By John Kirvin

Medical marijuana is a subject that most people know about, but it is rarely a topic of discussion. However, I often run into stories about individuals with cancer or other health problems that would benefit from the use of the prescribed drug.
One story I came across was of a boy diagnosed with epileptic seizures one week after his eighth birthday. The boy was having seizures, sometimes every 15 minutes. The mother and his doctor became very concerned. The doctor told the mother that if the seizures continued lasting more than 15 minutes, the doctor would then have to perform surgery on the boy’s brain.
The mother asked if there was another route they could go, and the doctor said he could prescribe the boy anti-seizure medication called Triptal. The boy eventually stopped having seizures, but the side effects were disturbing his mother. The mother said he would scream, fight, punch himself and have suicidal thoughts. The mother caught him trying to commit suicide. The mother knew she had to take the boy off Triptal immediately.
The mother then looked into giving the boy medical marijuana pills.The mother got the boy on the medical marijuana capsules. Nine weeks after his eighth birthday, the boy is now a is a lot calmer and is living his life because of the pills.
Every time I read stories such as this, I wonder why the government making it so difficult for individuals with health concerns to get cannabis. My theory is because of money. The health field generates so much income from cancer and other health problems.
According to bankrate.com, cancer drugs cost $100,000 for a year’s treatment. Insurance doesn’t usually cover the complete cost and most individuals end up having to pay a co-pay.
Taxing purposes also come into effect. How would a state tax medical marijuana? How would the state put a cap on how many grams could be sold? These are questions that the government is asking itself.
Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia allow marijuana for medical use. The federal government in December agreed to no longer prosecute medical marijuana users and sellers in states where its use it legal.
Nebraska state Sen. Tommy Garrett is pushing to pass the Cannabis Compassion Care Act, stating that citizens in Nebraska in need of medical marijuana would be able to get it through the proper procedures.
Garrett is trying to make a really awesome thing happen because it shows that some senators do care about the well being of their citizens. It’s my opinion that if all senators were like Garrett, the world would be a better place.
I feel that medical marijuana should be legalized in all of the United States. It would help many individuals who suffer from health problems such as seizures, cancer and anxiety. The individuals who need it should be able to access medical marijuana with ease and very little interference from the government.