Page 39 - SFHN0118 final.qxp_SFHN 0608 Friday 5.0

Coming this January -

Our new online publication
www.cannabisnewsflorida.com

House District 93 Candidate Wants

to Improve Patient Access to Medical Cannabis

BY DANIEL CASCIATO impairment and is irreversible, is not quality control over medical cannabis.
considered treatable, and will result in “Patients are putting this into their
As a child, Stephanie Myers vividly death within 1 year after diagnosis. bodies,” she says. “The end product is
remembers the “This is Your Brain on Upon approval of your submitted important so we need to take care of it
Drugs” anti-drug PSA sponsored by the application, the state will email you your and regulate what is being dispensed. It
Partnership for a Drug-Free America in card ID number. This will allow you to should be of high quality and not have
the 1980s. Those PSAs and the image of purchase and possess cannabis until your harmful ingredients in it.”
the egg in a frying pan, representing patient card arrives in the mail. However, A native South Floridian, Stephanie
drugs and your brain, became a cultural it’s been taking an average of 45 days for Myers is a former board member of the
phenomenon. Like many people her age, residents to receive that initial email with Broward County ACLU, a member of the
the ads had an impact on Myers’ opinion the ID card number. Broward DEC, and the Broward
on drugs. “We need to speed up the process for Progressive Caucus. Previously, she
But her attitude changed when it came people to gain access,” says Myers. “One served as the lead organizer of the 2017
to legalizing marijuana. Myers, a issue is that there’s not enough staff to Women’s Rally in South Florida.
Democrat running for Florida House process the applications. We need to staff
District 93, a seat now held by Stephanie Myers it correctly to get these applications For more information on Stephanie
Republican George Moraitis who is term processed faster.” Myers, visit www.myersforflorida.com.
limited, began to appreciate the fact that Finally, Myers hopes to improve the
marijuana was a better and natural alter- group of patients. While medical
native for people who experienced pain cannabis was approved by a majority of
from debilitating illnesses. the state’s electorate, access to it remains
“If people are going to self-medicate an issue. Currently only 21 dispensaries
anyway, it should be with something that have been approved to open across
is more safe for their bodies and for soci- Florida’s 67 counties.
ety,” she says. Myers says that is not enough dispen-
Myers’ change of heart reflects a shift saries.
among the broader population nation- “Twenty-one dispensaries is too little
wide. In 2006, only 32 percent of people for as many counties we have,” she says.
surveyed in a Pew Research Center sur- “The state overwhelmingly passed this
vey supported marijuana legalization. and we need to provide accessibility to
Ten years later that number rose to 57 patients.”
percent. In addition, the process of applying for
Myers sees medical marijuana as a and receiving a medical marijuana iden-
much better alternative to opioids as tification card has been taking too long.
well. Soon after the legislation was passed last
“We need to get people on more natu- year, the Florida Department of Health,
ral substances especially when you con- began the process of issuing ID cards for
sider the current opioid epidemic,” she residents. The application for patients
explains. “A recent report by the and caregivers requires a $75 fee, a copy
National Center for Health Statistics has of a government-issued ID, and a pass-
found that life expectancy in this country port photo. All patients must have the ID
has declined again for the second year in card to purchase medical cannabis.
a row. Much of that has to do with the These are the medical conditions that
opioid epidemic—there’s been a 21% qualify for a medical cannabis card:
increase of drug overdoses in the past • Cancer
year.” • Epilepsy
According to the report referenced by • Glaucoma
Myers, a baby born in the United States • HIV/AIDS
in 2016 could expect to live 78.6 years. • Post-Traumatic Stress
This is a decrease of more than a month Disorder (PTSD)
from 2015 and more than two months • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
from 2014. • Crohn’s disease
If elected, Myers hopes to improve • Parkinson’s disease
accessibility to medical cannabis. Last • Multiple sclerosis
year, Amendment 2 – the ballot initiative • Conditions of the same kind or class,
approved by over 71 percent of Florida or comparable in pain and chronicity as
voters in November passed allowing the previous conditions
non-euphoric cannabis use for a select • A terminal condition which a doctor
has diagnosed to cause significant

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com January 2018 39