Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
It's been three years since Guam residents voted in favor of a medical marijuana program, and the island is still without a cannabis commission. And while GovGuam drags its feet, people with treatable illnesses, like 24-year-old Isha Gabriel, continue to suffer without a natural alternative to prescription medication.
In 2013, Gabriel began showing symptoms of multiple sclerosis, or MS, and was officially diagnosed the following year. MS is an unpredictable and often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body, according to the National MS Society. It is currently incurable.
"I have weakness in my legs. I used to fall a lot — before I was diagnosed, I didn't know why," Gabriel said. "And after my second hospitalization, I was bound to a wheelchair. The pain was so bad."
The writer was prescribed Interferon Beta-1a, commonly sold as Avonex, a steroid injection she said was extremely hard on her body.
"I would have to inject it into muscle. After my injection, I had to lay down for the rest of the day just to recover. I'm not sure if that is common for people taking Avonex," Gabriel said. "The day after my injection, I woke up sore. My shoulders, back and legs were sore."
She eventually weaned herself off the drug and hasn't used it since 2015. Instead, she looks toward the prospects of medical marijuana.
"My condition has made it difficult to work. I'm unable to be in the sun. The heat really makes my body weak. It's affected my memory and cognitive skills," she said. "But for people with MS, I've read that marijuana helps people with the pain and tremors. If it can help me and other people, I don't understand why it's outlawed."
Gabriel hasn't tried marijuana, mostly due to the fear of any legal ramifications.
Under Guam Law, recreational marijuana is still illegal, and violators could spend up to 10 years in prison. At the federal level, marijuana is still a Schedule I controlled substance. The government's policy dictates that drugs at this level: 1) have the high potential for abuse; 2) have no currently accepted medical use; and 3) have a lack of safety measures for use under medical supervision.
But common knowledge finds these statements outdated and outright absurd. Still, the fear of repercussion is enough to keep Gabriel and thousands of other Guam residents with other debilitating conditions from using marijuana to treat their illnesses.
"I just want to do it the right way," she said. "It's hard when you have to choose between living or possibly going to jail."
Gabriel's father is an officer with the Port Authority of Guam, who, after witnessing his daughter's illness, has taken a softer stance on the plant medicine.
"They're (Gabriel's parents) open to anything that will help me. It's been crazy these past few years," she said. "I wouldn't wish MS on anyone. No one should have to see the look of fear on their father's face when his daughter is in a hospital bed in tears from the pain."
The bureaucratic hurdles the medical cannabis program has had to jump over are frustrating for Gabriel, and has made her less confident in the current administration.
"Most of the people that are in office are in relatively good health. The only way they could understand is to go through it themselves," Gabriel said. "My story is different in ways, but all too common for anyone dealing with illness on Guam. It's not about one person; it affects families and friends."
"We are a community of people who want to take care of our loved ones. That's the core of our island. We can't forget that."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Guam's non-existent medical marijuana program: a patient's perspective | Guam News | postguam.com
Author: Manny Cruz
Contact: Contact Us | Site | postguam.com
Photo Credit: David Castro
Website: postguam.com | The Guam Daily Post
In 2013, Gabriel began showing symptoms of multiple sclerosis, or MS, and was officially diagnosed the following year. MS is an unpredictable and often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body, according to the National MS Society. It is currently incurable.
"I have weakness in my legs. I used to fall a lot — before I was diagnosed, I didn't know why," Gabriel said. "And after my second hospitalization, I was bound to a wheelchair. The pain was so bad."
The writer was prescribed Interferon Beta-1a, commonly sold as Avonex, a steroid injection she said was extremely hard on her body.
"I would have to inject it into muscle. After my injection, I had to lay down for the rest of the day just to recover. I'm not sure if that is common for people taking Avonex," Gabriel said. "The day after my injection, I woke up sore. My shoulders, back and legs were sore."
She eventually weaned herself off the drug and hasn't used it since 2015. Instead, she looks toward the prospects of medical marijuana.
"My condition has made it difficult to work. I'm unable to be in the sun. The heat really makes my body weak. It's affected my memory and cognitive skills," she said. "But for people with MS, I've read that marijuana helps people with the pain and tremors. If it can help me and other people, I don't understand why it's outlawed."
Gabriel hasn't tried marijuana, mostly due to the fear of any legal ramifications.
Under Guam Law, recreational marijuana is still illegal, and violators could spend up to 10 years in prison. At the federal level, marijuana is still a Schedule I controlled substance. The government's policy dictates that drugs at this level: 1) have the high potential for abuse; 2) have no currently accepted medical use; and 3) have a lack of safety measures for use under medical supervision.
But common knowledge finds these statements outdated and outright absurd. Still, the fear of repercussion is enough to keep Gabriel and thousands of other Guam residents with other debilitating conditions from using marijuana to treat their illnesses.
"I just want to do it the right way," she said. "It's hard when you have to choose between living or possibly going to jail."
Gabriel's father is an officer with the Port Authority of Guam, who, after witnessing his daughter's illness, has taken a softer stance on the plant medicine.
"They're (Gabriel's parents) open to anything that will help me. It's been crazy these past few years," she said. "I wouldn't wish MS on anyone. No one should have to see the look of fear on their father's face when his daughter is in a hospital bed in tears from the pain."
The bureaucratic hurdles the medical cannabis program has had to jump over are frustrating for Gabriel, and has made her less confident in the current administration.
"Most of the people that are in office are in relatively good health. The only way they could understand is to go through it themselves," Gabriel said. "My story is different in ways, but all too common for anyone dealing with illness on Guam. It's not about one person; it affects families and friends."
"We are a community of people who want to take care of our loved ones. That's the core of our island. We can't forget that."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Guam's non-existent medical marijuana program: a patient's perspective | Guam News | postguam.com
Author: Manny Cruz
Contact: Contact Us | Site | postguam.com
Photo Credit: David Castro
Website: postguam.com | The Guam Daily Post