LIST OF QUALIFYING CONDITIONS IS
EXPANDING TOO.
SHELLEY: WMUR’S MIKE CRONIN
LOOKS AT HOW FAR CANNABIS HAS
COME, AND WHERE IT’S GOING.
SHELLEY: MIKE: EVERY DAY KAYLEE
HUCKINS DEALS WITH THE INTENSE
PAIN SHE SUFFERS FROM A BLADDER
DISEASE.
SHE TRIED MEDICATIONS BUT
NOTHING SEEMED TO WORK AND
THERE’S NO CURE.
>> NOBODY HAD ANY ANSWERS.
IT WAS LIKE, WELL, WE ARE AT THE
END OF THE ROPE, SO YOU HAVE TO
GO TO THE E.R. WHEN YOU ARE
HURTING.
MIKE: WHEN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE
LEGISLATURE PASSED MEDICAL
MARIJUANA AND FOUR DISPENSARIES
OPENED IN 2016, HUCKINS HEADACHE
CONVERSATION WITH HER DOCTOR.
THE 43-YEAR-OLD HAD NEVER TRIED
CANNABIS.
>> EVERYBODY HAS THAT STIGMA
AROUND IT, BUT FOR ME, IT IS
COMPLETELY LIFE-CHANGING AND I
HAVE QUALITY OF LIFE BACK.
THE PAIN IS COMPLETELY DECREASED
TO A LEVEL THAT I CAN SOMEWHAT
FUNCTION.
MIKE: SINCE HER FIRST VISIT TO
SANCTUARY ATC, SHE HAS NOT HAD
TO DEAL WITH E.R. VISITS OR
MEDICATIONS AND HER TREATMENT IS
EVEN HELPING WITH ANXIETY AND
INSOMNIA.
>> I HAVE ABOUT THREE COOKIES
EVERY NIGHT AND MY BODY IS
ALLOWING ME TO GET FOUR TO SIX
HOURS OF SLEEP.
>> 60% OF WHAT WE DO IS MOST
LIKELY A NON-PSYCHOACTIVE
OPTION.
THAT’S GOING TO BE TOPICALS,
SAVES, TRANSDERMAL PATCHES.
>> OUR MOTTO IS START LOW, GO
SLOW FOR EVERYONE.
AND WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
MIKE: SANCTUARY ATC STARTED WITH
ABOUT 30 PATIENTS ON OPENING DAY
ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.
NOW THEY SEE MORE THAN 1300.
STAFF WORK ONE-ON-ONE TO EDUCATE
AND TREAT THOSE WITH STATE
ISSUED CANNABIS CARDS.
>> THROUGH TALK AND DISCUSSION,
AND THE FACT THAT WE OFFER NON
PSYCHO-ACTIVE PREPARATIONS, THAT
REALLY HELPS ALLEVIATE A LOT OF
TREPIDATIONS THAT SOME OF THE
PATIENTS HAVE WHEN THEY FIRST
GET HERE.
MIKE: STATEWIDE THE PROGRAM HAS
MORE THAN DOUBLED, NOW
APPROACHING 5000 PATIENTS,
RANGING FROM FIVE YEARS OLD TO
99 YEARS OLD.
ALMOST 90% OF QUALIFYING
PATIENTS SAYING THEY’VE REDCUED
THEIR USE OF PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONS.
>> I KNOW THERE IS STILL
EMERGING SCIENCE AROUND CANNABIS
AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO OPIOIDS.
I DO THINK IT IS ANOTHER
INTERESTING DATA POINT TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DEBATE.
MIKE: LAST YEAR THE LEGISLATURE
APPROVED A NEW QUALIFYING
CONDITIONS, MAKING IT AVAILABLE
FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC AND
SEVERE PAIN, PTSD AND PAIN THAT
IS NOT RESPOND TO OTHER
MEDICATIONS.
>> WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF
PATIENTS COME IN WITH MULTIPLE
SCLEROSIS, ALSO PARKINSON’S
DISEASE, AND IN ADDITION,
DRAMATIC SPINAL CORD INJURIES.
MIKE: MARIJUANA POSSESSION IS
DECRIMINALIZED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
AND LAST MONTH THE HOUSE GAVE
THE INITIAL OK TO LEGALIZE
RECREATIONAL USE.
BUT THE GOVERNOR AND OTHERS SAY
IN THE MIDST OF A DRUG CRISIS,
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO MAKE THAT
CHANGE.
SANCTUARY SAYS IT’S READY TO
ACCOMMODATE INCREASED DEMAND AS
THE MEDICAL CANNABIS PROGRAM
GROWS.
AND FOR HUCKINS, SHE HOPES
OTHERS CAN FIND THE PEACE SHE
FINALLY
