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GROWING PAINS

ST.  JOSEPH - In September 2008, Jeff's doctors told him he would be in a wheelchair within 18 months. 

A construction accident 11 years earlier had destroyed the lumbar section of his spine. 

"I had had multiple surgeries and was on ridiculous amounts of prescription opiates," Jeff said in a Herald-Palladium interview.  "I had a hard time finding a doctor willing to do surgery because of all the prescription drugs I was on.  I went through the process of getting off those medications, and I had surgery a few months ago."

Jeff, 45, who asked that his last name not be used to preserve his daughter's privacy, does not want to get dependent on pills again and has chosen to self-medicate with marijuana. 

For Jeff and people like him, it's an option that wasn't available before November 2008.  Michigan voters that month approved a system legalizing medical marijuana, and the law took full effect on April 4, 2009. 

Since then, thousands of patients have been approved as legal cannabis users. 

Significantly fewer people have been approved as caregivers, people who can grow marijuana and supply it to patients they are legally designated to care for.  Jeff and other marijuana users say that is a problem. 

Long waiting line

The Michigan Department of Community Health takes applications for the legal growing or use of marijuana.  The department can't keep up with the number of requests and is behind on issuing registration cards to patients.  It's even more behind on caregivers' cards.  That's creating a problem, because patients who are legally registered to use marijuana are waiting four to six months to get a legal source for it, Jeff said. 

"I think the state should have been better prepared for cards to be issued in a timely manner," said Terry Coleman. 

She and her husband, Mark Coleman, own H20 Grow Supply, an indoor gardening supply store near Coloma. 

They are both in their 50s.  They sell supplies needed to grow indoor plants, including cannabis.  The Colemans are approved as medical marijuana patients and caregivers, but they are still waiting for their registration cards. 

"Once a patient has his or her card, they can buy legally, but the seller could be arrested," Jeff said.  "There's no legal way for some patients to get their medicine."

Michigan ahead of most

Greg Francisco of Paw Paw, president and founder of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, said there are problems with the system, but Michigan is ahead of where other states were so early in the process. 

"We're ahead, not only in numbers of patients and caregivers enrolled, but the way law enforcement and local government has accommodated it and made an effort to learn about the law and respect it," Francisco said.  "I'm not aware of the arrest of any registered patients" in Berrien or Van Buren counties. 

Francisco said Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey has gone out of his way to learn about the law and respect it.  State police Sgt.  Ken High said the Berrien County Prosecutor's Office has helped police understand the law and how to make sure people's medical marijuana registration cards are legal. 

"Just like with anything else, there's going to be abuse," Francisco said.  "We don't want people driving intoxicated.  We have to share the road, too."

Jeff said people's fears that marijuana use ruins families and leads to harder drugs are, for the most part, overblown. 

"There are cases of abuse, just like with anything else, but prescription drugs have become a huge problem.  These things kill people on a regular basis," he said. 

Jeff's wife, who did not want her name published, said their family life has improved since he started using marijuana because prior to that "he just existed" since his injury. 

Taking the medicine

There are many ways to ingest the plant.  It can be smoked, vaporized, made into capsules, used as an ingredient in food, or applied topically in a paste form. 

Jeff, registered as his own caregiver, makes his marijuana into capsules. 

"The capsule form removes much of the euphoric effect," he said.  "It's not about the high.  It's about an alternative way of dealing with a condition.  This has had such a positive effect on our family."

Where to get help

The MMMA has encouraged the formation of Compassion Clubs to help with problems, answer questions and foster communication between medical marijuana users and their communities.  The purpose of the clubs is social networking between patients and caregivers and sharing knowledge about cultivating marijuana. 

The clubs also sponsor volunteer events and fundraising activities.  Francisco said the public and police are welcome to attend Compassion Club meetings. 

The Berrien County Compassion Club meets the second Saturday of every month at the Colemans' H20 Grow Supply store, 3364 Arent Road, Coloma.  The club doesn't allow marijuana use or transfer at its meetings. 

A newer club, the Southwest Michigan Compassion Club, meets in Buchanan, but the club president did not call back a reporter with meeting details. 

Neal, a Benton Harbor resident who asked that his last name not be used, is working on creating a MMMA-affiliated Compassion Club in Benton Harbor.  He hopes to have the club up and running by the end of this month or early next. 

"I'll be one of the facilitators," he said.  "I participated in voting 'yes' to the proposal, then after it passed I thought, 'What do we do next?' What I see on the horizon is people coming together to get more information about how to go about legally being a patient and get training for caregivers.  Most folks don't know how to harvest medical marijuana."

Anyone interested in helping to form a Compassion Club in Benton Harbor can call 759-1435. 

Francisco said that since medical marijuana became legal, at least 30 Compassion Clubs have been formed in Michigan, some affiliated with the MMMA and some not. 

Compassion Clubs are not required to be sanctioned by the MMMA, but clubs that are sanctioned become eligible to participate in organized training, certification and fundraising programs.