Pubdate: Tue, 15 May 2012
Source: Portland Daily Sun (ME)
Copyright: 2012 The Portland Daily Sun
Contact:  http://portlanddailysun.me/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5257
Author: George N. Files
Note: George N. Files is a 12-year Portland resident originally from
Lovell/Fryeburg area. He says he's "now retired and fishing."

MEDICAL MARIJUANA NEEDS FEDERAL OVERSIGHT, FLEXIBILITY

President Obama tried again to do the right thing and let states 
alone to regulate and enforce medical marijuana laws, keeping federal 
law in place in case they're needed to clean up any danger to the 
industry. For now it looks like the plan is mostly working. 
California and Colorado have become perps for federal agents to clean 
out. I'm a liberal Libertarian and proud of our President and his 
staff, for in a conservative way are successfully being pro-active 
before people making too much money get more greedy. I have a 
license, if you will, to purchase legal marijuana when presenting my 
recommendation for prescription is up to date. I'm 59 years old and 
have been buying illegal dope with what-all in it from bikers and 
poor folk and street vendors, sharing between friends.

Now I walk out of a store with a tiny lunch bag containing the 8th or 
a quarter of an ounce of nearly FDA approved, sort of, real clean, no 
additives, choices between many varieties that each have their own 
characteristics. My prescription is because of chronic pain.

Skunk is the strain for me. I don't get a big head high, I don't get 
sleepy, I don't get hungry, but my pain all drifts away. I have 
experience with most pain relievers and I find that they mask the 
problem wide-open up my head but the pain is really still there and I 
get pretty useless.

The pot works for only a short time, usually 2 to 3 hours and the 
pain is back. I trust my government, having the right to do what I do 
which never hurts anyone should only be made better with cooperation 
of the caregivers who grow the crops and retail outlets that prepare 
and package and record and hopefully make a profit. By the way, they 
base their price to be very near if not the same with the best street.

Yes, federal government do your job, keep this industry clean.

Let it grow. One added suggestion and I kind of hate to do this 
because I know people that will be angry with me for letting you 
know. The monthly limit per patient is presently 1 ounce until crops 
catch up with demand then the limit will be 2 ounces.

Holy cow, that's like in the jackpot.

I can get enough for me and all my friends.

Prescription should be monitored with a counselor paid for by the 
federal government to adjust limits to fit needs.

I, personally, use about a half ounce.

Advocates paid for by the Federal Gov't could create as many jobs as 
the CCC that built the notch roads through this area's mountains. 
Someone should be talking, privately, with every prescription 
recommendation. Within not too many years the public arena 
discussions about legalizing all drugs in order to take the crime out 
of it is the only way to win the drug war. Today's marijuana 
dispensaries are a vital training ground.

Let's not let the federal government get carried away, pay attention.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom