Caregiver Advocacy: Engaging Lawmakers To Expand Access & the Right to Try Plant Medicine
Remove Cannabis from the CSA Today!
February 19th was the last day for bills to be introduced in the CA Legislature. There are several bills pertinent to California medical cannabis patient access. I’ve written to my Assembly Member and CA Senator and left messages in their offices. Including what I wrote to them, below, for inspiration.
If any of these issues are important to you or a loved one, please contact your elected reps. Remember, they work for you. Let’s end the failed policy that is also bad for medical cannabis patients. To find your California state representative you can use this website: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
In Solidarity,
Chela
AB 527 (Wood D) Controlled substances: cannabinoids.
Impacting physicians and medical cannabis patients
MY CONCERNS:
What medical cannabis patients really need is cannabis to be removed for the CSA Schedule I completely, DE-scheduling. It was erroneously put there for political reasons. The science that the LaGuardia (1930s) & Schafer Commission (1970) presented was ignored and the CSA Schedule I was codified. It’s time for this to stop.
I would love to see mandated endocannabinoid system education ADDED to this bill.
AB 384 (Kalra D) Cannabis and cannabis products: animals: veterinary medicine.
Impacting veterinarians and consumers.
MY CONCERNS:
We all have an endocannabinoid system and plant cannabinoids found in cannabis help to keep it balanced. Medical cannabis users often want their pets to feel better, too. I would love to see mandated endocannabinoid system education ADDED to this bill.
[NO!] AB 1034 (Bloom D) Commercial cannabis licenses: free cannabis.
Compassion/patient access.
MY CONCERNS:
Why would anyone want to limit compassion? DO NOT LIMIT COMPASSION PROGRAMS. The modern cannabis movement is alive only because of medicinal cannabis. If anything more compassion and easier access is what’s needed. Do not punish patients and small business owners. Never limit compassion. Especially for microbusinesses. Compassion is often why a microbusiness owner got into cannabis to begin with.
AB 1256 (Quirk D) Employment discrimination: cannabis screening test.
Patient access/doctor patient relationship.
MY CONCERNS:
Many studies are coming out that show medical or “adult use” cannabis reduces the need for opioids. And another study showed places that have access to cannabis have fewer workers compensation claims. If anything, I would loosen the restrictions on this bill. Stop screening for “marijuana” period.
SB 311 (Hueso D) Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act or Ryan’s Law.
Patient access. Dignity in dying.
MY CONCERNS:
But imo, too many barriers to be in alignment with federal law. I had to do this for my own mom. We would have been lost without cannabis on her deathbed. But, as you know, this one Gov. Newsom VETO’d last session over concerns about the Fed. Schedule I. He needs courage. The people want freedom of choice.
SB 519 (Weiner D) Controlled substances: decriminalization of certain hallucinogenic substances.
MY CONCERNS:
End failed policy, allow for sharing and research. Israel is researching how psilocybin and cannabis could help in dementia.
My letter to representatives.
Dear [Elected CA Assembly Member and Senator] –
As a family caregiver turned advocate for people living with Alzheimer’s & related dementias, I urge you to vote YES for things that support more patient access and freedom, and NO on things that will limit access to cannabis and other potentially life changing plant-and-fungus medicines. Seniors, especially those in long term care have particular difficulty in accessing safe, tested, legal medicinal cannabis due to current banking laws and the plant’s CSA Schedule I designation, which was not actually based on science (See Shafer and LaGuardia Commission Reports). Doctors still face dire consequences due to the same federal policy. There are many people living with dementia in Northern California who are in long-term care facilities getting this remarkable medicine in low dose capsules in blister pack pill cards, compliant with Title 22, but it is a labor of love that is not easy to sustain. These people need this medicine. And so many others could benefit when policy changes.
Below are a few bills proposed this session that warrant your support and attention. Please don’t hesitate to call if you would like to discuss any of these further, or if you have advice for me. I know you’re extremely busy, thank you for all you do for people.
Sincerely,
Chela