Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Medical Cannabis Clubs

It's been a bit since I've "blogged." 
Life has been so busy!!

I was very excited to go to my first Medical Cannabis club and get my medicine. I have been dreaming for years of being able to walk into a store and get my medicine, instead of having to go meet someone in a parking lot, or go to someone's home and hang out for an hour just to get some pain relief. 

Here in Portland, there are many options to choose from when it comes to picking a Cannabis Club. I've read stories about some that have been raided by the federal government, and it's still kinda of scary going into the club because of that thought.

But the clubs themselves are very welcoming. 

The first one I went to is called Cannabliss. It is located in SE Portland, off of 7th Ave, in a renovated Fire House.

First, you walk into a big room, where the attendant has you fill out an application and requests to make a copy of your driver's license and your OMMP paperwork.

The first time you visit, and fill out the paperwork, there is not a fee to enter the club. After your first visit, there is a $5 fee for each time, or membership packages for around $20 a month, or $150 a year.

The club itself is set up to accommodate those who wish to medicated with other OMMP cardholders. There are couches and a nice relaxing place to hang out with your friends. In a separate room is the farmer's market, where several local farmers can meet with patients. For a donation to the farmer for his or her supplies to grow the medication, you are able to safely choose your medicine.

Keyword: CHOOSE. 

There are choices! When I first entered the room, I was overwhelmed by the number of strains available to me. In Idaho, having weed was good weed. The only choice was schwagg or Dank. And even then, schwagg could pretend to be dank. In this club, I was able to talk to the grower, understand what kind of strains were helpful for what symptoms. I was able to see, smell, and even sample different strains. Some are for bedtime. Some for in the morning. I could get edibles, tinctures, lotions, cremes, and even pills...

The only bummer of the entire experience was the cost. Recommended $10/g donation. It is the same cost on the streets of Portland. But for $5 extra I was able to choose my kind of medicine in a safe and secure setting, so the benefits definitely out weigh the only negative of high cost.

I also checked out a club called Brothers. The club itself is a lot smaller, and they do not offer a farmer's market where you can meet multiple growers, but the process was essentially the same. The only difference is that they obtain the medicine from the grower and provide it to patients for the donation. Their club dues are $10 total when you apply for membership, and then you make a donation for the medication.

There are multiple strains to choose from and it is similar to talking to one of the farmers at Cannabliss. 

And again the only bummer was the cost. At this club, the recommended donation is $10 per .9 or .8 or even .7 of a gram depending on the strain. There are several other clubs I intend to check out when I have time, I hear that several do not have membership fees.

But, like I say, the benefits definitely out weigh anything negative about this.

At one point, as I was entering one of the clubs, there was a police officer parked right down the street. At first, my Post Traumatic Idaho Disorder (PTID) got my heart beating a bit, but then I reminded myself that I am about to walk into a legit business, legal under state law.... the same state that pays his paycheck. And I have a card that protects me from arrest and prosecution should that officer decide to pull me over on my way home.

Not like in Idaho, where my heart would be pounding and I would be praying to just make it home so I can put my medicine away. Praying I didn't get pulled over, and have the officer confiscate the medicine on which I had just spent my last $50, the medicine that will help me to live for the next week without dealing with too much excruciating pain. The medicine that helps me to be a mother, a student, and a productive human being.

Praying I wouldn't have to deal with officers and the court system, prosecution and even child protective services because for some reason they all believe that this plant is harmful, when science and history both show that it is not. Yes... the benefits definitely out weigh the negatives of high cost.

I just wish I could grow it myself, but that is a topic for a different post.

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