Hippocracy of the Alternative

In these days when the Hippocratic oath is more than a little hypocritical, we need our alternative medical care more than ever before.

In today's world, those who have gone about getting their education in the prescribed manner have incurred so much debt, that entire professions worth of employees, be they physicians, pharmacists or licensed nurses and massage therapists; they are trained very well: You do what we say, or you loose your license. You must not use or do what you know is right, even though it is the compassionate thing to do, you will loose your way to earn money if you do it.

It is a simple as that. It all boils down to the almighty dollar. Non-maleficence, first doing no harm; has gone the way of family doctor who performs house calls. First, they harm your wallet, which effects your general well-being; then what they do causes more harm than good. Thus, ensuring your return and another procedure and visit that they can bill you for. Upfront payment accepted only. Medical ethics?!

When those with the initials after their names; when THOSE who have done the education the prescripted way, when THEY FAIL to act in a caring manner, when they FAIL to act with compassion and care CHOOSING the lure of Satan in the guise of the almighty dollar, those of us who DO CARE about our brother are forced to become "front line medics" using the tools that GOD Himself gave us to treat and attempt to cure what ails each other.

The next line of treatment, in a "compassionate state" is to go to the alternative care providers. Those with no medical degrees, relying on self-directed studies of the studies performed by distant scientists as well as anecdotal evidence of friends.

But what do we get, when we place our trust and health care needs in the hands of people we will actually call "family," a "canna-family;" solely because they partake of the same alternative treatment that we have chosen?

Under RCW 69.51a, the medical cannabis in Washington is governed. A new set of rules and laws were added when Washington State voters approved I-502 against the objections of many medical cannabis patients.

The fight for and against I-502 split the cannabis community in more than two pieces. A community that refers to itself as a family; now cannibalizing each other for the cash that they can procure. 


After traveling the country for the past 3 years, meeting a lot of people in a lot of different circumstances, most of them revolving around a plant, I decided to take up an invitation to "volunteer" at a local "collective garden" in Washington State for a few months. What I observed while there made me sicker than even "big pharma" has for a long time.

I will be posting stories from the Collective Garden I was volunteering at. It is and was the norm. I had the opportunity, while there and at other times, to interview and get to know as true friends, a large variety of people, all patients, who have volunteered in these "Gardens". Their, and my experience is typical of what a small town "Safe Access Point" is in Washington State.

I believe in a better paradigm. I aim to create a situation for myself, my husband and as many of our friends as possible in a community that is about caring. Cannabis is a part of it, but currency will not be.

My heart has been hurt tremendously by the people who call patients "family" only to be close to them when they receive their pittance of a decreasing valued limited income. It is time for all to grow their own. It is time for people to step up and help their neighbor if he CAN'T grow. It is time to be our brother's keeper. It is TIME to Overgrow the World with compassion. With the love and lighte of Christ. And with Cannabis.

Old Blog, New Post; New Life

Ahhh.... wow... what a year.

I feel like I have been gone for a year, and guess what; according to THIS blog, I have been! :)

Lots, yet nothing to say, about the absence. I have grown quite a bit the past year. I have learned a LOT about sin, about euphoria and about life. I have grown up, via being pushed down.
I have lost my ability to speak and to write, having had all of the gifts I was gifted with, removed from me until I repented for my actions and changed my ways.

I have felt repentance.
I have also learned what joy and bliss are not. Then I was granted with the wonderful and gracious gift of the knowledge that I have glipsed the lighte, and the truth and the light and the life are Christ. I finally learned I am a daughter of God.
What a gift!

Yes, I converted. I am a Latter-Day Saint.
I have been "born again".
Does that change who I was? No.
Am I still the girl that most of you know? Yes. I am still me.
I am still everything I was before, but I know why I am here and what my job on this side of the veil is. For many of you who have followed me for the past 3 years, you know that is something I have struggled with for quite some time.

I know MY path. I still do not believe in judging others; that is something that is only reserved for The Judge. At the time of Judgement.

I am on MY path.

I will be writing quite a bit more in the next few months. Going through the fun and physical challenges to have the rest of my bottom teeth taken care of, and a bottom plate created; a project for this summer.

Just a note to my readers, my subscribers... and yes... I am okay with anyone reading this. Now.

I am SOOO over me. I have many apologies to issue: some private, some public.
This past year I have disappointed myself in my lack of morality. To the extreme. I hurt many other people, but I also hurt my heart. Deeply.

I have said my apologies to the One, in who's opinion I value the most: God.

To my dear friends who love and care about me, I apologize to one and all. I refused to hear your warnings about my actions, my pride got in the way. We all want to be adored; I just had the wrong idea about what that meant. I am learning.

Love and Lighte to all. To All.

To Be Without

Originally posted on Facebook, by Maggie Slighte on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 11:47am ·

To Be Without

It begins again....
To be without.
The most DRAMATIC time "without" in my current memory was in West Palm Beach Florida about 2 months ago.

Safe to say, I am not good at budgeting the $950 pittance I receive at the beginning of the month from Social Security. Still, there are those who criticize every monetary decision I make.

I tend to give everything I have away... and I enjoy doing so. I don't intend to stop THAT anytime soon.

Some ask why I don't apply to programs for those who need cannabis but have little cash. It is my opinion that there aren't enough of these programs to support those who need cannabis to cure their cancer. I don't have cancer. They should come first. I have a dear friend who has stage IV kidney cancer. No one gives him meds. When he isn't healthy enough to grow, or his disability income can't cover a gram of meds....he vomits for days without stopping. When everyone in his condition has meds, THEN I MAY think of myself. Probably not.

I would LOVE to go back to earning over $4k a month, if I physically could, or even THOUGHT I could, I would "go back to work" in a MOMENT!

Then a morning like this comes along, and I know why I am not "at work".
I struggle with the disability idea.
DIS-abled.
YES, there are many things I can't do. The MAIN thing I don't seem to have succeeded in, is the "dependable employee" idea.
How can I be "dependable" when I don't know if I will be vomiting in the morning from my stomach issues, or because the pain level is higher than I expect? I look forward to "working myself off of disability"... the first book is about 1/3 written.

Routinely, no matter WHERE I am, I awaken with pain in my lower abdomen, lower back and GI track. On a scale from 1-10, it tends to be around an 8.5 on an average day, about an hour after I awaken.
Then I smoke. Or I don't.  When I don't, and also have no tincture (it helps the pain even better than smoking), I end up apologizing for my words and actions.

How do I get to the point where I can control the words and actions of my pain? I look forward to that enLIGHTEnment.

Until then, I will drink my peppermint tea, and look for something I can sell for a couple bucks....and dream of a day I have a garden full of ALL herbs!!

Love and Lighte.

This Woman & Her Vote

Cannabis activism is very new to me.
I have been a patient for the past 7 years.
I have understood what cannabis really is, and have been an actively promoting it’s use, and legalization, for only the last two years.


Standing up for things I believe in, is not new to me. Throughout my adult life; I have marched in "gay pride" marches, sat on the board of directors of an alternative high school, talked to city councils about adding youth recreation alternatives, volunteered for many organizations while raising my children (three, now in their 20s), and I have done my very best to be a conscientious voter.

My grandmother was born in 1919. She and my grandfather both believed very strongly in understanding the responsibility that comes along with the right to vote. “We (women) haven’t had the RIGHT long enough to take it for granted,” she said.

In her house, it was widely known by the barbed jokes that flew across the house come autumn; that her and my grandpa “cancelled each others vote.” But to NOT vote, was NOT acceptable!

I agree with grandma. One of my proudest achievements during the past two weekends; was the fact that I personally registered 4 new voters.  (I also made certain my OWN voters registration was up to date with my address change.)

These last few weeks I have had the opportunity to educate myself further about the initiatives that are on the ballot this year.
I have also had the chance to debate one in particular, I-502.

Steve Elliott, of "The Little Black Book of Marijuana" was quoted in L.A. Times, "I never in a million years imagined myself to be on a stage advocating against the passage of a marijuana legalization law."

I ALSO would have NEVER imagined myself to be telling people to vote AGAINST a “marijuana legalization law.” Even before I understood that cannabis was a CURE, not just a palliative measure; I would never be behind a measure that would promote jailing someone for using marijuana. 

I-502 is NOT a good law. As I have been “yelling from the rooftops,” "FIVE ZERO BOOOOO!!!!"

When I read the text of the initiative, I didn't get past the first page without a flashback to a memo I have in my possession from Governor Gregoire stating that she could not conscientiously enact a law which would put state workers at risk of federal prosecution for their duties as state employees.

On April 29, 2011, she forwarded a message to her staff and the Washington State Dept of Health stating that, at that point, she was not comfortable putting her work force in the position of being left out to dry where it came to being criminally and civilly liable under federal law for actions required of their position in state government.

As a former state worker, I applaud her decision to do her research and to support medical marijuana while attempting to legalize it on a federal basis and doing her best to protect those who work for the public.

It unjustly penalizes our youngest patients. It unjustly penalizes our young adults period. Driving is a privilege, yes. One I can’t imagine denying an 18 year old cancer patient, just because she smoked a joint yesterday. I can’t even imagine telling a 20 year old crohnes patient that he couldn’t drive to work, after eating an edible the night before.  It isn’t right. It isn’t okay. If ONE person is jailed under 502, it is too many.


When the federal government re-penalizes our young people by prohibiting anyone with a "drug" conviction to receive federal financial aid for college; enacting a measure which would add to that travesty, is barbaric.

As for the FBI doing background checks of any “verified grower:” 

"The state liquor control board may submit the criminal history record information check to the Washington state patrol and to the identification division of the federal bureau of investigation in order that these agencies may search their records for prior arrests and convictions of the individual or individuals who filled out the forms. The state liquor control board shall require fingerprinting of any applicant whose criminal history record information check is submitted to the federal bureau of investigation."

Well, many people who I know that are currently growing some of the best medicine wouldn’t even THINK of  submitting their personal information to the federal government… Just sayin‘.

I believe that the best way to know what is in your food or your medicinal herbs; is to grow them yourself. It is especially important in a supplement that has the incredible wide-ranging effects, as cannabis does; on mind, body and soul.

I-502 would NOT allow “home-grows”.  That ALSO isn’t okay with me.

Do you want to create new ways to penalize cannabis users? If “no”, PLEASE join with me in voting NO on 502!!!!

This girl has read it. But I recommend EVERYONE always read EVERYTHING that they are voting on. Do your research for yourself. KNOW before you VOTE.


Full text of I-502 in PDF format:  http://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/i502.pdf

A link to the Hempfest I-502 debate from Toke of the Town: Legalization Or Sham? The I-502 Debate at Seattle Hempfest

Sensible Washington's Deconstructing I-502: https://sensiblewashington.org/blog/i502/

Toke of the Town, "An Independent Review of Washington's I-502 Legalization:" http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2012/08/an_independent_review_of_washingtons_i-502_legaliz.php

Patience

Patience.


That one thing that in 45 years, I have never had. 


I have never found patience.


I am impulsive by nature and I enjoy it. 


Other people, not so much. My now ex husband hated it about me. 
I have been told by many that I need to find it. 


Where do I go to find patience?

I have gone into the woods.
I have traveled back and forth across the country. 
I have meditated deep into my soul. 
I found stillness. I found quiet. I found EnLIGHTEnment. 


No Patience.


Some say I have found patients. I know I am a healer.
I seek to be a stronger healer. 
Patients have found me. 


Still, no patience. 


Especially not with patients. 

THAT is something I feel I would like to learn:
Patience with patients. Patience with my self. 


But where, how, when, can I learn to have patience with finding patience to have patience with myself and my patients, NOW!?!?!?!

Grrrr.... patience. 

Cannabis is NOT Disruptive to the Community!

Okay, I am on a rant again. But seriously, I have had ENOUGH of the "effect on the community" of dispensaries and MMJ co-ops!

I read this phrase in an article this morning, reminding me of my outrage:

"medical marijuana facilities, which are scattered along Colorado Boulevard and Eagle Rock Boulevard, are disruptive to the community because they tend to attract drug-dealing customers and people who smoke dope openly in public."

 FIRST, the studies I have read (reading and researching is something I do DAILY when ON cannabis), actually show a marked DECREASE in crime rates around dispensaries. 

SECOND, "smoking dope" is NOT how we usually describe medicating, however, what is wrong with medicating in public? Many people drink soda pop or coffee in public which contains a VERY strong drug that has the potential to kill people.

THIRD, I have heard of MANY people who have either imbibed large amounts of alcohol or even caffeine, who are VERY "disruptive to the community," but not many "stoners." Personally, I have found most stoners to be disruptive to the "community" only insomuch as becoming more aware of their health and attempting to enact CHANGE and health for all. A desire to share their enLIGHTEnment.

FOURTH, regarding the laws and ordinances against access points in close vicinity of schools. I could go into the accessibility of alcohol or tobacco or any number of substances which are actually DEADLY (unlike cannabis) and sold at groceries next to schools on a daily basis. The point, however, is that providing access points to patients (who could be of any age) is NOT harmful to children. 

It is far past time for us to stand up and stop allowing restrictions of access points to our medication. Cannabis is about HEALING. Stop allowing it to be sucked back into the abyss of ignorance. EDUCATE and EnLIGHTEn your neighbors and friends. Stop preaching to the choir, EDUCATE your pastors, teachers and grocers!
Love and Lighte!

P.E.A.C.E.

Last year, when I met my friend Carol in southern Illinois, during our campaigning to Springfield legislators, four of us came up with an idea about an organization called "P.E.A.C.E.: Pathways to Effective Active Cannabis Education.

Pathways due to the fact that there would be very many different methods or paths that could be funded by PEACE.

One of those paths was a traveling teacher. Me. Someone to distribute learning material across the nation to people about cannabis sativa (including industrial hemp) and cannabis indica and what types of benefit they are to living organisms as well as the benefits to our earth.

The trip that I have now started, to travel across from one Washington to the other, gathering a convoy with us as we go is just the beginning. 

As we travel, we will be bringing materials for sale (by friends who are writers & have entrusted us with their materials) as well as free magazines supplied by Cannabis Health News Magazine.

Apparently the person who was entrusted with the legal tasks of creating the non profit corp of PEACE did not follow through. Therefor, there is currently no P.E.A.C.E.

I will be looking to find people who are interested in becoming a part of PEACE by becoming members of the nonprofit's board of directors. I will also be obtaining more legal advice in regards to continuing the effort to create this nonprofit.

There will be PEACE on Earth.... well, at least in my Maggic corner of it.