Stuck home during a snow storm? Send letters to Senators telling them to pass The Compassionate Care Act! Heres my latest. Senator, Last evening, CNN aired the second part of a series which is changing the tide in our country regarding medicinal cannabis. I realize your current position on this, but I want to urge you to educate yourself on why this topic and drug use are two unrelated issues (illegal drug use vs a strictly regulated medicine). We also held an open forum on The Compassionate Care Act in the Buffalo area on Monday and over 125 people came out to find out why they cannot get the medicine they need. On our panel was a medical doctor explaining why this is not a gateway issue and why we need to look to international research, not just US research. There were three faith leaders who all explained why giving people this medicine does not conflict with their belief systems. There were parents of terminal children with no other hope (like my niece), the Co-President of The Breast Cancer Network of Buffalo, and the State Director of The Drug Policy Alliance. Our audience was wonderfully diverse and we had a long and dynamic conversation about Compassionate Care in NY. People who decided to speak out included a Vietnam vet facing multiple illnesses directly related to his service to our country, a breast cancer survivor, a pharmacist looking to help, and a young man who just received the horrific news that his deadly cancer had returned. Three of these people spoke out for the first time in public about their situation and were very thankful that, finally, someone was fighting for their cause. When we spoke about where we are in this battle for compassionate care, and what still needed to be done to get The Compassionate Care Act passed, you can imagine their frustration and disbelief that they may die, their children may die, before they can get the help they need and deserve. I was humbled to be in the room and to try to facilitate such a heart-wrenching and impassioned discussion. Two issues that arose as we discussed how some Senators are still fearful of passing this were that we should not lead with fear. All three of our invited faith leaders reiterated this point, which was the main theme of the Jesuit priest’s speech. This is a scary topic, we know, but if we lead with fear we do not serve those who need us and we halt progression. Secondly, when asked why particular Senators will not be swayed, we told them that we suppose that you may be waiting to hear from your direct constituents. The crowd erupted at that point as we were reminded that people who need this medicine are often battling on many other fronts just to survive the day. Emotionally and financially the battles are never-ending. One woman, the sole care-taker of a gentleman with M.D. described how hard it was for her to just get to the forum and that between his care and working to afford his care, she cannot even think about making a daily phone call. Unfortunately, we personally understand that. In short, I am respectfully asking you to speak to the Senators who have agreed to support us; they have done their due diligence in reading the bill and seeing that this would save lives and be the strictest and most regulated legislation in the country. Also, please watch the CNN special in full. Minimally, watch the shorter segment also offered here. There is medical proof that medicinal cannabis has a place in our society and New Yorkers deserve it too. The Full Documentary: youtu.be/tAFu-Ihwyzg A short explanation of how THC/CBD works: cnn/2014/03/11/health/gupta-marijuana-entourage/index.html Resources: compassionatecareny.org/resources/ Sincerely, Marie Larcara
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:55:18 +0000