Cannabis Medicine vs. Conservative Excuses

Another Mama Bear came to my attention this weekend, this time in the US.

"South Carolina Mom Became Advocate For

'Severely Autistic' Daughter To Use Medical Marijuana”

"Advocates for medical cannabis have hope after the South Carolina Senate approved the bill and now it's on its way to the State House. And it does so with the support of 72% of South Carolinians."

Judy Ghanem, the former executive director of Compassionate South Carolina and advocate for medical cannabis, says, “Voters understand that medical cannabis can provide life-changing relief, and that the law should not stand in the way.”

“Judy is among that 72%. She's a fierce Mama Bear who’s willing to fight on behalf of her severely autistic daughter Kira, who also can’t speak. Another Mama Bear, Jill Swing of the S.C. Compassionate Care Alliance, has a daughter named Mary Louise – was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy before she turned two years old and experiences between 800 and 1,200 seizures each day.

Jill Swing has a quote that bears repeating:

"Serious illnesses are not bound by zip code, neither should relief.”

Poor little Kira, who looks to be about 10-12 years old in pictures in the article, has been on the big Pharma hamster wheel of doom – Mom says she was prescribed “Risperidone for years” So let’s just stop for a second. I don’t know much about her condition or what’s available to treat it, and I’m certainly not a doctor, but common sense check: the National Library of Medicine says Risperidone is used for schizophrenia in people 13 and older, for bipolar disorder, and some other major psychological issues. The site lists 39 major side effects, and there may be others. But one that little Kira suffered: drug withdrawal.

In her case, she developed a whole new disease that’s listed on the “Rare Disease Database” called Tardive Dyskenesia, which basically causes her muscles to constrict.

Guess what gives this little angel relief from all this agony? Cannabis.

THE DEEP DIVE

Both girls, in fact, find relief from THC-based medicines – and isn’t that enough reason for everyone to join hands and at least make a special case for kids like them?

Apparently not, in very conservative states like South Carolina (though we still hold out hope).

Even though the suffering of Kira and Mary Louise and others is very well-known in South Carolina (including major media coverage), there’s still opposition to Medicinal Cannabis.

And I’ll bet you could tell me WHO OPPOSES LEGALIZATION with your eyes closed.

Of course: Johnny Law himself. The South Carolina Sheriff’s Association. Bet you can guess why, too. It’s right from the 1930’s Reefer Madness Playbook: “Public Safety”. It’s like you stick a hand up their butt and they sing along like a talking dummy.

Like this: “Jarrod Bruder, said on behalf of the Sherriffs: “The number of impaired drivers has gone up when marijuana has become legal as medicine or anything else, so there’s certainly an expectation that we will see that…”930’s

“And South Carolina is already number 2, I believe, in the country in impaired driving with just alcohol and other drugs.”

So let’s get this straight: legalizing, regulating, and controlling exactly who is legally allowed to have cannabis for the first time doesn’t seem like something to try, considering you’re already FAILING SO BADLY.

Let's be clear: the traffic conversation is a diversion.

It keeps law enforcement focused on arrest quotas (i.e. fundraising) for minor possession offenses that significantly target black and brown people instead of solving prosecuting major crimes like murder, rape, and robbery.

AND rips our focus away from sick children like Kira and Mary Louise and their families...

As well as the thousands of other South Carolinians suffering from typically approved conditions** for medicinal cannabis such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Post-Traumatic Stress, and other grueling conditions.

And it’s not only the coppers are spitting this heartless drivel, it's the putative conservatives (again) fighting against compassion and freedom of South Carolina citizens to pursue Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness:

"… opinion was clearly split on party lines. While polling highly among Democrats (55 percent) and independents (68 percent), medical marijuana’s favorability remains at just 41 percent among Republicans…"

THE LOOPBACK

Sheriffs and Republicans sitting in a tree

F-u-c-k-i-n-g sick people in South Carolina.

I know it doesn’t rhyme. Their opposition doesn’t make sense, either,

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** What Conditions Are Approved For Medical Marijuana Treatment in South Carolina?

When medical marijuana is finally legalized in South Carolina, the following conditions may qualify you for a medical marijuana card:

Cancer

Multiple sclerosis

Neurological disease or disorder, including epilepsy

Sickle cell anemia

Autism