When I found out that mom smoked pot

This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on May 1, 2015.

Lots of people have problems during childhood. For me, my very attractive mother was a challenge and any one that grew up with the same ‘hot mom’ then you know — the comments from friends, obvious advances from men and defending her honor against hoots and hollers.  It was rough, man.

While mom’s fans, friends, co-workers and even family knew about her charm and beauty, very few knew the pain she hid. My mother suffered most of her adult life with lupus. She took long showers and would hide her pain, at night, and behind closed doors.

While I was in college, one weekend each month was dedicated to the National Guard. One memorable Guard duty weekend in 2000 I left campus early to raid mom’s kitchen. When I arrived at her rented home, mom was on the couch crying with a phone in her hand. She delivered the standard hug as I walked through the door. She explained to me that her long-term pot dealer was not answering. His phone had been disconnected for more than two weeks now and that she did not know where to turn.

[blockquote type=”left”]Cortisone shots injected in to the spine really only last for a few days when you have my mothers form of lupus, and doctors will not permit more than one injection per month. Cannabis spanned that 3 week bridge for mom, and it worked. [/blockquote]

The shock of knowing that mom smoked pot dissipated really quick, and my 20 year old self offered some solutions to her pharmacological shortage. Rather quickly I was able to score something from friends in the old neighborhood. Mom preferred the other guys stuff, but she had no complaints for my herb. One month later she was contacted from a new phone number by her old dealer, and my days of dealing were over.

Unfortunately in 2002 my mom could not maintain that warming smile and amazing strength any longer, and since her babies were all grown, she left us.

Fast forward to 2015.

What options would be available for mom today now that Michigan has a medical marijuana law that offers its residents absolute legal protection from arrest and safe access.

The Reality in Michigan — Each day the state of Michigan closes another door to a safe and accessible dispensary, arrests another patient or caregiver and even worse, the state legislature and Governor are prepared to sign laws that would ban the use of cannabis in rented homes. There are more arrests for cannabis today than in 2000.

I do not understand.

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