Flying across country from Oregon to live in this new Pennsylvania medical marijuana market I feared the worst. As someone who grew copious amounts of marijuana, I wonder will the law here allow me to cultivate my own medicine. I’m not talking about the few rich elite, but the local average income citizen. Can farmers take control of the industry we created? Should US citizens be allowed to grow marijuana?
Stacking Scripts
Living in the heart of the Emerald Triangle throughout my 20s, “legal” growing was a huge part of the economy. “Hey do you know anyone that has scripts for sale?” was a common question to hear at the local bars.
Back then in Arcata, hippies would stockpile so many plants that almost every grower was over the legal limit. To solve the issue, growers purchased multiple prescriptions aka scripts from patients.
These scripts would then hang on walls next to production facilities. So essentially those tiny pieces of paper were all the protection you needed to grow large amounts of product. Soon, seeing five different patient prescriptions at a grow was commonplace.
If you turn attention to Oregon, as far back as 1998, Oregon ballot measure 67 passed which allowed caregivers to grow marijuana for up to four patients. This was an incredible step forward in the local cannabis industry.
Not only did this empower a local economy of farmers to make a good living, but it also allowed many patients to get free medicine.
I remember trying to buy an 1/8th the first time I went to Oregon. The person I asked just chuckled and said, here, you can just have this, and gave me a 1/2 ounce. Talk about a great system! In Pennsylvania, a 1/2 ounce can cost upwards of $240 and more.
Laws In My Home State of PA
Currently Pennsylvania stands on the brink of legalizing recreational marijuana. Part of the new bill H.R. 50 in limbo does allow for cultivation, although right now a household can’t grow a single plant.
Millions of dollars of investments would have to take place in order to get a licensed facility, and this infuriates me as a small grower. Tons of amazing products that could be grown in small batches in homes are non-existent.
PA’s law should allow adult citizens to control the manufacturing of our own medicine. Marijuana is a plant. Plant healing is not some new age medicine only to be controlled by large pharmaceutical companies.
Natural medicine has been used by our ancestors for millions of years. Today we need local healers who can create jobs for themselves and give patients the attention they need.
Conclusion
Working behind the counter selling marijuana to thousands of patients over the years, I can tell you how painful it is to take cash from the hands of someone dying from cancer, a child suffering from seizures, or a wheelchair bound patient with crippling pain.
I understand nothing comes for free, but in the world of Reddits and YouTube instructionals, it’s obvious there are millions of people who want to help. These same people would gladly give up parts of their crop to help those in need and teach others how to produce their own quality marijuana. So next election, please vote yes on household growing and stand up for your local farmer.
