Here's my letter to my congresscritter, urging him to support HR 2087 -- The States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act. Feedback welcome, as is your own letter to your elected official(s).
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Dear Sir,
I confess that I often see “writing to one’s Congressperson” as an act of futility. Much of this stems, I suppose, from the two summers I spent as a teenager as a congressional intern in a district office in Wyoming. It was my job to help answer constituents’ letters, none of which were ever read by the Congressman. Responses (form-letters mostly) were churned out; the secretary signed his name – not a process that fostered in me the sense that our government really cares.
But Monday’s US Supreme Court decision (Ashcroft v Raich) compels me to write to you nevertheless – regardless of which staff member reads this letter. I hope that, at the very least, my voice can be added to the tally of Oregonians urging you to support HR 2087 – the States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act. And I hope that perhaps my family’s story can become ammunition for those willing to challenge the insanity resulting from this country's drug laws. Monday’s headlines read: “Supreme Court says OK to take pot away from sick people.” It is most certainly not “OK.”
I fear my husband is dying. Must I now fear the DEA as well?
Mr. Badger was diagnosed with liver cancer in September 2004. In November, he had surgery, and a six-pound tumor was removed from his liver. As you can well imagine, this has been simply devastating to his health. By the time of his surgery, he had lost almost forty pounds. Thanks to the medical marijuana prescribed by our physician, Mr. Badger was able to regain much of this weight in the months that followed.
In February, however, a CT-scan revealed that tumors had recurred in his liver and that the cancer had spread to his lungs. Fearing damage to his respiratory system, Mr. Badger quit smoking marijuana. Our surgeon did prescribe Marinol, a synthetic form of the plant. But even with our health insurance covering 75% of its cost, we cannot afford this pharmaceutical substitute. (Marinol costs around $80 per pill).
And he began to lose weight again.
At his most recent doctor’s visit, two weeks ago, he weighed 146 pounds. At 6’4”, this makes him frighteningly skeletal. Our doctor insisted that the wasting and weight loss would kill him before any lung tumors would. “Smoke,” she urged. “Eat.”
So he’s smoking again. It does nothing for the pain, but it decreases the nausea and stimulates his appetite.
One of the plaintiffs in Ashcroft v Raich contends that without her medical marijuana, she will die. I wish it were so simple for my family. With or without the plant, doctors say my husband is terminal. But certainly with the aid of the medical marijuana, his chances are improved, his anguish lessened.
I do not understand why his access to medical marijuana should be denied; I do not understand how anyone could argue that his suffering should be sanctioned just because his medicine is not.
Justice Stevens said on Monday that proponents of medical marijuana need to utilize the “democratic process.” Although I would contend that Oregon voters already did this by creating the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program in 1998, I understand that the Supreme Court decision necessitates “democracy” at the federal level. Indeed, Congress started this madness by creating the Controlled Substances Act and by labeling marijuana a Schedule I drug; it is fitting that Congress moves now to end it.
On behalf of all the 10,000 Oregonians who have medical marijuana cards, on behalf of their families, on behalf of those who are dealing with illness and who need medical marijuana, I urge you to support Representative Frank’s bill, HR 2087.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely,
Badger
PS. I have enclosed a copy of my ‘blog from March 2005 where I write in some more (and some different) details about my family’s struggle with cancer and about the government’s role in making this struggle even more difficult than it already is.
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