| High Country Caregiver |
By Bob Starrett
Now that may seem like a strange question to ask — and something that will make some people crazy when they hear it — but if you just think about it, it is a completely timely and appropriate and smart and rational thing to do.
Let’s just look at a scenario that could happen to anybody and at any time. You are going through life minding your own business and you do something stupid, or somebody else does something stupid and you end up all busted up. Hopefully you didn’t have to go to the hospital, or if you did now you have been released and you are at home, still all busted up.
Or maybe you only had to limp down to the doctor but you are still at home all busted up. Or maybe you didn’t go to the doctor at all, for whatever reason. It doesn’t matter; you are still all busted up.
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Normally, assuming that you did see a doctor, you would be all set to follow the doctor’s recommendations to rest up and do this and this but not do that. Chances are that you are laying around taking in a huge dose of Big Pharma ads and offers while you are watching whatever you can that can hold your interest in the daytime.
Now, if whatever the doctor gave you is not working so well with the pain (God forbid that pain should be treated) and you call the doctor’s office and the doctor changes the prescription, that is easy enough. Normally the doctor would just call in a prescription to the pharmacy and you would go pick it up or have somebody pick it up for you or have it delivered, assuming that you are not feeling so good about getting out of the house and possibly aggravating your injury.
But what if the doctor determines that medical marijuana might help with the pain and the muscle spasms? Can the doctor call it in? No, he cannot. You have to go to a “special place” to get that medication and your doctor may not have the appropriate paperwork at hand or might not be inclined to recommend for whatever reason.
Where does that leave you?
It leaves you all busted up on the couch; that is where it leaves you. On the other hand, if you had gotten a MMJ recommendation just in case this scenario were to play out, then you would be able to get medicine from a dispensary or caregiver without the extra hassle of having another doctor’s appointment and the requisite paperwork.
Of course you will say, nobody is going to get a card and not buy marijuana. The lure is too great. The fact that you have a medical marijuana recommendation — do you immediately become a recreational user? That is probably different for different people and personalities.
If you are the type who can buy a new television a couple of days before the Superbowl and let it sit in the box while you finish your other work and set it up right before gametime, then you have more willpower than most and will do well avoiding the dispensary. If, however, you are the type who will drop everything to set up the new TV as soon as you get home, then you might well just head for the dispensary.
Look at it this way. Many of us have leftover painkillers in the medicine cabinet from some time in the past. When we are done with them, we keep the leftovers. Why? Because if we have a re-injury or another similar injury, then we might be able to save a trip to the doctor and the price of a new prescription. Not to mention that the medicine is immediately available. And that doesn’t mean that you would take your hard painkillers for every little ache and pain.
But neither does having a medical marijuana recommendation automatically mean that you are going to become a pothead.
Of course by now you see the problem. Getting a card in anticipation of future pain is not going to fly under any state’s current program unless you lie to the doctor or have another qualifying condition.
Depending on where you live, you may well already have a qualifying condition. Of course, that is up to you and your doctor and of course the state Legislature. Most rational people would think it an acceptable prophylactic, having a recommendation at the ready.
Now I am not suggesting that anybody flirt with breaking, or break, any federal or state or even municipal law or even an HOA covenant.
I’m just saying… it is sort of between you and your doctor. And for now, the Legislature.
But if you have a qualifying condition, even if you don’t need relief right now, what would it hurt to get a medical marijuana recommendation? Just in case you get all busted up.
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Editor’s note: Bob Starrett, is a patent consultant in Denver, Colorado. He is the co-author of six books on optical disc storage technology, and his published magazine work includes more than 250 articles, reviews and columns on CD-ROM, CD Recordable, DVD-ROM and DVD Recordable technology for publications including PC Magazine, EMedia Magazine, CD-ROM Professional, Digital Video Magazine, Digital Content Creator, One To One, Online, Tape-Disc Business and others. He holds a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law.