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Waiting for Trial
For fifteen years, from the time he was twelve, Todd McCormick has successfully treated his intense cancer-induced pain and, secondarily, his clinical depression with medical marijuana. This was all under the care and with the approval of a long list of physicians. Todd lives in California, the home of Prop 215, the medical marijuana initiative. In July 1997, the DEA arrested McCormick on medical marijuana cultivation charges and took away the medicine that uniquely treated McCormick's conditions, medical marijuana. Since then, he has deteriorated physically and mentally. He has lost a considerable amount of weight. The constant pain causes a low-level nausea that makes eating difficult and sometimes impossible. The depression has been grinding. After seven months of torment, in late February 1998, McCormick was finally persuaded to try Marinol®, a prescription form of THC, an active ingredient of medical marijuana. Marinol® eased most of Todd's symptoms. Then, only two weeks after beginning to use FDA approved, Marinol®, the federal government ordered McCormick to stop taking not only his legally prescribed Marinol®, but also hemp seed oil and other hemp seed nutritional products that McCormick uses as part of his anti-cancer diet. Recently the court tested Todd's urine, and it showed the presence of THC. This was fully expected. The powerful synthetic THC, Marinol® McCormick had been legally prescribed was still in his body. Witnesses could have vindicated this scientific fact, but none were called by the prosecution, as required by law. So McCormick, who gave himself up at the precise time he agreed upon was sent to prison for the government's error. Todd now awaits a canceled hearing, later he will await his trial. |
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