cannabisnews.com: Onetime Activist Too Tired To Fight Onetime Activist Too Tired To Fight Posted by CN Staff on January 27, 2003 at 08:44:04 PT By Graeme Smith Source: Globe and Mail Alison Myrden can barely speak. She squints against the thin light from her window on a winter afternoon and slumps unconscious on her bed in the middle of a conversation. She hardly looks like the outspoken activist who once climbed courthouse steps to wave placards and protest against the unfairness of Canada's marijuana laws.For several years the 38-year-old was at the forefront of the so-called "medical-marijuana" movement, which successfully forced the government to rewrite federal drug regulations so that people who need pot are not prosecuted for using it. But over the past few months, Ms. Myrden, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and a severe nerve disorder, has become an example of the cruel shortcomings of the new regulations."I haven't got the money to do anything more for her," said Alison's mother, Joyce Myrden, 73, watching her daughter sleep at her apartment in Burlington, Ont.About 800 Canadians, including Ms. Myrden, have proven to doctors that their conditions require treatment with marijuana. They have received written exemptions from drug-possession laws.But none of them gets any help from governments or drug plans to find their medicine. Those who cannot grow their own supply must rely on illegal drug dealers whose wares are often expensive, unreliable and unsafe.Ms. Myrden and her widow mother tried farming their own pot, but they could not grow enough, they could not find the correct seeds and their plants were attacked by mould and insects. "It was a bust," Joyce Myrden said.So Ms. Myrden's mother and boyfriend have been draining their savings accounts of about $1,200 each month to buy about 12 grams a day on the black market. They try to find the strain that is best for Ms. Myrden, called "Willy Wonderful" or "Wonderful Willy," but too often she has no idea what she is smoking.Lately, they have had trouble affording enough marijuana to stave off Ms. Myrden's symptoms of MS and trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder that causes a stabbing sensation in her face so severe that medical textbooks have labelled it the worst pain known to science.Before they started running out of marijuana, Ms. Myrden was able to walk her dog, Jake, around the block while she used a cane.Now she is taking 33 pills and capsules each day -- paid for by government health insurance -- and can hardly stay awake."I threw up 14 or 15 times yesterday," she said. "That's the only things I do now: sleep and throw up. I know the government can help me and they're not."Help for people such as Ms. Myrden may arrive later this year. The Ontario Superior Court ruled earlier this month that federal regulations for medical users are unconstitutional because patients have no access to a legal supply.The court's decision gives Ottawa six months to amend the regulations and offer a government-controlled supply to the patients or allow the marijuana-possession law to be struck down.Lawyer Alan Young, who has led the court challenges, said the government may balk at becoming a large-scale pot dealer. "It may be easier for them to turn a blind eye and let the law die."Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has promised to introduce new marijuana legislation this spring, including decriminalization of possession of small amounts for personal use.But Joseph Neuberger, another lawyer who represents medical-marijuana users, said decriminalization would only help his clients indirectly, because while it might lower the street price of the drug, it would not fix the problem of finding a safe, legal supply."If they give you a right, but it really is illusory because it really doesn't give you anything, then it's unconstitutional," he said.Note: Former leader in medical-pot movement now example of laws' cruel deficiencies.Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Graeme SmithPublished: Monday, January 27, 2003 – Print Edition, Page A7Copyright: 2003 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.com/Related Articles & Web Site:The Marijuana Missionhttp://www.themarijuanamission.com/Pot Exemptees Left at Mercy of Black Markethttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15197.shtmlMS Sufferer Accuses Ottawa Of Dragging Its Heelshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12618.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #17 posted by FoM on January 27, 2003 at 18:10:13 PT puff_tuff It is so hard for me to believe that you all can even talk about doing such a thing. I believe it though. Our country is in such bad shape. It is so sad to see it happen. The future is war. It is a dismal future and keeping my mind on Cannabis reform and hearing your good news from your country is uplifting. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by afterburner on January 27, 2003 at 18:05:15 PT: Cannabis: illegal. 33 pills: legal. Heartless. Before they started running out of marijuana, Ms. Myrden was able to walk her dog, Jake, around the block while she used a cane.Now she is taking 33 pills and capsules each day -- paid for by government health insurance -- and can hardly stay awake."I threw up 14 or 15 times yesterday," she said. "That's the only things I do now: sleep and throw up. I know the government can help me and they're not."No wonder medicine and health care cost so much on both sides of the Medicine Line. Who benefits: Alison? Other exemptees? The general public? The taxpayers? Could it be the pharmaceutical industry?ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.Somebody call the judge. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by puff_tuff on January 27, 2003 at 17:38:05 PT Home Delivery Most Compassion Clubs start this way...home delivery.... from a home. It's too expensive to have a "store front" club until a larger patient base has been established. Some clubs simply mail medicine to patients.I hope Alison will be receiving a few packages in the near future.:) [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on January 27, 2003 at 16:15:02 PT Floyd It does seem like an off the wall idea but in reality necessity is the mother of invention. Alison is tired and sick. I get tired and discouraged and I'm not sick so I can only imagine how it must be. I don't know how a person could become a certified grower but maybe there could be a lottery drawing. Designing a delivery van would be something that could bring out artistic ability in those who have it. Since it seems so hard to figure out how to get Cannabis to patients in Canada that have exemptions it could work if someone with clout, money, proper connections plus business sense handles it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Floyd on January 27, 2003 at 15:47:58 PT: Aside from humor value =) Hahah that is kind funny....but in all seriousness a delivery distributer is a great idea!! In fact local pharmacies around here (Nova Scotia) do that already with prescription drugs for old/sick people...so it could be just an extension of that idea =) In fact if gone about properly I bet the cops would even stay clear. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on January 27, 2003 at 15:23:45 PT AlvinCool Oh goodness gracious I think you're right! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by AlvinCool on January 27, 2003 at 15:20:42 PT Nice Dreaming I don't mean for this to be funny but wouldn't it be nice for those who are too sick to grow their own if they had delivery trucks like a Good Humor Popsicle Truck that we had when I was young. They would start ringing a bell a few blocks away and that would alert us to get money from our parents. _________________________________________I can't help but say it FoM. Isn't that the transportation system that Cheech and Chong used in Nice Dreams??? Hey I'm too serious most of the time, I need a break. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Ethan Russo MD on January 27, 2003 at 14:19:55 PT: Endocannabinoid Deficiency Firedog, I believe you are onto something. I dubbed this "endocannabinoid deficiency disease" and discussed it in my Hemp for Headache article:http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/hh.pdfThe concept has not yet been proven, but an occasional researcher has picked up on the idea. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by p4me on January 27, 2003 at 13:55:54 PT Time for a contempt of government law The Globe and Mail has something the New York Times lost a long time ago- the respect of anyone close to knowledgeable of what is going on. A real life story like this just makes a person wonder why it is so difficult to get these sick people what they want. A reasonable person with knowledge of the Globe and Mail's works is past having enough. Too much with more crap coming is enough to disgust people into a new political ruling party. It is senseless on the face of it and beyond malicious when really analyzed.Why doesn't the press get over the cannabis issue and talk about GMOs and transgenic foods? The contempt of a corrupt US government is growing and they wonder why they hate us. You would think they would make up a lie about that too just for practice- as if the feds need it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by firedog on January 27, 2003 at 13:50:13 PT A theory I have a theory I'd like to run by you all, and this article reminded me of it. I don't know if this is something that has been explored or not, but I'm sure Dr. Russo would know.I've always been struck by how MMJ users often do not have just one condition which is helped by MMJ, but several different (and seemingly unrelated) conditions that respond to treatment. This is the case with me. Or perhaps different conditions, all of which are helped by MMJ, are present in several family members. This is the case in my wife's family, for instance.The fact that conditions that respond to MMJ are often grouped like this in individuals and populations has led me to believe that there might be a common root cause for many of them, and my question is this - what happens when the body doesn't produce enough endogenous cannabinoids? Since the anandamine signaling system is important to the body, one would expect negative effects, but how exactly would they manifest themselves? Has any research been done in this area?Could some "diseases" simply be side effects of an anandamine deficiency? I'm sure the answer isn't that simple, but perhaps an anandamine deficiency is one possible cause of these conditions.If that were the case, it would explain why MMJ is useful for such a wide variety of seemingly unrelated disorders, and why people often suffer from multiple diseases that all respond well to the same medicine. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 27, 2003 at 12:29:38 PT Just an Idea I don't mean for this to be funny but wouldn't it be nice for those who are too sick to grow their own if they had delivery trucks like a Good Humor Popsicle Truck that we had when I was young. They would start ringing a bell a few blocks away and that would alert us to get money from our parents. Now a days it would be more like a beeper to alert patients that they are in the area. People who would have medical cards would be able to purchase top quality Cannabis from different certified growers that would be available from the truck. The patients could tell them how a particular strain helped and that would help make certified growers more aware of the need to grow more of a particular type? Just an idea. Oh paint up the truck really nice too. Let the world see how good Cannabis can be in helping sick folks in the great wise north.PS: Just day dreaming again! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by malleus2 on January 27, 2003 at 12:02:15 PT What they really need are licensed, roving growers If locksmiths can be 'bonded', then why not growers? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Ethan Russo MD on January 27, 2003 at 09:32:47 PT: Alison I have gotten to know Alison over the phone and E-mail and through her succcessful Superior Court Challenge in Ontario. She is really a lovely, caring person who has been dealt a bad hand. Her argument is simple. She knows what helps. Canada promised to assist, and is now sitting on a few hundred odd kilos of really decent cannabis out of Flin Flon that could treat her condition. Logic and mercy dictate that she get what she needs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by herbdoc215 on January 27, 2003 at 09:26:14 PT I sent her an offer of free seeds... It's a damn shame that Health Canada has betrayed so many peoples trust. We have given free seeds out to all the exemptees we can get ahold of but I wish we could get word to them all that we will give free seeds of their choice out to anybody who has an exemption or serious medical need and we will even help with gardens were we can. I'll not set back and watch others suffer when we have the power to relieve it. If anybody else knows a exemptee who is doing without please send them our way as we do this absolutly free and there is no reason for those folks to be doing without. www.hillbillydreams.ca ............Peace, Steve Tuck [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 27, 2003 at 09:05:53 PT Thanks mayan That was a very good article.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15221.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on January 27, 2003 at 09:01:01 PT Ed... Here's a story on Ed some of you might not have seen yet.The Trial of Ed Rosenthal: http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=14973 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment