incarceration on families.

It really does boil down to Big Pharma Profits. Once Monsanto has a GM version they can patent the laws will relax for that one type which will be prescription and expensive.

-Hoot

[jbnow]

10. When my mom

was undergoing chemo she decided she would rather die. She got so sick and hated eating because of loss of appetite but mostly because of vomiting.

I researched what might help and then contacted a friend I knew could get me pot. As I was making the long drive to her house I thought about being pulled over and busted. I got so angry thinking that this was not legal, the stupid law, the cruelty that I was ready to be pulled over and just rant about it all. (Except they'd take the pot away)

She didn't expect much, she felt pretty hopeless. She smoked some and was just amazed at the difference it made. Neither of us could roll joints well, who knew. I made an apple pipe as I had done back in college days, don't remember how now. About the third time she smoked was the first time she felt high and it was the cutest thing in the world. She wanted to hear music so I got one of my tapes, not her taste at all but she only had records and that was in another room. She just got so into the music, hearing each instrument, just filled with delight. We opened the shades and windows and marveled at the sky and trees and birds.

But when she tried smoking without me there she did get very paranoid. It's not that she smoked too much, it was she was not use to smoking pot at all, an easy high. I went up as often as I could because I wanted her to feel good in mind and body. She gained weight and because she was getting nutrition she gained energy and was up and around again.

She had insurance but no medications had helped. Of course they were giving her pills and if you vomit as soon as you get something in you it doesn't help much.

There are so many things it is known to help better than any medication and for sure with fewer side effects.

It is amazing that with baby boomers in office and with public approval for medical marijuana that they are getting more strict now.

[dogday]

12. What an amazing story

How is your mom doing?

[jbnow]

19. My mom

didn't make it. It turned out the chemo was not working. She was so afraid of the last stages, of "having her diapers changed". Since she was terminal it was likely good that she had a stroke before she got to those last stages, though it was sad to lose the last year or two we thought she had.

Evidently some forms of chemo raises the possibility of stroke. That is saddest when it is working on the cancer.

I feel like telling this story. My mom called me and asked me to come up that weekend. I had plans and had already scheduled time off for a long visit the next week. She pushed it though. She said she was ready to talk about death and what came after it and she wanted me to bring some books about it. When she told me I could invite a friends of hers I couldn't resist. They had been best friends for years but had been out of touch and my mom hadn't wanted company.

So her friend and I went up there. They had a wonderful reunion. We did talk a lot about death and what followed. She cried with happiness and said how her fears were eased. We had so much fun that weekend, so much laughter with the tears. She had only recently quit chemo and was told she had 1-2 years to live.
That Thursday I got a call that she was dying. I didn't believe it, she had looked and acted so healthy.

After we were all there she drifted into a coma that deepened. In the middle of the night when no one was in the room was when I could talk to her, it felt odd in front of people. I read to her, talked to her, sang to her, holding her hand. She opened her eyes, pulled me to her and tried to speak. She made noises but I couldn't hear her words. With my other hand I buzzed for the nurse so they could wake up my sisters sleeping in the lobby. They didn't come for a long time. I told them what was going on and they said it was impossible till they looked at her and then rushed off to get my sisters. They had a minute of eye contact before she drifted back off. The nurse told me they didn't hurry because they "just figured she had died". Nice.

Now I don't know what she was trying to say, it could have been "shut up, I am trying to die here". She was frustrated that her words didn't come out and I told her it was OK, I knew it was about love, I knew she'd be OK, I knew she loved us. Her eyes glowed, she smiled. I thanked her so much for using energy to try to talk. We kissed.

She didn't wake again and she passed the next morning. An odd story is four different people, not all of them inclined to believe in odd things, told me about an experience they had around the time of her death. They all "saw" her and she was very happy. The common part was the word Joy and Free or Freedom. They didn't know about each other. I didn't "see" her but it made me happy, I knew she was going to love it.

So as sad as this was it was glad. I am so happy the pot brought her the relief it did so she could feel good in her last months with chemo. I am so glad I went up when she asked and that she pushed me to and we had that time. So glad she saw her friend again. So glad she didn't suffer a lot. So glad we had our last good-bye. So glad that maybe she did experience freedom and joy.

I know that is more than you asked for, not sure why I went into it all. It was 15 years ago! But my fingers insisted so here it is.

[dogday]

20. Thank you for sharing that tender story

I lost my Mother at a young age to Diabetes... I was the last person to see her alive at the hospital. I will treasure that memory always.... Best Wishes to you :hug:

[shanti]

21. thanks for your beautiful story, jbnow

it brought tears to my eyes :hug: peace to you..

[Avalon Sparks]

34. just wanted to say...

thank you for your beautiful post about your Mom......

It touched my heart so deeply. My Mother is still alive and I have dreaded the thought of losing her since I was a little girl.... it's probably my biggest fear in life and I have to admit your post left me weeping with sorrow, even though I think I understand how having that time together will always comfort you.

You sound like a wonderful daughter, and she a wonderful Mother...

Thank you again for sharing.

My best,
Ava

[phusion]

50. thanks for sharing that story...

You're right, it's both sad and beautiful at the same time.

:grouphug:

[bobbieinok]

57. my mom died 3-31-05

She was small and frail. A few days later the pope died.

A bit later I 'saw' my small mother welcoming the small pope.

[jbnow]

63. That is so cool

Thanks for sharing that

[lastliberalintexas]

59. I am so sorry that your mom didn't win her battle

My family apparently has the "cancer gene" which seems to make us more susceptible to cancer. My mother and one great aunt thankfully have survived cancer so far, but neither of my grandfathers nor another great aunt did.

I read your story and my anger grew, remembering how I too was about to subject myself to possible criminal prosecution simply to improve my mom's condition while she was undergoing chemo. My mother had trouble eating or drinking as most chemo patients do, and was even hospitalized several times due to dehydration and exhaustion during her mere 6 weeks of treatment. I tried to convince her to take some marijuana, but she refused (still not sure why).

But my blood boils when I think of families who are faced with that dilemna. Do they do something which might improve their loved one's chances of beating cancer, or is the very real threat of criminal prosecution too much for them to bear? No family should have to make that kind of decision, and I can't believe the idiocy that is the US drug policy.

[Synnical]

25. Wish I could have convinced my mom to smoke

But, she refused to do "illegal" drugs. She was hospitalized at one point during her cancer treatment for three weeks because of dehydration and malnutrition, due entirely to the vomiting and lack of appetite.

She made it thru the cancer treatment, but she's never fully recovered from it. She's 70 now and surviving, but I wouldn't call it much of of a life. The radiation treatment killed her salivary glands, and she has a difficult time eating, so she's constantly in bad health due to poor nutrition.

Thanks for sharing your story, even though it made me cry.

Best regards,
-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[jbnow]

36. That's what makes it so hard

because a lot of people don't want to break the law and so they suffer. I have MS and know many with MS symptoms that were intractable with medications really agonized over becoming law breakers. Some got desperate enough to try it and were amazed. There is no good medication for certain spasms or tremors (at least that work and don't knock then out) or neuropathic pain. Marijuana does help many quite a bit.
It was remarkable, With intention tremors many couldn't use their hands even to feed themselves. Nothing helped. They smoked and the shaking subsided, some even ate in public with such excitement.
It made a difference for many but some hated smoking. They found recipes for a variety of things it can be cooked in and were much more comfortable doing that.
It has to be cooked in fat, into recipes with oil or butter.

Some had been disabled and retired for a long time but were able to return to work. Compassion clubs (that feds bust and close down) were a great deal of help. They had different varieties and kept copious notes on which varieties helped most with which symptoms. It really made a difference. They provided recipes as well.

I wish your mom had had the legal right to get the same kind of help without fear or shame and had not endured such suffering.

I hope your mother is getting help with her ability to take in nutrition. I'm guessing it's limiting in other ways to, making it less comfortable to even speak?

I had a client whose dentist hooked them up with artificial saliva that made a real difference. She explained to me the many health issues dry mouth can cause.

This might not fit or you might know it all but a couple of links:
http://www.dietitian.com/cancer.html
toward the bottom of the page. They even have a recipe for artificial saliva!

The ready made brands are Xero-Lube (Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals)
Saliva Substitute (Roxanne Laboratories)
Biotene and Oralbalance (Laclede Research Laboratories)
There are probably more. It's good to have a neutral pH if she still has teeth. They can really add a lot to comfort.

The dentist also suggested sugar free candies or gum through the day. Lots of liquids! Moist pureed food or food with sauces and gravies can be easier.

Here's a comparison of liquid supplements...Carnation Instant breakfast seems to be the winner over expensive nutritional supplements http://www.thedietchannel.com/scoopon.htm

I'll stop now. Don't know that you needed any but I know it must be hard to watch your mom suffering after all she went through. I remember learning about the problems when saliva glands are damaged, how much the mouth and throat need soothing.

[Synnical]

62. Thanks so much for your kind comments and suggestions

Alas, I've bought her the artificial saliva, but she says it doesn't help. I'll try again, though, didn't realize there were so many different ones available now. She literally survives by drinking Boost. And she does chew gum all day, but it's Nicorette gum!

Sadly, I'm afraid she's in the stage of her life where she just wants to be miserable and refuses to take anti-depressants. My brother and I are at our ends wit with her. She lives alone, 200 miles from me, and 3,000 away from my bro. I'll be visiting her for Mother's Day and will try again to convince her to take better care of herself.

Thank you again, your unsolicited comments and research does my liberal heart good. :) :toast:

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[rtassi]

11. Breast Cancer

Dear dogday,

You may find some of the information on this site helpful to your recovery, physically and spiritually ... namaste

www.hayhouse.com

[Alamom]

13. When "THEY" figure out how to make the rich, richer, then

medical marijuana will be available for all the ailments and diseases that it is proven to help.

Until then, anyone who needs it will be like the Doctor who bought it on the streets for his teenage son who was dying with cancer. Risking arrest and breaking the law to give comfort to someone who needs it.

[BrownOak]

14. If only pot couldn't be grown in your backyard

Instead, if pot had to be synthesized, put into caplets, placed in bottles, shipped to distributors, placed in pharmacies, and dispensed with a prescription, then you see pot would be "good" not "bad."

Oxycontin - good
Pot - bad
Booze - good
Pot - bad

The shit that we get caught up in is amazing.

[al bupp]

15. K & R

[timber84]

16. Bill Maher said it best:

"It's not that pot doesn't have any medicinal value, it has no lobbying power"

Good thoughts to you and your daughter!

:hug:

[slay]

17. Sooooo true

Most of us have, by now, heard how much marijuana helps sick people, especially those with cancer or AIDS. It's (excuse the pun) high time we let people BE FREE to choose what substances they put in their body. The "war on drugs" is bullshit created by an asshole named Harry J. Anslinger to have an excuse to deport Mexicans and further his carrer by preaching fear - the same thing the Republicans do.

Penn and Teller did an excellent piece on just how full of bullshit the "war on drugs" really is in their second season. Good stuff.

http://www.sho.com/site/schedules/product_page.do?episodeid=121061&seriesid=134

[lastliberalintexas]

60. Also a crusade of Hearst and Pulitzer

After all, they'd invested huge sums of money in the timber paper process. They couldn't allow hemp paper to be seen as legit, now could they?

The Mexican angle was why they used the word marijuana, rather than the more common (at that time) hemp. A different kind of hemp had been (and still is) used for ropes by the US Navy, and Southern farmers were very familiar with that cash crop. Hearst and Pulitzer and anyone else on that side cleverly used the Mexican marijuana, which not only brought out the racists but also seemed unthreatening to US farmers, since the ide of banning hemp wouldn't driven them insane.

It really is all about the Benjamins.

[DarkTirade]

22. I know someone with skin cancer who had to make the same decision.

The only way he could both keep his appetite up so that he could stay as healthy as possible, and the only way to keep the pain in check was, you guessed it. That illegal, yet totally harmless little green leaf.

[OnionPatch]

23. I hope things work out

so that you can get some and you won't have any problems with "the man" because of it. What a shame that such a wonderfully effective drug is getting black listed for purely political reasons.

I know from past experience that pot is the number one best nausea medicine EVER, hands down. Nothing even comes close. Fortunately my nausea has never been caused by anything like chemo, but none the less, I know it works and it works miraculously on nausea.

Good Luck!

[pecwae]

24. ((DD))

This is what really gets me about the FDA and big pharma; they so readily dispense toxic, carcinogenic drugs with serious side effects and the drugs to take care of those side effects also have side effects of their own. It's too much to wrap your mind around!

I had to stop Taxol after 9 of the 18 recommended infusions. Peripheral neuropathy was killing me! I could barely walk, couldn't button my clothes and the chemo nausea meds (Kytril) were exorbitantly priced. A little bone really took the edge off, but I had to drive through 2 states to even buy $30 worth (which sure isn't much these days) from the one person in the world I know that can get his hands on any.

After hearing about your experience, having my own (I'm allergic to the premeds Benadryl & Decadron)and being in the hallway at Duke the other day when a Code Blue was being called in the chemo suite I doubt I'll ever be able to go this route again. I'm just hoping the Herceptin will take care of any nasties that might be floating around anywhere.

All the best to you. Cancer sucks.

[roguevalley]

26. oh, sweetie. HUGS! My dad just had chemo with lymphoma and

and they used anti-nausea drugs that prevented his nausea. He wasn't nauseous once. I hug you from afar.
Hang in there. This too shall pass.

RV, hugging you long distance.

[dogday]

27. I AM SORRY IF EVERYONE THOUGHT

I am the author of this piece, however I posted a link to the story... I am fine everyone, nothing wrong with me except lupus which I live with fairly well...

Sorry for the confusion....

[Synnical]

31. Yeah, I thought so, too

Until I clicked on the link.

It's all good - a story that needs to be told.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[BrownOak]

38. Lupus

dogday - hey, sorry to hear about the Lupus, even if you are living with it fairly well at the moment. My wife has Lupus which she's "living fairly well" with too, but I know how tense it can be as well. You never know when the next flair is going to pop up and you never know if something that someone would normally consider not that big a deal is actually the next warning signal that you may be becoming systemic.

We had twins about 5 months ago (although my contribution to the "we" part of that was comparatively insignificant) and my wife ended up with just a string of postpartum complications, the worst of which was a series of migraine-like headaches that put her in the hospital. Of course, with Lupus, it's more than just a headache, it could be vasculitis which when they thought she may have had it was described as "very treatable" and after we happily ruled it out it was described as "a real bitch to deal with."

I'm not sure what you're doing to keep it in check, but my wife's had good results with acupuncture and also drinks a whole bunch of Pom juice. By and large she's able to stay stable, but the pregnancies were both really tough.

[dogday]

40. BrownOak, thanks for the post and I hope

your wife will continue to do well, and that you and your lovely family will thrive...

I have my good and bad days, and I am sure your wife can testify to that... I have developed RA, have had shingles, and couple of other auto-immune problems. They say my body is attacking itself.. That is a good analogy of what is going on...

[BrownOak]

45. As long as you don't become systemic

you'll be fine. Do they have you on Plaquanil?

Good luck to you as well. I know it's no fun and you never know what the next day will bring.

[dogday]

46. Yes

Plus he has told me I need to start methotrexate, however I am hesitant to start this drug... I would rather just stay with the prednisone...

[BrownOak]

54. Pretty funny

my wife's at the same decision point right now. Pick your poison I guess - the prednisone isn't any picnic either.

[Cleita]

29. Do you live in a state that has medicinal marijuana clinics?

You may not have to do it illegally, however, if you do I don't blame you.

[liberalhistorian]

30. The two times I tried pot out of curiosity,

over twenty years ago in college, nothing happened the first time and I got sick the second time. That was it for my very brief experimentation.

But I know for sure that if, God forbid, I was ever to become ill and need chemo, I would definitely risk arrest and jailing by using it. I've seen first-hand how much it helps really sick people with nauseau and the effects of chemo. I absolutely hate being the slightest bit nauseaus, and I hate even having colds, so I can just imagine how hard dealing with something like cancer and chemo would be. I would not hesitate for one second, and fuck any policeman who would arrest me and any prosecutor who would haul me into court. And a special, hearty fuck you to the FDA, the hysterical politicians who demanded such a non-scientific finding, and Big Pharma, whose only opposition is that they can't profit from it.

[BrownOak]

39. Clearly you needed to go with a large sample size

I personally did my clinical trials for a decade... or two.

[Tigress DEM]

32. For medicinal purposes, I hear you.

In general, not so much.

So glad you were able to get through your treatment and hope cancer stays far far away from you.

[progressoid]

33. It feels like we're living in another century.

[Bridget Burke]

41. In most other centuries, marijuana was legal.

The 20th century gave us "Reefer Madness."

[progressoid]

42. Yep, that's the century I was thinking about.

On a related note, I just watched Reefer Madness. What a boring movie. I fell asleep twice trying to get through it.

[phusion]

49. the 20th century...

gave us many "madnesses." The madness of the atomic bomb, wars with millions of casualties, population explosions, the automobile, etc, etc.

It's a wonder we're not all mad ourselves.

[KitchenWitch]

35. I have tears in my eyes, reading that!

Please get well soon, and absolutely, do what you need to do to get through it! (I am a cancer survivor - although I never needed to resort to medicinal marijuana, I would have if I needed it).

[knitter4democracy]

37. Sounds like some of my hubby's patients.

My husband, an internist, has had patients who have admitted to using pot for their medical conditions. They've admitted it to him quietly, ashamed or something, expecting him to rail at them or turn them in. He just sits there and holds their hands and tells them that they need to do whatever they need to do to feel better. He firmly believes that there are many medical uses for pot, which he didn't believe until his third year of med school and had a cancer patient it made an obvious difference in. He doesn't know any docs who don't agree with him, even if it's just quietly.

The FDA ruling was a joke--a total sham of pretend science. Any real study would've shown how powerful pot can be in helping with pain and nausea and even tremors, as others on this thread have said.

[Lars39]

43. My freshman biology professor at college was one of only seven

scientists licensed to grow and study marijuana at that time in the US.
I think there have been studies, but that the government has suppressed them.

[knitter4democracy]

53. I think so, too.

There are foreign studies that look good, if I remember right. I can't wait to read this week's editorial in the New England Journal, though. They're quite the liberal rag, and I'm sure they're going to slam the FDA for their decision. :D

[liberalhistorian]

47. Knitter, every time I read about

your husband it makes me wish that you guys would move here, to Rapid City, SD, and he'd become my doctor, and then my family doctor when my son finally joins me here! What a gem he is as a physician and what a great credit to the medical profession. And a hearty kick in the pants to the docs in the pockets of the insurance and pharmaceutical companies, as well.

[knitter4democracy]

52. You're so sweet.

:)

I'm really proud of him, can you tell? ;) He's worked hard to become the best doctor he can, and now he's really, really busy. I'm so glad his practice's partners were able to hire another doctor yesterday--hopefully she'll be as good as we think she is and will help handle the load. I swear the partners are trying to take on the entire town as their patient base (which would be a step in the right direction, if you ask me, but just too much work for four internists).

Oh, and don't get my hubby started on Pharma. He hates their guts and all their reps. He likes his free pens and samples for his patients, but he never listens to them and actually likes taking them on about the latest studies and getting them upset. :evilgrin:

South Dakota, huh? We talked about that once. They have a lot of areas that help you pay back med school loans (and we owe a lot), and I like the state. We decided it was too far from his family, though, who live in Ohio. His mom isn't in the best of health, so we can't be too far away.

[liberalhistorian]

55. Oh, well, it was worth a shot!

I understand what you're saying, though. As much as I love it here, I do miss my family and friends, especially my son; I can't wait to see him in six weeks. I haven't seen him since I flew home for Christmas vacation.

So tell me, does your husband have a brother or other close family member or a friend who's a doctor, who's like him, and/or who's single? :evilgrin: :bounce: :bounce:

[knitter4democracy]

61. Sorry, His brother, the international tax lawyer, is married.

The only single doc in our area we know is a dog who cheated on his wife. He's no good. There are residents, though, who might be good enough. ;)

[Patiod]

44. Was interviewing a medical researcher about the issue

For a European drug maker who wanted to market a cannabinoid agonist for pain and nausea. I knew he had researched drugs like Marinol, and asked him if he had ever used a cannabinoid agonist for pain

"You mean other than when i was a resident and we used to take patients up on the roof at Penn and get them high before their chemo?" That's sort of sad, in a way - doctors having to sneak patients up on the roof to give them something that helps them.

[phusion]

48. Maybe those living near the border w/ Mexico...

can find some relief down there now?

[debbierlus]

51. Marijuna shouldn't be illegal for any reason. Period.

It makes no sense.

It is WAY less toxic then alcohol.

We had a kid here go to jail for TWO YEARS because he had a joint in his locker at school (you know, no tolerance in school zones, possess or sell, go DIRECTLY to jail). Completely RIDICULOUS & cruel.

I am terribly sorry about your situation. You aren't a criminal. The laws are barbaric.

[phusion]

56. Two years?

For a joint? That seems really, really draconian. Is this Mass.?

I've heard of these random drug-sniffing dog searches in high schools, too. Sounds unconstitutional to me.

[debbierlus]

58. Yes, It is the 'liberal' state of MA

It is completely draconian.

It is pathetic. It is unconstitutional. Cruel and unusual punishment.

Marijuna is a truly incredible plant. Hemp would be a great agriculture product for our economy. Sending anyone to jail for anything pot related is just plain stupid. I am not for unabandoned smoking of the stuff, but it is as harmless as an occassional drink, if used judiciously! The only reason they won't make it legal is that it is big business to keep it a crime.

This society is so backward.

Truly nuts. And, to deny the above woman relief is CRIMINAL. Because, pot can be an ENORMOUS benefit to people undergoing chemo! But, there are different types of pot, and some would treat her nausea & pain much better then others.

Wouldn't want that, though, would we? An easy to grow plant that the pharmeceutical companies couldn't make a profit on?!

Perish the thought. Her post is so heartbreaking. But, this society is not vested in true healing and helping. Profit is what it is all about.

Sick!