Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Macomb - After many years of bold, yet fruitless attempts to gain access to medical cannabis in Illinois, the state's four-year pilot program was launched late last year. Since then, the program has seen the number of registered participants rise to over 6,000. But, according to Caprice Sweatt of the Canton-based Medical Cannabis Outreach, that number would be much more if people were properly educated on the application process.
Area residents will have an opportunity to learn more about this process and ask questions of the medical cannabis informational group at a meeting set for 1-2 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at Spoon River College Outreach Center on East Jackson Street.
"Essentially it still holds true that the application process is a hoop that the patients still have to jump through," Sweatt said. "The problem with the numbers (of program participants) are not that people don't want to get on the program. We are inundated. We cannot keep up with three phones and getting the messages cleared off in a day. Hundreds a week, bordering on thousands. People want on the program. But because of legislation and the hoops people have to jump through. These are not kids calling in who want to get stoned. These are cancer patients who are Stage 4 terminal. We are dealing with Multiple Sclerosis patients, Parkinson's, AIDS, Crohns... serious, debilitating illnesses..."
Sweatt laid out the general process for applicants of the program. It involves a thorough criminal background check, finger printing; a picture taken that's the proper size on a white background. A doctor must also state that the patient may benefit from the pilot program. According to Sweatt, there are some of those and other aspects of the process that may be difficult to achieve for a person who is seriously ill.
"Thousands of people have turned in applications that were not complete," she said. "My organization holds the person's hand through the whole process, and we make sure they get to the program. If they have a condition on that list (of approved medical conditions), we'll get them approved. We've had problems with doctors signing off on applications. It's pretty non-committal. It's not like they're signing a prescription. It's basically a recommendation form that states it may be beneficial for that patient. And then the doctor sends it into the state. But, some of these doctors have a problem with doing that. But we see that turning, and we see doctors coming to us every day for more information on the program."
Doctors of Osteopathics (DO) and Doctors of Medicine (MD) are permitted to write such recommendations in the state, but some are not even aware they have that ability, according to Sweatt.
According to information from the state's Medical Cannabis Pilot Program website, 6,200 out of 8,100 received completed applications have been approved. Of the 6,200 patients, 45 are younger than 18.
Politics
"There's a disconnect there, unfortunately, and the patients get caught in the pinch," she said. "They're suffering. That's where we see terminally ill cancer patients who want to try cannabis oil. These are patients who are out of options. They are done with chemotherapy; they're done with radiation therapy. They are waiting to die. And still a physician says no, they won't recommend cannabis. That's where I jump in and I just fight. We will get those people a doctor. We will look at them as a terminal cancer patient as an end-of-life issue or maybe a gleam of hope for that person that cannabis might do something for them. But they should have the legal right to try."
Until recently, Gov. Bruce Raunera's administration had refused to budge on the expansion of allowed conditions for medical cannabis program applicants.
According to the Associated Press, the Senate agreed 50-7 on May 31 with House changes to the plan extending a pilot program and to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a medical condition treatable with cannabis. Rauner supports the plan.
The program was approved in 2014 but medical-cannabis sales were delayed until last November. The legislation extends the program from late 2017 to July 1, 2020.
Medical Cannabis Outreach is a patient education partner working in conjunction with Salveo Health and Wellness, a medical cannabis dispensary business also in Canton. Sweatt said when she and other founders of Salveo Health and Wellness were filling out the applications to get a license as a dispensary, they were aware of the growing pains other states such as Colorado went through early in their cannabis programs. Sweatt is a prior resident of Colorado and was involved in that state's medical cannabis program from its beginning in 2002.
"We knew the problems facing this when we were writing the rules and regulations," she said. "I set out for my organization to really help patients. We knew they would have a really tough time getting on the program."
"There's not one state that has started a medical cannabis program and not had a problem. And when I say problem, I mean politics getting involved and all kinds of different issues being brought up nobody thought of before. If this program is allowed to extend beyond 2018, it'll all come together. We haven't seen one fail yet. However, it also falls on party lines. It's not a bipartisan issue unfortunately, but it should be. It's about quality of life and healthcare. Anytime you have a Republican administration, they'll usually give more pushback to a program. This will be a success, though. We've already quadrupled the numbers of people we've had since last October to end of March. Things are changing."
Diversion from opioids
Medical cannabis use is something adults of many ages are curious about. Sweatt said her organization gets many call from people in their 70s and 80s; most of them having no idea about how cannabis works or having ever consumed it.
"They're very interested in it because they're addicted to Percocet, Oxycontin and Vicodin," Sweatt said, referring to the national trend of opioid medication addiction. "We give them a good education; send them resources."
The first step for those interested is to verify they have a qualifying condition. Such a list is available online at Medical Cannabis Outreach.
"If you have a condition, and you want on this program, we'll make sure you get on the program," she said. "The first step is seeing if you have a qualifying condition; then we start talking about a doctor. We want people's personal physicians to do the recommendation. That's key in this program. The more doctors hear about it from their own patients, that's what's changing the tide. There are no medical cannabis reps acting like pharmaceutical reps and going in and talking to doctors. It's the patients."
Sweat also stresses the fact that unlike some pharmaceuticals, nobody has died from an overdose on cannabis. A difference between medical cannabis and prescription drugs is that when picking up a prescription drug at the pharmacy, there is usually a large slip of paper warning the patient of potentially harmful side effects or serious medical complications.
"People die from prescription drug overdoses every day in the United States," Sweatt said. "When we start talking numbers to people who have been on the prescription drug mill, they start wanting to know more about this. It's natural, safe and now legal. People are finding relief with this program. People are also getting off these dangerous prescription drugs."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Cannabis Group To Host June 11 Info Meeting
Author: Jared Dubach
Contact: jdubach@McDonoughVoice.com
Photo Credit: Jared Dubach
Website: The McDonough County Voice
Area residents will have an opportunity to learn more about this process and ask questions of the medical cannabis informational group at a meeting set for 1-2 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at Spoon River College Outreach Center on East Jackson Street.
"Essentially it still holds true that the application process is a hoop that the patients still have to jump through," Sweatt said. "The problem with the numbers (of program participants) are not that people don't want to get on the program. We are inundated. We cannot keep up with three phones and getting the messages cleared off in a day. Hundreds a week, bordering on thousands. People want on the program. But because of legislation and the hoops people have to jump through. These are not kids calling in who want to get stoned. These are cancer patients who are Stage 4 terminal. We are dealing with Multiple Sclerosis patients, Parkinson's, AIDS, Crohns... serious, debilitating illnesses..."
Sweatt laid out the general process for applicants of the program. It involves a thorough criminal background check, finger printing; a picture taken that's the proper size on a white background. A doctor must also state that the patient may benefit from the pilot program. According to Sweatt, there are some of those and other aspects of the process that may be difficult to achieve for a person who is seriously ill.
"Thousands of people have turned in applications that were not complete," she said. "My organization holds the person's hand through the whole process, and we make sure they get to the program. If they have a condition on that list (of approved medical conditions), we'll get them approved. We've had problems with doctors signing off on applications. It's pretty non-committal. It's not like they're signing a prescription. It's basically a recommendation form that states it may be beneficial for that patient. And then the doctor sends it into the state. But, some of these doctors have a problem with doing that. But we see that turning, and we see doctors coming to us every day for more information on the program."
Doctors of Osteopathics (DO) and Doctors of Medicine (MD) are permitted to write such recommendations in the state, but some are not even aware they have that ability, according to Sweatt.
According to information from the state's Medical Cannabis Pilot Program website, 6,200 out of 8,100 received completed applications have been approved. Of the 6,200 patients, 45 are younger than 18.
Politics
"There's a disconnect there, unfortunately, and the patients get caught in the pinch," she said. "They're suffering. That's where we see terminally ill cancer patients who want to try cannabis oil. These are patients who are out of options. They are done with chemotherapy; they're done with radiation therapy. They are waiting to die. And still a physician says no, they won't recommend cannabis. That's where I jump in and I just fight. We will get those people a doctor. We will look at them as a terminal cancer patient as an end-of-life issue or maybe a gleam of hope for that person that cannabis might do something for them. But they should have the legal right to try."
Until recently, Gov. Bruce Raunera's administration had refused to budge on the expansion of allowed conditions for medical cannabis program applicants.
According to the Associated Press, the Senate agreed 50-7 on May 31 with House changes to the plan extending a pilot program and to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a medical condition treatable with cannabis. Rauner supports the plan.
The program was approved in 2014 but medical-cannabis sales were delayed until last November. The legislation extends the program from late 2017 to July 1, 2020.
Medical Cannabis Outreach is a patient education partner working in conjunction with Salveo Health and Wellness, a medical cannabis dispensary business also in Canton. Sweatt said when she and other founders of Salveo Health and Wellness were filling out the applications to get a license as a dispensary, they were aware of the growing pains other states such as Colorado went through early in their cannabis programs. Sweatt is a prior resident of Colorado and was involved in that state's medical cannabis program from its beginning in 2002.
"We knew the problems facing this when we were writing the rules and regulations," she said. "I set out for my organization to really help patients. We knew they would have a really tough time getting on the program."
"There's not one state that has started a medical cannabis program and not had a problem. And when I say problem, I mean politics getting involved and all kinds of different issues being brought up nobody thought of before. If this program is allowed to extend beyond 2018, it'll all come together. We haven't seen one fail yet. However, it also falls on party lines. It's not a bipartisan issue unfortunately, but it should be. It's about quality of life and healthcare. Anytime you have a Republican administration, they'll usually give more pushback to a program. This will be a success, though. We've already quadrupled the numbers of people we've had since last October to end of March. Things are changing."
Diversion from opioids
Medical cannabis use is something adults of many ages are curious about. Sweatt said her organization gets many call from people in their 70s and 80s; most of them having no idea about how cannabis works or having ever consumed it.
"They're very interested in it because they're addicted to Percocet, Oxycontin and Vicodin," Sweatt said, referring to the national trend of opioid medication addiction. "We give them a good education; send them resources."
The first step for those interested is to verify they have a qualifying condition. Such a list is available online at Medical Cannabis Outreach.
"If you have a condition, and you want on this program, we'll make sure you get on the program," she said. "The first step is seeing if you have a qualifying condition; then we start talking about a doctor. We want people's personal physicians to do the recommendation. That's key in this program. The more doctors hear about it from their own patients, that's what's changing the tide. There are no medical cannabis reps acting like pharmaceutical reps and going in and talking to doctors. It's the patients."
Sweat also stresses the fact that unlike some pharmaceuticals, nobody has died from an overdose on cannabis. A difference between medical cannabis and prescription drugs is that when picking up a prescription drug at the pharmacy, there is usually a large slip of paper warning the patient of potentially harmful side effects or serious medical complications.
"People die from prescription drug overdoses every day in the United States," Sweatt said. "When we start talking numbers to people who have been on the prescription drug mill, they start wanting to know more about this. It's natural, safe and now legal. People are finding relief with this program. People are also getting off these dangerous prescription drugs."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Cannabis Group To Host June 11 Info Meeting
Author: Jared Dubach
Contact: jdubach@McDonoughVoice.com
Photo Credit: Jared Dubach
Website: The McDonough County Voice
