Merced ban on medical marijuana sales awakens health concerns

Garrett Mayer found that medical marijuana controlled his seizures and the nausea he suffered after being treated for a brain tumor. Christopher Gonzalez has used it to treat lasting pain from an old injury, and his mother-in-law ingests it to control the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

But the three Merced County residents are among the medical marijuana patients who say they will be hurt by recent steps several cities have made to crack down on the growing, sale and distribution of cannabis.

Earlier this month, Atwater joined Merced and Los Banos in banning medical cannabis sales. Atwater voted to forbid medical marijuana dispensaries and delivery services in town; the city banned cultivation late last year.

All of this raises concern for Mayer, an Atwater resident who will no longer be allowed to grow his own cannabis plants. No dispensaries in Atwater or Merced means Mayer will have to travel farther for the only thing he says has successfully controlled his seizures.

Medical marijuana supporters and users voiced their disapproval at recent City Council meetings throughout Merced County. Mayer expressed his concerns in Atwater, explaining that he relies heavily on medical cannabis delivery services to treat his condition. He is a general contractor and a dog trainer and works close to 70 hours a week. He simply does not have time to travel long distances for the legal purchase of medical marijuana, he said.

In the past, Mayer said, he traveled to Modesto to purchase his medical cannabis, but that city, too, recently banned commercial marijuana cultivation, dispensaries and delivery services, The Modesto Bee reported.

Merced County’s three largest cities have been among the many across the state that have rushed to establish ordinances regulating cannabis in response to the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act which says, among other things, that cities that don’t have ordinances in place by March 1 will fall under state law. An effort to remove the deadline and give cities more time to create these regulations is being made in Sacramento.

Christopher Gonzalez, a Merced County Office of Education employee, shared his concerns in front of the Merced City Council earlier this month. He said he and his mother-in-law also use medical marijuana. He uses it to ease the pain from a lifted clavicle – the result of a bar fight about eight years ago, he said. Marijuana, he explained, has helped him more than any pain medication prescribed by doctors. It also helps him sleep well, he added.

But his main concern is his mother-in-law. The 65-year-old suffers from Alzheimer’s and Sundown syndrome, which causes confusion and agitation. Gonzalez said his mother-in-law occasionally goes through episodes of aggressive yelling and, for a while, it was difficult to get her to eat anything. Through his suggestion and approval of her neurologist, his mother-in-law ingests marijuana through edibles and lemonades. Gonzalez has noticed a significant improvement in her behavior and eating habits.

“Since the cannabis, we still have some bad days, but she’s eating,” Gonzalez said. “I know I’m not the only one in this situation. If this ban is not lifted, it’s going to hurt people.”

Gonzalez said that for his personal use, he still has some plants left from last summer’s grow but knows that won’t last him much longer. He is not exactly sure what he will do next.

He is continuing his involvement with the Central California Ag Science, Education and Research Coalition – a group that aims to educate communities and leaders on the economic and medical benefits of cannabis.

“We’re not just random people who don’t know what we’re talking about; we are working professionals,” Gonzalez said. “We hope our leaders will listen.”

Mayer, who bears a large scar on the right side of his head from surgery to remove the cancerous tumor, says marijuana has been the only medication that has provided him relief.

“It worked better than anything the doctors gave me, that’s for sure,” he said.

The Merced City Council has said it will do more research to consider viable options for patients who really need it. But the benefits of medical cannabis really depend on the patient, said Dr. Parminder Sidhu, a general oncologist in Merced.

While research shows that medical marijuana can ease nausea related to chemotherapy, for example, Sidhu said there are other medications available. But everyone responds differently to medication, he said.

Based solely on his observations as an oncologist, Sidhu explained that there are rare instances in which the prescribed medication to treat nausea does not work. Some of these patients will report that they start to feel better with the use of medical cannabis. However, there also are patients who will experience stronger side effects with marijuana, including hallucinations, he said.

“I normally tell my patients that I don’t recommend it, but if you enjoyed (recreational) marijuana (at one point) you may have an easier time with it and benefit from it,” Sidhu said.

However, a very small portion of his patients inquire about the pros and cons of medicinal cannabis, Sidhu said. He estimates that only about 2 percent of his patients will ask questions, and less than 1 percent will probably go on to try it.

“It’s not as common as you would think,” Sidhu said. “And sometimes (the benefits of medical marijuana) are a little overblown.”

The choice, however, is up to the patient, Sidhu said.

Mayer, for one, said he is not willing to compromise his health.

“With cannabis, all I have to do is a smoke a bowl before I go to bed, and the next day I don’t have any seizures – that’s what works for me,” Mayer said. “I’m sorry, but my health is more important than some city ordinance.”

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Merced ban on medical marijuana sales awakens health concerns."