Tune in to NORML Live tomorrow at 8pm

I was interviewed last week by NORML’s “A Different View” crew: http://www.facebook.com/ADifferentView420. The show will air tomorrow at 8:00pm and includes a brief discussion with myself and two other parents who have made the decision to use cannabis on their child. Continue reading “Tune in to NORML Live tomorrow at 8pm”

Cannabis reform 2012 — I’m looking at you, California

It’s time I wrote another more generalized bit about cannabis. This site is about Alex, but I also want people to learn something new now and then.

Recently, the federal government has been making a lot of threats to states with medical marijuana laws. In Montana, this resulted in a bill with the intent to cut the 30,000 people who previously qualified for medical marijuana down to just 2,000. The feds seem to suddenly only believe that marijuana should be allowed for the terminally ill and those in intense pain that can be absolutely verified beyond the shadow of a doubt. The idea is to keep people from using the medical laws to partake in pot smoking. Continue reading “Cannabis reform 2012 — I’m looking at you, California”

Alex updates – June 13th

This week was all over the place. As I mentioned last time, I started my new job and have been able to visit Alex a bit. Unfortunately, his Thursday and Saturday weren’t nearly as good as Tuesday. He was hurting himself both days, and needed his helmet again. I brought him a burger yesterday and he barely touched it – this was a key part of prior visits, as he loved the burgers and we were able to count on making him a bit happier by offering him a little treat. Continue reading “Alex updates – June 13th”

New job and stuff

Started the new job on Monday, visited Alex Tuesday, and am generally very busy. Not a lot of time to update here or respond to emails. The good news is that Alex has been able to go without wearing his helmet for a long time now (probably a full week by now, I think). We’re hoping his med combinations can actually keep him relatively stable for a while. Continue reading “New job and stuff”

Best visit ever, bad news, good news

Best visit ever!!

We saw Alex this weekend, and it was by far our best visit ever. He’s happier than he’s been in a very long time. He only had one really serious meltdown, and it lasted only about ten minutes or so. And to be fair, it was my fault for trying to take him on a carousel ride “one more time” when I should have known better. Continue reading “Best visit ever, bad news, good news”

Happy videos posted

Not much to say – check out the video section, and you’ll find a new video with clips that actually make you feel hopeful instead of depressed. These are clips from two of his really good marijuana doses, where he was doing things that are really important to learning – exploring with his hands, and verbalizing “ba ba” and “ma ma” sounds. Continue reading “Happy videos posted”

Videos added

I’ve just uploaded a video containing clips of some of the most difficult self-abuse Alex has ever had – just click on “Video” in the upper-right – or click here.

The first clip is when Alex was around 3 or 4 and first began his self-injurious behaviors. It’s actually pretty tame when you see what comes afterward, but it just tears my heart in two to watch, because he’s so little there, and back then we still got to see his happy times far more often than the sad. Continue reading “Videos added”

Autism, marijuana, and the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act

Read Alex’s Story before this if you want to know who we’re talking about here. A quick summary, though:

  • Alex is a child with autism, seizures, and severe self-injurious behaviors
  • We’ve tried many medications and talked to several specialists over the past several years, all with no luck
  • Marijuana, approved in Oregon for his seizures, proved to calm Alex while also making him more engaged in the world around him
  • We couldn’t keep a steady supply of marijuana, and Alex no longer can live with us
  • His new state-run home will not give him marijuana even if we find a supply
  • His behaviors are once again getting bad, and they’ve had to use physical restraints multiple times to keep Alex safe
  • Our life is a living hell right now Continue reading “Autism, marijuana, and the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act”