Montana medical cannabis symposium cultivates awareness

From the Helena Independent Record:

There are rumors that caregivers are treating hundreds of patients, but the facts are that only 2 percent have over 41 patients; 24 percent have four to 40 patients; and 73 percent have three patients or fewer, a slide Gingery presented to the crowd read. There’s a rumor that school-aged children are getting medical cards at record number, but the fact is there are 44 card holders 18 or younger in Montana.

Education is key, said Tayln Lang, chapter director of MMGA Missoula.

“I’d never want to go into combat without the proper gear and knowing what I’m up against,” Lang said. “This will help people get what they need in our industry and outside our industry.”

Lang added that professionals at the symposium with extensive credentials would help educate attendees. Professionals like Chris Christensen, a physician from Victor who prescribes marijuana to patients when necessary, or Noel Palmer, who has his doctorate in chemistry and works as a scientist for Montana Botanical Analysis.

Valerie Hellermann, of Helena, is convinced that marijuana helped with her son’s ADD.

“After years of struggling with ADD and terrible drugs, he suddenly had a semester of getting A’s,” she said.

It was because he was smoking marijuana, Hellermann said, adding that her son is now senior in college studying astrobiology.

“He kept saying mom, ‘I am able to focus (after smoking marijuana),’” she said. “We should explore the use for ADD and ADHD because kids come down and crash from Ritalin horribly.”

Activists in South Dakota are working tirelessly to ensure the passage of Initiated Measure 13 allowing patients with debilitating medical conditions safe access to the right of self-treatment. IM13 is expected to pass.