Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The ceaseless seizures ended, the heroin addiction faded away, the effects of HIV numbed - all thanks not to the pharmaceutical industry, but legal cannabis.
In conjunction with the Global Marijuana March that took place Saturday, members of the East Coast Cannabis Coalition took a walk around Camden, denouncing the laws that constrain them while hailing the benefits of legal weed.
"We've seen her go through things no parent should see a kid go through," said former Camden resident Ricardo Rivera, who 8-year-old daughter Tatyana "Tuffy" Rivera suffers from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and the hundreds of seizures daily it brought.
After jumping through the hoops, Rivera became able to make legal purchases at a dispensary and cut the seizures his daughter suffered down to once a week thanks to edible marijuana-infused items.
Co-organizers of the event, Vanessa Maria and Kyle Moore, explained that their building a movement across New Jersey in hopes of ending the War on Drugs.
New Jersey passed a medical marijuana law in 2009. The first dispensary in the state opened in 2012. As of last summer, a little more than 2,300 people had signed up for the program, administered by the state health department, that fell short of many expectations.
That's no shock to those who rallied together in Camden. The cost of a card that allows someone to legally buy marijuana from the few dispensaries in New Jersey is $200 every two years. On top of that, it's $536 for an ounce, which can be obtained by various means on the streets for between $200 and $300.
Still, the ends justify the means in to those who spoke on Saturday.
Cherry Hill resident Jay Lassiter, who has been HIV positive for more than 20 years, said his disease causes nausea which it makes it harder to take the pills that keeps those suffering alive. Marijuana soothes that nausea.
"In Cherry Hill, right down Haddon Avenue, you can smoke right on your stoop," Lassiter said of how unevenly marijuana laws are enforced compared to places like Camden.
That wasn't certainly the case Saturday. Those in attendance lit up right in front City Hall, another guy rolled a blunt out front of the Camden County Prosecutor's Office and a parade of pro-pot enthusiasts waved signs and flags as they walked past two Camden County police officers in a patrol car.
"It's a peaceful protest. Let them do what they're supposed to do," said Camden County Police Department Lt. Richard Verticello, who was standing by, but said there would be no escort for marchers.
Indeed it was peaceful. It was also lacking minorities, according to Sicklerville resident Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion, who said he went around Camden and must have told 200 people to come out Saturday. What's more, at least 100 of them told Forchion they'd heard about the event. However, it didn't look like more than a handful showed up.
Still, there was no lack of local stories of struggle and success.
"I've seen what pills can do to people, what pills can do to families," said Pine Hill resident Jim Ross, who kicked heroin thanks to marijuana. "I've never seen cannabis harm anyone."
To Lassiter, who said he only needs to use cannabis a few times a month, the distance of the dispensaries and the program's cost are too much.
"I should be able to go to Walgreens," he said. "Can you imagine going all the way to Little Egg Harbor Township to get your insulin?"
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana saves lives: At Camden awareness event, stories shared of medical miracles | NJ.com
Author: Greg Adomaitis
Contact: gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com
Photo Credit: R Umar Abbasi
Website: New Jersey Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NJ.com
In conjunction with the Global Marijuana March that took place Saturday, members of the East Coast Cannabis Coalition took a walk around Camden, denouncing the laws that constrain them while hailing the benefits of legal weed.
"We've seen her go through things no parent should see a kid go through," said former Camden resident Ricardo Rivera, who 8-year-old daughter Tatyana "Tuffy" Rivera suffers from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and the hundreds of seizures daily it brought.
After jumping through the hoops, Rivera became able to make legal purchases at a dispensary and cut the seizures his daughter suffered down to once a week thanks to edible marijuana-infused items.
Co-organizers of the event, Vanessa Maria and Kyle Moore, explained that their building a movement across New Jersey in hopes of ending the War on Drugs.
New Jersey passed a medical marijuana law in 2009. The first dispensary in the state opened in 2012. As of last summer, a little more than 2,300 people had signed up for the program, administered by the state health department, that fell short of many expectations.
That's no shock to those who rallied together in Camden. The cost of a card that allows someone to legally buy marijuana from the few dispensaries in New Jersey is $200 every two years. On top of that, it's $536 for an ounce, which can be obtained by various means on the streets for between $200 and $300.
Still, the ends justify the means in to those who spoke on Saturday.
Cherry Hill resident Jay Lassiter, who has been HIV positive for more than 20 years, said his disease causes nausea which it makes it harder to take the pills that keeps those suffering alive. Marijuana soothes that nausea.
"In Cherry Hill, right down Haddon Avenue, you can smoke right on your stoop," Lassiter said of how unevenly marijuana laws are enforced compared to places like Camden.
That wasn't certainly the case Saturday. Those in attendance lit up right in front City Hall, another guy rolled a blunt out front of the Camden County Prosecutor's Office and a parade of pro-pot enthusiasts waved signs and flags as they walked past two Camden County police officers in a patrol car.
"It's a peaceful protest. Let them do what they're supposed to do," said Camden County Police Department Lt. Richard Verticello, who was standing by, but said there would be no escort for marchers.
Indeed it was peaceful. It was also lacking minorities, according to Sicklerville resident Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion, who said he went around Camden and must have told 200 people to come out Saturday. What's more, at least 100 of them told Forchion they'd heard about the event. However, it didn't look like more than a handful showed up.
Still, there was no lack of local stories of struggle and success.
"I've seen what pills can do to people, what pills can do to families," said Pine Hill resident Jim Ross, who kicked heroin thanks to marijuana. "I've never seen cannabis harm anyone."
To Lassiter, who said he only needs to use cannabis a few times a month, the distance of the dispensaries and the program's cost are too much.
"I should be able to go to Walgreens," he said. "Can you imagine going all the way to Little Egg Harbor Township to get your insulin?"
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana saves lives: At Camden awareness event, stories shared of medical miracles | NJ.com
Author: Greg Adomaitis
Contact: gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com
Photo Credit: R Umar Abbasi
Website: New Jersey Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NJ.com
