Pubdate: Thu, 29 Jan 2015
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Black Press
Contact:  http://www.pqbnews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: Teresa Whitaker
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n043/a05.html

MARIJUANA BENEFITS

Re: 'Police, mayor say new pot dispensary in Parksville is illegal,' 
(The NEWS, Jan. 22).

As a member of the Phoenix Pain Management Society, I want to let the
people of Parksville, Quallicum Beach and Nanaimo in on the benefits
of being a society member.

I am a medical marijuana patient and have been using medical marijuana
products for my illnesses for the past year. My medical conditions
have improved over 300 per cent.

I have gone from having a pain-filled body and a foggy vegetable mind
to being a new 'alive' human again. I am now improving my life and
becoming a contributing member of my community again after more than
10 years.

I came to this miracle medicine right before Health Canada was
changing the Medical Marijuana Purposes Regulations (MMPR).

Health Canada was no longer selling from their supply, no longer
issuing new patient grow licenses, no longer issuing designated
growers licenses, no longer issuing approved medical marijuana user ID
cards, and the new approved growers were not producing yet, so they
had no product to sell. Where was I to go? I was a 54-year-old woman
with no connections to access my needed medicine.

When a dispensary opened in Nanaimo I was extremely pleased. Being a
person who is living on disability benefits and hasn't been able to
work full time for the past 10 years, trips to Victoria cut into the
grocery budget. So does the cost of my medical marijuana.

I won't and don't want to 'have to' buy my medicine from a
'for-profit' company when the marijuana plant is a free 'gift' from
Mother Earth.

I hope this letter helps explain the importance of having these
dispensaries. I am committed to helping the Phoenix Pain Management
Society provide these products and services to the communities of
Vancouver Island.

Please come out, become a member and help us keep your health care
choices, your choices, and make this Society a valuable, effective and
efficient option.

Teresa Whitaker Nanaimo
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MAP posted-by: Matt