I made an appointment to see a doctor who prescribes marijuana for medical purposes. He’s in Marin County, north of San Francisco. His office looked like storage space; piles of boxes covered with a marijuana-leaf-pattern blanket in the front room.
The doctor asked my name but did not check my ID. He wrote down my address and phone number. No Social Security Number.
He asked why I was there. I told him about my periodic leg pains. He marked “arthritis”, “chronic pain” and “migraine” in the form. Did not do a check up or ask for medical records. I signed the form without reading it and he walked me over to the next-door office to pay for the $150 visit and look at the menu.
There were two small boards on the wall. The one on the left had names of various kinds of marijuana in different colors, organized by price. The top brand was called J-1. How cool and appropriate, I thought. I bought 1/8 ounce for $55.
The man behind the counter looked like Garth Algar from “Wayne’s World”. His chair was too low or the counter top was too high. He was soft-spoken and helpful. He explained the return policy: If I didn’t like what I’ve purchased, I could return and exchange it with another kind.
The board on the right listed the cookies and candies made from marijuana butter or extract. I bought two brownies. Unnecessary. Holy Shit! Half of one literally put me to sleep for half a day.
***
I had heard how easy it was to get medical marijuana in California. Now I know. It is very easy. For all practical purposes, this is the legalization of pot. Amsterdam’s coffeeshops were the testing grounds and now a bold step in the most influential state in the United States. Several other states have legalized medical marijuana as well.
For those who have been waiting to enjoy pot the same way others enjoy their beer, wine or whisky, this is a historic occasion.
Also let’s hope this means in coming decades governments will stop the loss of countless lives and waste of billions of dollars in futile drug wars in Mexico, Colombia, Afghanistan and…
Drugs are bad for you. Alcohol is bad for you. Cigarettes are bad for you. Control them. Tax them. Educate the public on their negative effects. But do not make them illegal to adults. Banning drugs will not get rid of demand and criminals will become distributors.
Thank you California for getting it.
***
I heard this song on the radio last night. There aren’t many this beautiful:
