Year of the Green

Harvest is upon us. More states are preparing to join our compassionate family. And it’s an election year.

Is it me or is this a year full of potential?

Take a look around: our medical marijuana lifestyle and community is thriving. All across this great nation there is movement forward, progress being made and political advancement.

Let’s start with harvest. With a fresh batch of crops coming into your local access points and collectives, there are a whole host of new strains available to patients and their needs. Check out David Down’s story (“Just What the Doctor Ordered”) about the latest discoveries being made about what specific strains can be used to treat a specific medical condition. For patients, this type of information is important—if not critical.

On the legislative front, the situation is no less different. Voters in Massachusetts will be asked to approve the legalization of cannabis for medical use. The situation’s the same in Arkansas. Kentucky is thinking about becoming an MMJ state.

Like I said, our lifestyle is thriving.

This November voters will be asked to choose their political leaders. Sure, Obama and Romney are keeping tight-lipped about MMJ—and Paul Ryan has mastered the art of flip-flopping on this issue—but its refreshing to see the candidates from two other major parties (Jill Stein of the Green Party of the United States and Gary Johnson with the Libertarian Party) speaking candidly and earnestly about the importance of medical marijuana rights. In the halls of Congress, no less than four bills designed to protect patients as well as our compassionate industry are being considered

For better or for worse, three states—Oregon, Colorado and Washington—will have legalization measures on the November ballot.

Our lifestyle continues to be embraced by the mainstream. Case in point: Lily Tomlin—the subject of this issue’s cover story—is starring in a new Reba McEntire show for ABC, playing a mother who uses medical cannabis.

Yes, it’s a challenge—our community continues to be afflicted with cease-and-desist letters and pigheaded law enforcement action—But if you read the signs like I do, it’s clear that while we might lose a battle here and there . . . we are most assuredly winning the war.

Medical marijuana and cannabis rights are here to stay. The rest of the country is just catching up.