Springettsbury mom to appear on Taking the Hill about medical marijuana

Source

The Springettsbury Township mother of two has been fervently campaigning for Pennsylvania to legalize the medical use of marijuana, a drug she and her husband, Chris Ferro, believe may help their 13-year-old son, Michael, who has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a rare, incurable form of epilepsy triggered by light.

This really caught my attention. this is one of a few topics im passionait and even the fewer that i can talk about on ATS without getting banned. I hope this mom really has her stuff together because I want her to blow away the audience.

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy. Seizures usually begin before 4 years of age. Seizure types, which vary among patients, include tonic (stiffening of the body, upward deviation of the eyes, dilation of the pupils, and altered respiratory patterns), atonic (brief loss of muscle tone and consciousness, causing abrupt falls), atypical absence (staring spells), and myoclonic (sudden muscle jerks). There may be periods of frequent seizures mixed with brief, relatively seizure-free periods. Most children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome experience some degree of impaired intellectual functioning or information processing, along with developmental delays, and behavioral disturbances. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome can be caused by brain malformations, perinatal asphyxia, severe head injury, central nervous system infection and inherited degenerative or metabolic conditions. In 30-35 percent of cases, no cause can be found.

So this is horrible. What about treatment?

Treatment for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome includes clobazam and anti-epileptic medications such as valproate, lamotrigine, felbamate, or topiramate. There is usually no single antiepileptic medication that will control seizures. Children who improve initially may later show tolerance to a drug or have uncontrollable seizures.

I guess cannabis really is the only answer. What does that say about our culture and our politicians if they deny this child a harmless plant with the potential to help him with this disease?

I support her. What does it say about our society if Washington DC allows it for themselves but the majority of the country is still criminalized. It's a farce and total hypocrisy. People shouldn't be forced to abstain from meat given to us and it shows they're uncompromising when it comes to the rights of the citizens. S + F

a reply to: onequestion

Unfortunately, our new Democratic governor has already said that it needs more study and that it won't happen for a few more years if at all.........

The police state in Pennsylvania is making too much bank on arresting people with very small amounts of MJ on traffic stops!

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: onequestion

Unfortunately, our new Democratic governor has already said that it needs more study and that it won't happen for a few more years if at all.........

The police state in Pennsylvania is making too much bank on arresting people with very small amounts of MJ on traffic stops!

I thought Tom Wolf was all for it?

a reply to: onequestion

this is one of a few topics im passionait and even the fewer that i can talk about on ATS without getting banned.

You've said that a few times, yet you're still making threads. Stop...

I guess cannabis really is the only answer.

No, but definitely another piece of the puzzle we're not supposed to take notice of...yet we are.

puff, puff, pass...

originally posted by: onequestion

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: onequestion

Unfortunately, our new Democratic governor has already said that it needs more study and that it won't happen for a few more years if at all.........

The police state in Pennsylvania is making too much bank on arresting people with very small amounts of MJ on traffic stops!

I thought Tom Wolf was all for it?

Not according to what I read before the election.

I would have voted for him if he was for legalization! But sadly, he played the PC answer when questioned on it......

Who knows, now that he is in maybe he will change his toon. Unfortunately though, Pennsylvania is about as corrupt as our nations capital, so I won't hold my breath!

NYC announced they won't be arresting for minor marijuana offenses but they'll issue citations for most of them. As usual it's progress but nothing really changes lol.

a reply to: onequestion

my thinking is, even if they are not positive grass will help this kid, how could it possibly make it any worse?
ANYTHING is worth a shot when your child is suffering....
that is the only argument that should be needed from these parents....
nothing else matters.....

a reply to: Grovit

Suffering is the name of the game. If it helps the people in any way, they have to knock it down and oppress it. It's always about making sure the people don't matter. Utter disregard for life...

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

here is the thing as how i look at it...

if my baby girl was suffering and i thought for a micro second that grass could help her, i would be getting it by the cartel load and the law can stuff it....
thats it...
talking about my baby man

Sending good energy their way in best hopes the cause does well. Not familiar with the show but see that it's MSM, going beyond grassroots to help the cause. That is for it to help the many in needs where this is one of the options for them.

originally posted by: Grovit
a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

here is the thing as how i look at it...

if my baby girl was suffering and i thought for a micro second that grass could help her, i would be getting it by the cartel load and the law can stuff it....
thats it...
talking about my baby man

Parents down here in Australia were recently busted for doing that for their son. The laws are pathetic. And big pharma wants to keep us unwell...

a reply to: Grovit

I guarantee you if some senator or mayor needed it for their family they'd have the best dealers with medical grade stuff in half an hour.

Devils who run this world really.

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

of course...
i have to say though...grass can be found by anyone at any time
the most important thing is the kid getting it i would think...

hit the street, score, give to kid....
nobody has to know anything

fact is, it is illegal as crappy as that is so they might not want to shout from the rooftops...

there is a time for advocacy and a time to handle #...

you know

a reply to: onequestion

I don't hide my use much at all on ATS, I proudly admit that I smoke, but not for recreational use, but to help with my crohn's disease... To those out there who believe this plant is the devil, let me ask you, how is marijuana any worse for you than Rx drugs these doctors are trying to pump into my body for my severe crohn's? Right now, I'm taking 25 pills a day for my condition, and that number is climbing with a new (additional) prescription they are recommending I take...

When I smoke, those pain levels I've learned to deal with over the years slowly drift away... Also, I'm able to put food down for a change (which is great knowing how much I love to eat)... Also, Cannabis has anti-inflammatory properties, and crohn's people are dealing with inflammation during flare ups, so the plant serves good in this case as well... When I smoke in the comfort of my home, at night, away from all people am I really a danger? Am I some criminal? Well, federal law states I am in fact a criminal for what I'm doing and it really pains me because I try to do things the "right" way, but in this case, the Govt. has it wrong... very wrong...

There is not a single person on this planet who can prove to me that alcohol, cigarettes, and Rx prescriptions are any better for me than marijuana... And when you look at the numbers, it's easy to see that marijuana is not anywhere close to the same category of the three things I mentioned above. Alcohol, cigarettes and Rx are killing people at record rates, but marijuana is looked at as the EVIL drug......

And to the lady in PA.. I really hope you stay with the good fight. I do believe we are trending in the right direction, only issue is that these things don't happen over night... We have a lot of "old" school law makers who still have "Refer Madness" fresh in their minds....

a reply to: jhn7537

I hear you man. It helps a lot of people.

another fact is, we all break laws...every single one of us.

we were not consulted when the laws were drafted.....we did not agree to these laws...

im not talking about laws that deal with morals...murder, rape, etc etc....we all know by instinct that its wrong.
talking about all the rest.

we follow these laws cause we dont want to get busted, go to jail, face fines, etc....
we all decide which laws are 'worth' breaking.....

mj is against the law....so what? if an adult chooses to consume it, so what? they are well aware of the law and they take the risk..apparently it is worth it to them...i know it is worth it to me.
if i get popped i have nobody to blame but myself....that said, i am not gonna be a good little soldier and follow along just cause it is written somewhere.....

the law says you have to wear a seat belt....i never do. personal choice. i got popped a couple days ago for it..it cost me 140 bucks...bad day for me...i was not pissed at the cop. he was actually pretty cool about it...i was speeding too(not by much) and he let me slide on that. the wife didnt have her belt on and he let her slide on that.
my fault, i paid the ticket....i chose to break that law cause i dont agree with it...

these are my personal views and i am not saying people should go out and break the law...im saying we all do in one way or another...
traffic laws, minor infractions, etc.....

my point is adults should not have to qualify themselves for what they do...

i smoke cause this and that and this....well grass is not as bad for you as booze and tobacco, etc etc....

i do what i do cause thats what i want to do.....bottom line

sorry for the little tangent.


i still say these parents need to look at what is important. imo, when your kid is suffering, advocating for or speaking out against things should take a back seat.

if i thought grass would help my kid, they would have some in an instant and if it actually did help, i would become a master grower......

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: jhn7537

I hear you man. It helps a lot of people.

It really is a frustrating topic for us all... Here in Illinois I'm now able to apply for my medical marijuana card (Crohn's falls under the 38 diseases Illinois has approved Marijuana for), but the issue with my state is that they are really making people climb through a million hoops to be able to get this card. From background checks, to being finger printed, to paying way over market value for what "street" prices are... It's almost easier to just do it illegal...

And I do find it funny that insurance companies, like Blue Cross Blue Shield (in my case) aren't even entertaining marijuana yet to be covered under plans...

We live in a world of total utter BS....

So disheartening to hear all these stories of politics getting in the way of quality of life. If she looses her battle there, her and her family will always be welcome in Colorado.

originally posted by: onequestion
I guess cannabis really is the only answer. What does that say about our culture and our politicians if they deny this child a harmless plant with the potential to help him with this disease?

The plant is not harmless and you do a disservice to your post when you claim it is.

It is, however, ridiculous that it's not allowed to help treat this child.