ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Gets to George W. Bush, Raising Awareness For ALS, Not Plight of Medical Marijuana Patients

Have you heard of the ice
bucket challenge? Probably. You get a bucket of ice dumped on you
and/or donate money to the ALS Association. The social media
sensation has
helped raised $23 million for ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s
disease) since July 23 and brought attention the fatal an not well
understood neurodegenerative disease. Even George W. Bush had a bucket
of ice dumped on him by his wife, and has challenged
(challenging someone after you’ve completed the ice bucket
challenge is how it became viral) Bill Clinton to do the same
thing.

Despite those whose first
instinct is
to criticize, the ice bucket challenge has done a great job
raising money and awareness. One aspect of the fight against ALS,
however, hasn’t gotten as much attention, and that’s the plight of
ALS patients who
use medical marijuana to slow the disease’s progression and
alleviate their pain. Even though recreational marijuana is legal
in Colorado and Washington and both recreational and medical
marijuana are decriminalized to one extent or another in numerous
jurisdictions around the country, drug warriors on the policy and
law enforcement side continue to target medical marijuana
users.

Here’s one example, from Florida last year, a state now
considering legalizing medical marijuana.
Via the Tampa Bay Times:

It seems a real estate agent had been checking out a house next
door when she spotted marijuana plants growing in the back yard of
Bob and Cathy Jordan.

Several deputies, detectives and undercover narcotics cops in
ski masks later, two mature plants and various seedlings were
confiscated, and the case was turned over to the State Attorney’s
Office to determine if charges are to be brought against Ma and Pa
Jordan.

This would almost be comical if Bob was not worried it might
lead to his wife’s death.

Charges against the Jordans were eventually dropped. Cathy is a
long time medical marijuana activist and had a 2013 bill in Florida
to legalize it named after her. The Drug Enforcement Administration
continues to raid medical marijuana
dispensaries around the country, even in
states where recreational marijuana is legal. Marijuana remains
a Schedule I drug, with the government denying any possible medical
or other benefits to using it.