House of Cards: A Whole Plant Manifesto

How do you follow up a post about the death of four children whom you actually know? Shouldn't there be a period of silence, of mourning?











Today, The New York Times published an article titled Marijuana-Based Drug Found to Reduce Epileptic Seizures. You see, the big guns at GW Pharmaceutical had been conducting studies, and these studies are confirming what we already know. Yeah, I think there need to be studies. I've got one going in my house and have been diligently studying for three years and seventeen years before that. One of the residual effects of dealing with all of this shit for so long is that I don't have even a fingernail's worth of trust in the system. And at risk of sounding like one of those crazy conspiracy people, I suspect all the big pharmaceutical companies are working their asses off to keep marijuana from being de-scheduled so that they can control the whole pie. Sorry about all the banalities, the pies and the fingernails, the houses of cards, but using trite language can be as effective and judicious as a good curse word.

I have learned that it's essential we talk about whole plant medicine. So, if you send me that article, I'm going to say, thanks, I saw it but I don't give a damn what GW Pharmaceuticals is doing. What I'm going to think is fu*k GW Pharmaceuticals and the horse it rode in on. Then I'm going to laugh my ass off over the big 'ole CDC announcing today that they are no longer recommending opiates for pain control.

Doctors Told to Avoid Prescribing Opiates for Chronic Pain

Meanwhile, I've had to halt the weaning process of the opiate that Sophie's been on for over eight years so I can give her a break from the agony.




What I do give a damn about is this story that I wrote for marijuana.com -- not my story, of course, but the story of brave and dogged people like Lindsay Rose Sledge.

A Passionate Mother's Reluctant Path to Lobbying.

Righteous Talk

Lots of righteous talk -- I'm guilty of it, too. I "unjoined" a lobbying group (that I've contributed very little otherwise) working to make cannabis accessible to all states because many of the congressmen and women, as well as senators that the group has to lobby are recipients of NRA largesse. I just can't do it with good conscience. I can hardly stand to look at the mothers of children with seizure disorders standing next to these men, thanking them for their support. I don't want to collude anymore. I love living in a democracy, having a vote and making my voice heard. I'm going to use it to support only those people who pledge to make gun laws stricter and who do not accept one penny from the National Rifle Organization.

I'm going to resist cynicism and risk righteousness.

Here's a guide to who gets what in Congress.

One Telephone Call: A Plea for Help

So, I had the great pleasure last night of texting and private-messaging with my friend Paige Figi, the mother of Charlotte (Charlotte's Web fame) and agreed to help push on Senator Diane Feinstein to co-sponsor Senate Bill 1333, The Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act.

I am crazy, I know, to do anything else, but honestly how hard could it be, especially when I have all of you out there to help me. 

Here's what I want you to do.

1. Call Senator Feinstein's D.C. office when you have a moment today and ask her to co-sponsor the Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act or S. 1333. 
2. Here's the phone number: (202) 224-3841 Tell the person who answers that this bill will provide access to thousands of families who cannot get this life-saving treatment for their children. The bill will deschedule cannabis-rich products/hemp from Schedule 1. It's a tiny step forward and a HUGE one for our community. Senator Feinstein WANTS TO HEAR FROM HER CONSTITUENTS, SO PLEASE CALIFORNIANS, STEP UP!
3. Don't forget to ask Senator Feinstein to CO-SPONSOR S.1333.

If you need more information or would like to help get co-sponsors in your state, here's the website for Coalition for Access Now.