Legislative Update for 2016 Session

Wow, it's been forever. Almost a year to be exact. I oftentimes get lost in blood sugar checks, solving the puzzle named Owen's unpredictable seizure activity, coaching Dex's activities, keeping track of doctor's appointments....blogging has taken a definite backseat....it's actually ten miles in my rear view mirror and not even in the car. But dang it, I have GOT to make a point of documenting this journey...simply for the mere fact that I anticipate losing my mind and will need a reminder.😫 So Owen and I were in Topeka multiple times this session yet again. Our crew made history; no other marijuana-related bill has ever passed either chamber. We were beginning this session being essentially almost halfway finished. To make a long story short, our bill was changed, batted around like a pinball, amended to the point where there was nothing left of it. Its parameters no longer benefited Owen,....they nolonger helped anyone. We thought we had a decent strategy in play. We had--we thought--a few key legislators who were pushing this bill to be heard, amended to its original version, and bundled with a few other promising bills in conference committee. Well, unfortunately, legislators did NOTHING with our bill. They're so consumed with the financial hole Kansas is in that our children have to wait yet at least another year. On a related note, I feel a huge gaping hole dividing Kansans who are neck deep in this movement. Patients and people who are fighting tirelessly using an "all or nothing" whole-plant approach have been pitted against parents of epileptic children who believe a gradual process is the only way these legislators will EVER take a step in the right direction. My strategy is obvious. However, the crew I work ran into some criticism this session. We are selfish. How can we help our child and leave everyone else behind? CBD-only is not the answer, patients need more....how can you support this and not whole-plant medicine? I think the most unfortunate part of this divide is the fact that we all essentially agree on the end result. Do we as parents only believe in CBD-only treatment? Heck no. Of course we support whole-plant legalization. We are simply choosing a different path to reach the same end result. I would like to dream that someday soon we could all realize that dividing and conquering will not work. Only until we pull together in masses will we see the results we want.