Bliss Cameron - Marijuana Cooking - Good Medicine Made Easy

Removing the leaf material:

Line a strainer with cheesecloth, placing it crosswise inside the strainer. Place the strainer over a large bowl, preferably with a spout for pouring. Pour the leaf and alcohol mixture into the lined strainer. Pull the cheesecloth up around the leaf by the bottommost layer of the cheesecloth, and twist the ends of the cloth together in order to squeeze the alcohol out of the leaf

Discard the leaf. Some sources say that you can use the leftover cheesecloth for burns or skin irritations, but I’m not clear on how you might store the unrinsed cheesecloth until it is needed. Using the small funnel, pour the tincture into the dropper bottles. You can cut down a coffee filter and line the funnel, or use a small strainer or half of a tea ball, as I did. Be sure to store the bottles in a cool, dark place.

Dosage:High when taken directly, Moderately high when diluted in water. Depending on the potency of leaf used, 5–15 drops per dose.

I had injured my back at work and was creating a relationship with workman’s compensation when I heard about “Dr. Sam” (his name has been changed). He was not attached to an HMO or any other kind of insurance, and I would have to pay him in cash. After speaking to his office staff, I found that I needed to submit all my medical records to him. I gathered all the records from my HMO and the rapidly growing collection from workman’s comp and presented them to Dr. Sam for review. About a week later his office called, and I was accepted for an appointment.

My first consultation was an hour long, at a cost of $200.00. What a luxury, to spend an hour with a doctor just talking about myself and my medical issues, and what has been done thus far to control pain and inflammation. I have a delicate stomach and have been identified with irritable bowel syndrome, and I cannot take most traditional painkillers and anti-inflammatories (I do take one Naprosin per day). For this reason, combined with osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease, I was deemed eligible for approval for receiving medical marijuana. My approval would last for six months, after which I would have to return for a follow-up appointment. Dr. Sam made one stipulation to my approval: I would need to consistently lose weight over time in order to keep my approval valid. I was identified with diabetes at the time and was considerably overweight.

I have now been seeing Dr. Sam for three years, and each visit is a joy. He has seen me through a hysterectomy, and more symptoms of the osteoarthritis. Each time he gently and consistently urges for vaporized ingestion because it is the least harmful to the lungs (and least dangerous to the hips). He will see me yearly from now on, because he can consistently chart a weight loss, over the last three years, of forty pounds. I feel so lucky to have the approval and to be able to access a second medical opinion from someone who knows me and who isn’t required to “diagnose by formula,” as so many HMO doctors are required to do.

Once Proposition 215 was passed in California, patients who had the approval or recommendation of a physician to use marijuana were permitted medical use, but the question of access had not been clearly addressed. I wasn’t able to grow my own medicine, so I was dependent on other sources. At that time there were no dispensaries in my own county, so I called a dispensary in a different county and was told that I could sign up with them if I brought a letter from my doctor and a photo ID card. I needed to make an appointment to discuss my needs with a nurse who had been hired by this club to do intake for new members.

When the day arrived I was nervous, knowing that visiting a dispensary was a legal risk. No patients had been prosecuted, but I was still apprehensive. This club was located in a small community theater just off a main road. I had a friend come with me, but she had to stay in the car because she wasn’t a recognized patient. The first things I noticed when I walked in were surveillance cameras and monitors behind the reception desk. But a volunteer greeted me warmly and I began to relax.

I was ushered to the back to meet with the nurse and had an uplifting conversation, as I shared my medical history, my letter of approval from a major HMO, and my experiences with marijuana as a medicine. As I look back, this was an experience that helped me understand how important marijuana was for me. The mental shift from being a “law breaker” to being a legitimate patient was incredible! After this interview, I was accepted as a member of this “club” and a picture ID card was made. I was assured that all records were confidential and secured for the safety of the patients.

It was time to make a purchase. There was a display counter with pipes, rolling papers and baked goods to buy, and a menu of six different strains of marijuana at prices from $25 to $50 for an eighth of an ounce, or $150 to $350 an ounce. Prices were as high as on the street, but the source and quality were assured and I realized there was a large overhead to run this club. After making the purchase, I decided to “medicate” before leaving, as this club encouraged socialization with other patients. The theater provided a comfortable environment. This social aspect of clubs has come into question, being restricted in some areas. I found this to be one of the real advantages of going to a club.

To find out more about the current status and location of dispensaries you can go to the following Web sites:

Americans for Safe Access:

www.safeaccessnow.org

California NORML:

www.canorml.org

www.marijuanauses.com

www.lindesmith.org

www.mpp.org

www.norml.org

www.wamm.org

Tom, a rheumatoid arthritis patient for 11 years, has severe form of this illness

“Prescription medication was ineffective at arresting my symptoms. Moments after use, cannabis relieves me of the physical and mental pain.”

Americans for Medical Relief

©2001 PEPPER DESIGN STUDIO • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

There are now over 150 recognized dispensaries in the state, allowed to operate or tolerated by local government officials. I applaud the courage and conviction of the individuals running these clubs, at personal risk, to provide both a source of medicine and a social environment for patients.