PGMCG in Europees Parlement
De doorbraak die de PGMCG in Tilburg bereikte is ook in het buitenland doorgedrongen. Sterker nog, Marian en Serge mochten zelfs het Europees Parlement toespreken tijdens een speciale bijeenkomst over cannabis. Op deze pagina’s een fotoreportage en info over hun toespraak. In hun speech vertelden Marian en Serge over de ontstaansgeschiedenis van de PGMCG, en hoe zij inmiddels toestemming hebben gekregen van de gemeente Tilburg om zelf in hun eigen medicinale cannabis te voorzien met een speciale kweekvergunning. Hierover hebben we in het vorige nummer uitgebreid over geschreven. Een mooi citaat uit hun (Engelstalige) speech: “Doctors need to be informed about the medical use of cannabis. Smoking is not the only way to use it. You can also use cannabisoil or cannabistincture, edibles and more.”
Wild-West
Ook legden ze uit waarom veel patiënten zelf gaan kweken. Dit vanwege de hoge prijs van mediwiet in apotheken, het gebrek aan variëteiten, het gebrek aan vertrouwen in de legale mediwiet en de gamma bestraling van de mediwiet. Nog een citaat: “For those reasons, many patients obtain their cannabis ‘off- grid’. But these cannabisproducts are not quality tested by any authority. There‘s no information about useful components (different cannabinoids, terpenes, etc) or toxic components like pesticides, heavy metals and funghi. The off-pharmacy part of the medical used cannabis is absolutely ‘Wild-West’ at this moment.”
Zelf kweken
Nadat Marian en Serge in hun toespraak uitleggen hoe de situatie nu in Tilburg is, benadrukken ze nog eens waarom het zo belangrijk is om je eigen mediwiet te kunnen kweken: “There are many different cannabisplant varieties, with many different medical purposes. One variety can work out in a different way for two different patients, the choice of a variety is a very personal one. It’s important to offer a wide range of diverse cannabis varieties. But the availability of medical cannabis varieties is restricted. In the Netherlands for example, only five different varieties are available in pharmacies and many medical cannabis consumers cannot find the product they need for their specific illness. There is some scientific knowledge about the medical benefits of cannabis, but only limited scientific research has been done. Cannabis probably has far more benefits than scientists know at this moment. Many of the patients we know, learned by their own experience which type of cannabis plants suits their disease, what specific cannabis strain is useful in their situation. Most of the time this variety is not for sale in a pharmacy or coffeeshop.”
Hoge prijzen
Waarna ze met deze terechte conclusie vervolgen: “The pharmacy prices for this medical cannabis are high. When a patient uses cannabisoil he might use about 5 grams daily. This will cost a fortune at a commercial price. In this discussion we almost forget: medical cannabis users are ill people, mostly patients since quite some time. They lost faith in health insurances, doctors and the government. They want to be in control again. If you grow your own plants in your own way, you choose your own plant strains, you are 100 % sure no toxic sludge is used for your plants. That brings patients back in control again. Being in control is for many patients a good start to deal with their illness. It gives them energy, mental power and autonomy, it makes patients stronger. These insights meet our idea that patients should have the right to grow their own medical cannabis!” Namens de Highlife redactie zeggen we, goed gedaan PCMCG! www.pgmcg.nl Door: PGMCG
