Getting cannabis by government

2009.03.31

On November 5, 1996, 55.6 % of voters supported the Compassionate Use Act and it took effect the very next day removing the criminal penalties on use, possession and cultivation of Cannabis by patients who are recommended by their physician for using Cannabis. Typical conditions covered by law included arthritis, cancer, cachexia, AIDS, chronic pain, epilepsy, migraine and multiple sclerosis. The guidelines were later adopted by California after amendment with California SB420. Thus an approved patient can possess an amount of $5000 equivalent of Cannabis.

In 2007, when more than 775,000 US citizens were arrested for Cannabis possession, 4 people were officially receiving Cannabis by the government, and Elvy Musikka was one of them.

 Musikka, a 66year old Eugene resident, was born with congenital cataracts and was diagnosed with glaucoma in 1975. She was non-responsive to conventional treatment so the doctor suggested Cannabis, which worked beautifully and she was pain free. Her eye fluid pressures started to become normal with regular Cannabis use. For the next 12 years she grew and smoked Cannabis illegally. She had undergone many successful eye surgeries but in 1987 she was unlucky and the surgery resulted in loss of vision in her good eye (the left eye). Next year she was arrested for growing Cannabis but she had already applied to Compassionate Investigative New Drug Program, run by FDA.

Thus, after Robert Randall who won the trial to use Cannabis for his glaucoma, in 1976; and after Irvin Rosenfield could convince the law that he needed Cannabis for his rare congenital disease, in 1983; in 1988, Musikka was the third person, and first lady, to get enrolled in Compassionate Investigative New Drug program. Now each year she receives several tins, each containing 300 Cannabis cigarettes grown by the US government. This is from the Mississippi-based operation run by National Institute on Drug abuse.

For four years Musikka and others were using Cannabis as medicine provided to them by the federal government when this program was suspended by the first Bush government. Although the people already enrolled, now four in number, continued to receive their supplies from the government.

Musikka complains that the product provided by government is not good. Her current tin has the date of 1996.

Musikka visited the West in 1998, when the measure 67 was placed in the ballot and passed with 56% votes and now provides more than 21,500 Oregonians legal permit to grow and use Cannabis for their pain or distressing medical conditions (Full story). She prefers the idea of Cannabis dispensaries being run by licensed Cannabis cultivators.

The Cannabis laws are flexible in some states of US and also in some countries all over the word. At other places people like Musikka have to face problems for their medical needs. Oregon is a place where 20,842 patients are registered at present as medical Cannabis use candidates. There is a list of conditions for which the use is allowed by government which contains these: Agitation related to Alzheimer's disease, Cachexia, Cancer, Glaucoma, HIV+/AIDS, Nausea, Severe Pain, Seizures, including but not limited to epilepsy, Persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those caused by multiple sclerosis. The government statistics on Oregon Medical marijuana Program are available here.