Please reply to the discussion post. There are two discussion post below. Please respond to each post with a minimum of ONE PARAGRAH FOR EACH POST
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WeekFOURDiscussionreplies.docxAmber Lopez-Gaxiola
Cannabis use in Health care facilities
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To Senator Ben Hueso
State Senate, District 40
3030 H St. Ste. 200
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Marion Lopez-Gaxiola
1234 45th St.
San Diego, CA 92105
Dear Senator Ben Hueso,
My name is Marion Lopez-Gaxiola, I am a resident of district 40 here in San Diego, California. I’m writing to talk to you about medical cannabis usage in health care facilities. There is evidence showing that the use of cannabis alleviates symptoms associated with terminal illness, and yet it is not allowed to be used in health facilities with patients that are at end of life (Luba et al., 2018). My grandmother suffered from pulmonary cancer and opioids like morphine were unable to keep her pain away during her last days.
There is evidence showing that terminally ill patients whose pain was not efficiently managed with opioids alone, reported reduced pain, fatigue and improvement in symptoms by using THC cannabis (Luba et al., 2018). We must provide a better option to those who suffer and whose pain cannot be managed by regular medications or opioids. Individuals should be able to manage pain in a compassionate manner without regulations that prevent them from being in less pain.
Additionally, there are multiple studies showing the link of opioid overdose to prescription use, from 1999 to 2006, prescription opioid poisoning deaths went from 20,000 to 37,000 (Carter et al., 2011). From 2004 to 2007, 1,668 people died from prescription of opioid-related overdoses. Cannabis has demonstrated efficacy in treating muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, cachexia, neuropathic pain and others. We need to support the use of cannabis to protect individuals from overprescribed opioid use that does not take away their pain, allow the use of cannabis in these facilities and help ease their pain at end of life.
Carter, G. T., Flanagan, A. M., Earleywine, M., Abrams, D. I., Aggarwal, S. K., & Grinspoon, L. (2011). Cannabis in Palliative Medicine: Improving Care and Reducing Opioid-Related Morbidity. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 28(5), 297–303. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909111402318
Contact Senator Hueso. (n.d.). Senator Ben Hueso Representing Senate District 40. Retrieved from https://sd40.senate.ca.gov/contact/email
Luba, R., Earleywine, M., Farmer, S., & Slavin, M. (2018). Cannabis in End-of-Life Care: Examining Attitudes and Practices of Palliative Care Providers. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 50(4), 348–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2018.1462543
SB-305 Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act or Ryans Act. (2019, September 14). California Legislative Information. Retrieved from https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB305
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Angelica Chaudry
Week 4 Discussion
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Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia
U.S Congress 58th District
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0058
Angelica Chaudry
Los Angeles, CA 90201
Dear Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia,
I hope this letter receives you well. First and foremost thank you for your leadership in legislation in recent years. My name is Angelica Chaudry and I live in Los Angeles, which is the 58th congressional district in California. I’ve used menstrual products since I can remember. I initially started my menstrual cycle at twelve years old and the was history, and not in a fairytale way.
For years, women worldwide have complained for quite some time about the expenses of menstrual products. Not only are menstrual products unfairly expensive but they are also taxed heavily. Women should receive all menstrual products free of charge, not only did we not ask for this but also for the pain that is experienced during one’s period free menstrual products should be free.
Worldwide, about 12.8% of women and girls live in poverty and have a hard time accessing the resources that they need when their period comes around. A tampon tax makes it much more difficult for women and girls who are in low-income families or those who can barely afford their basic needs (global citizen??). Women in California pay well over 20 million dollars every year for taxes on menstrual products such as pads, tampons, sanitary wipes, cups, sponges, disks, and more. We urge you, Assemblywoman Garcia to strongly consider exempting the use of sales and use tax on menstrual products to start. It would be a great help to the community and women now only in California but this can influence other women worldwide.
Sincerely,
Angelica Chaudry
References
2020 legislation. Assemblymember Cristina Garcia Representing the 58th California Assembly District. (n.d.). https://a58.asmdc.org/2020-legislation.
Bill text. Bill Text - AB-31 Sales and use taxes: exemption: menstrual hygiene products. (n.d.). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB31.
The tampon TAX: Everything you need to know. Global Citizen. (n.d.). https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/tampon-tax-explained-definition-facts-statistics/#:~:text=The%20tampon%20tax%20is%20as,eliminate%20the%20tampon%20tax%20sooner.
