In reading up on some of the medical cannabis laws, it struck me – at least where we are in CT – we cannot take this medication anywhere, basically, except within of our homes.
The statute specifically prohibit patients from doing so. And that got me to thinking – why are medical cannabis patients second class citizens?
How many people take medications – specifically – opioids – wherever they want? Most of them. At work, Sally Smith in accounting can pop a Oxy when her back is bothering her. Sally Jones can pop a vicodin because she had oral surgery two days ago. Joe Bloe can take an fentynal for the pain he’s in because of his cancer treatment. And I want you to think about Joe Bloe specifically, for a moment.
Joe can pop a fentynal – arguably – the most dangerous prescription opioid on the market because he’s undergoing cancer treatment. But Joe Show can’t use medical marijuana to combat the unrelenting nausea and pain he feels from his cancer treatments. Joe Bloe can take his medication without consequence. Joe Show is risking everything. How is that fair?
The answer is that it’s not fair.
And, when we really start looking at the absurdity of not being able to use medical cannabis anywhere, you see how absolutely unfair it is. Especially because cannabis does not have to be smoked in order to get its beneficial effects. Not now – not in 2021. Medical cannabis users have options on how to dose themselves. We have tincture, tablets, breath sprays, medibles, water enhancers, RSO’s and vapes. Yes, I’m going to put vapes in there, because it is possible to use a vape discretely – outside – where no one else can come into contact with you.
I understand how smoking it at work – or while on public transportation – or anywhere else in “public” can be met with disdain. I’m not much of a fan of smoking it. I prefer medibles and tinctures. But, my spouse does enjoy smoking it. But, just as smoking cigarettes in public has fallen in acceptance, cannabis smoking will not be likely to be allowed anytime soon. And that, to be honest, I am okay with. No one should have to breathe in smoke that’s a lung irritant for any reason.
That said, I have a co-worker who has a very bad back. He’s been laid up for weeks at a time because of it. No one even blinks if he’s got to take a pain killer or muscle relaxer during the work day. However, if I squirt tincture into my morning coffee, I face termination, loss of my pension, medical benefits, loss of my medical card, and possible arrest for a squirt of tincture. And that squirt of tincture is not going to be nearly as mind altering as my co-worker’s opioid pain killer.
If my friend goes to her kid’s soccer game, and she is sitting in her car because sitting on the bleachers causes her extreme pain due to a back issue, for which she has had repeated painful and dangerous surgeries for, she has to make the decision to either be in pain and end up spending two days in bed, or risk an arrest and loss of medical card if she squirts tincture into her drink. Or drags her kids out of the game, and home early because she just cannot deal with it any longer. **NOTE: this person is not driving while under the influence of cannabis, so don’t come at me with that argument.
Really, the time has come for medical cannabis patients to get together and demand to be treated the same as others who choose to use traditional #BigPharma medications.
It’s amazing – I honestly heard that cancer argument taken to an even more ridiculous level. Two people with cancer, each choosing to treat their pain and nausea differently. One, traditional fentynal and anti-emetics, and the other with medical cannabis. The one taking the #BigPharma route was met with sympathy and called a victim. The one choosing medical cannabis was condemned – told it would be better for them to die – and they deserved to die because they choose the devil’s lettuce.
So – let’s ask ourselves, when are we going to demand to be treated not as second class citizens, and treated like anyone else with a medical issue? The way I see it, we issue a blanket ban on any and all mind altering medications outside of the home, the same as medical cannabis is now, or we put into place a system of checks and balances, that allows for us to access our medication without fear of losing everything.
Everything Is Better With Budder! 