By Lindsey Rinehart
As a patient that relies on cannabis as medicine to keep Multiple Sclerosis at bay, I am increasingly frustrated by certain officials within the state of Oregon that keep trying to take away safe access to that medication. There are now moratoriums all over the state of Oregon, by county and city, and some are still in the process of making their own moratorium. We need to be very vocal to keep safe access from being denied.
Safe access points allow me, and the 55,000+ other Oregon medical cannabis patients like me, to have safe, reliable, tested medicine to a medication that our doctors agreed that we need, Cannabis.
On Thursday April 17 there was a local County Commissioner Meeting held in Clackamas County and public testimony was taken on a number of things. I went to address the proposed moratorium as there is a hearing about it on April 24 in Clackamas County- where I reside and work. Every commissioner has refused to meet with anyone regarding this moratorium, and their reading of HB3460 (The bill that allows dispensaries in our state.) or SB1531 (The bill that allows “time, place, and manner” to be planned by local municipalities.) is questionable at best.
Here, Board of County Commissioners’ Business Meeting Agenda at 51:50, I have read an e-mail that they all neglected to respond to, and Chairman Ludlow is addressing what I have said. He states that dispensaries are illegal in Clackamas County when in reality they are NOT illegal in Clackamas County. They don’t even vote on the proposed moratorium until the 24th! They had only voted it through for a second reading, sans declaring an emergency, back on April 3rd.
How you can help: That meeting is at 10am, on April 24 at 2051 Kaen Road Oregon City, OR 97045. Please show up early, ready to testify with a 3 minute speech on why you need safe access in Clackamas County.
International Women’s Cannabis Coalition will have a meeting to plan strategy at The 45th Parallel at 6pm on Tuesday April 22: https://www.facebook.com/events/1428064947448429/
There is also a rally the morning of the meeting that we Need patients and others to show up to at 8:30am! https://www.facebook.com/events/230675097131315/
I would love to see as many of you there as possible. Please help us fight for safe access for Clackamas County patients.
