possession of an illegal substance. They also risked losing their parental rights. But without whole plant medical Cannabis, Alexis would have a seriously compromised and limited life. Her seizure monster would always be threatening its return. She would not be able to thrive in the way that medical Cannabis allows her to do. The Bortell family had no choice but to uproot and move to the state of Colorado where Alexis could access the whole plant medicine that she needs to live a full and functional life. And so, the Bortell family became medical marijuana refugees.
Medical marijuana refugees endure great sacrifices to access medical Cannabis
Medical marijuana refugees comprise a growing community of people who move to states that have legalized or decriminalized Cannabis programs. Not because they really want to leave everything they know, but because they, or their loved ones require Cannabis to treat chronic conditions that are resistant to traditional treatments. The sacrifices they endure are extensive. Many families in the Bortell’s situation have to agree to not only start over in a new location — new jobs, new schools, and new communities — they also have to agree to protect their family by abiding by federal law that greatly prohibits them from living a completely free life. In fact, many families are broken up in separate locations just so a struggling family member can access the medical Cannabis that they need to function.
Due to the federally illegal status of Cannabis, medical marijuana refugees are often unable to move about the country without breaking the law. For one thing, medical Cannabis patients may not be able to access the whole plant medical Cannabis they need to control their symptoms in other states, even if the states have medical or adult use programs intact. The other issue, traveling across state lines with Cannabis is illegal. So medical marijuana refugees and their families are forced to stay in the state they’ve sought refuge in, essentially imprisoning them.
Nixon-era laws that don’t make sense
According to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970, Cannabis is a federally illegal substance. The CSA specifies that Cannabis is a Schedule 1 substance with no medical benefit that is also highly addictive. Cannabis shares this schedule with heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. It is federally illegal to use, sell, or possess Cannabis for any purpose. However, there are over 2 million state-legal Cannabis patients in the United States according to the Marijuana Policy Project. A significant figure for a substance that supposedly carries no medical benefit.
8 9