Jay R. Cavanaugh, Ph.D.

Clubs for Medical Cannabis

Much has been written about medical patients cooperatives ("clubs") that were formed to assist the sick and dying to obtain safe, effective, and affordable cannabis. The DEA doesn't like such cooperatives and has moved against many in California through injunction, raids, arrests, and intimidation. You see the government has its own ideas about the type of "clubs" patients should experience.

The Government has implemented its own version of Clubs for medical cannabis patients. In a nightmare vision of insensitivity government clubs involve using virtually every Federal, State and local agency and office, to beat down the medical cannabis movement, brutalizing helpless patients in the process.

Here is the situation of a typical medical patient (married with children) and the "clubs" he/she faces if they choose to attempt to utilize medical cannabis.

Midnight raids and seizure of all medicine-guns are employed, families terrified, property destroyed or stolen, and innocent people are injured or killed Arrest and mandatory minimums in Federal prison Severe State prison terms-plea bargain with the State or get turned over to the Feds where a medical defense is banned Loss of home and property through asset forfeiture-patients are not just busted but impoverished Loss of any student loans or hope of future loans-forget college Eviction from public housing-move to jail or to the streets Loss of custody of children through the actions of miseducated and brutal Child Protective Services personnel-so much for family values.

Forced participation in coercive "treatment" programs for using less toxic medicine-get labeled "addict" for using cannabis instead of morphine Mandatory drug testing Loss of employment or hope of future employment with any governmental agency-if on probation or parole forget private employers as well even if you could pass the drug tests Forfeiture of public assistance-"Cal Works" and such programs are not for the sick who use medical cannabis Labeling the sick and disabled "terrorists" and murderers in a cynical attempt to counter the legitimate sympathy people feel for those with chronic illness-

This is a government that not only seeks to kill its enemies but eat them as well. When the full weight and authority of the government conspires to crush legitimate medical patients seeking to cope with profound medical challenges, then something is terribly wrong.

Why does the government use such clubs on the innocent? Because it can. It can because America has surrendered both liberty and sensibility. We have allowed those we place in power, control over the most intimate expressions of our personal lives including how we are to be treated when we are sick.

The government has been polishing its clubs and inventing new ones for close to 100 years. So long as the clubs only fell on others few cared. Now the clubs can smash anyone they want with virtual impunity. Time to be afraid? Yes, be very afraid but use the fear to fight. Use the injustice and plight of the sick to get the government gorilla with its heavy-handed clubs off our collective backs.

Let's get back to the real clubs. Places of empathy and affection where we can care for one another in the spirit of our shared cultural and religious values.