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The emptiness of Kennedy Park feels intimidating, even on this spectacular sunny afternoon.
Flags and wreaths decorate the park and World War monument. Where are the children, the families, the picnics? Even the old time gazebo is empty. Do I have enough courage to get out of the car and photograph this monument?
Relief…. One lone fellow sits on a park bench. Very friendly. Wind moves a wreath out of place. He puts it back in place for my Examiner.com photo.
“Why aren’t you at a picnic?” I inquire.
“I’m in too much pain today,” he says.
Turns out the poor fellow has been in chronic pain for 7 years. “I had pneumonia and went back and forth to Braddock Hospital 3 times. Finally I went to Mercy Hospital for an operation. Ever since then I’ve been in chronic pain.”
“And now for the past 4-5 years my hips are falling apart so I’m in a lot of pain and on a lot of medication. Friends have told me marijuana would help but I’m afraid to try it because it’s illegal.”
Last month, Representative Mark B. Cohen Dem. 202nd District Philadelphia County introduced PA. House Bill 1393 which would allow for the medical use of marijuana in Pennsylvania.
According to Rep. Cohen, there is support throughout the rest of the state of Pennsylvania. But Allegheny County has been very quiet on the issue of HB1393. The bill will most likely not come up for a vote until there is support in Western Pennsylvania.
I ask my new friend why he thinks that Pittsburghers are so soft-spoken on this issue. “It’s a small county with so many different police departments and people are afraid of the police and afraid of their doctors. They don’t want to go to jail and they don’t want their doctors to say see you later. Hit the bricks”
He’s even afraid to give me his name for this article.
As a reporter I have tried to cover this story for my readers. I’ve left messages with numerous pain clinics, hospices and doctors to see if they would like to make a statement - pro or con regarding HB1393. None have returned my emails or telephone calls.
I challenge my readers - go to any gathering of your closest friends Ask what they think of this bill.
According to Rep. Cohen, all that has to happen is for the people of Allegheny County to stop being so quiet on the medical marijuana issue.
Comments
Thank you very much for this story and your investigative efforts. It certainly is good news that you are making these efforts, and no one is calling you back to say that they are opposed to House Bill 1393. The era in which nearly everyone vies to compete for the honor of issuing the strongest condemnation of marijuana in any and all circumstances is clearly over.
But we do need people to say they are in favor of medical marijuana for legitimate medical purposes. Hopefully, as time goes on
For those interested in contacting their state representatives, you can look them up by zip code on the Pennsylvania General Assembly website. This will link you to the particular representative's web page where you will be able to find their contact info.
Dev,
Nice work on this professional and legitimate article. I have gotten a little bit of positive feedback on my Examiner page on the issue.
Rep. Cohen is a courageous politician, which is something I didn't believe in.
-Mike
I have been using MMJ for 8 years and am willing to go on the record and testify before the state legislature. The burden of proof is on the opponents to prove that it has NO medicinal value. There is ample evidence that it does.
Dev,
I'd like that very much. I don't drive, but we don't live too far from one another, either.
I don't harbor any extra malice for the chains. I love coffee, even though it's a nasty commodity, no matter who is selling it.
-Mike
Did we not learn anything from alcohol prohibition?
Marijuana prohibition has been an indisputable failure. Legalize it and take the money out of the black market. Marijuana is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco yet both of those substances are legal (and should be). Every year our prison system releases violent offenders to make room for non-violent pot smokers. That is just plain insanity. Think of how better society would be served if our law enforcement efforts were directed more
Think of how better society would be served if our law enforcement efforts were directed more towards dealing with violent individuals. We would also save BILLIONS of dollars on prosecution costs and jail expenses every year.
There is also substantial evidence indicating marijuana has numerous medical uses as well.
We need to look at this issue using nothing more than basic common sense. Isn't it time to drop the "Reefer Madness" stupidity?
Well, here's one person who is definitely in favor of medical marijuana. I've seen a number of people--cancer, dystonia, chronic pain, arthritis, glaucoma--who have benefitted very much from ingesting or smoking marijuana. At one time it was the law in this country that farmers had to grow it! Stop the nonsense and legalize medical marijuana!
Don't you find it odd that nobody has bothered to post a negitive comment...HELLO! Just legalize it for medical use. People would not have to get it off the street where it could be moldy or laced with chemicals like downy fabric softener. For petes sake the stuff is organic. It's an herb not a drug,the next time you think otherwise read the data sheet that comes with your perscription. MMJ's worst side effects wear off in hours.
Since PA is so soft spoken on the issue, thank you for posting this and spreading the word! Hopefully your words will inspire others to do the same. I'm with MMEC here in CA, we have 7 doctor's offices where people can get a medical marijuana card, so I've seen how this drug helps so many people.
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