COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL FEBRUARY 22, 2017 11A
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF
Examining marijuana use as misconceptions follow changes to state law
R
ob Farquhar is in
constant pain. He
estimates that he
hovers somewhere around
a three on a scale from one to 10 and that if he thinks
about it long enough, the pain returns even after he’s
been medicated. “I would say my pain could get up to
a seven. At eight, it’s time to call the doctor because at
eight, you want to kill yourself,” he said.
At fi rst, it was opiates: OxyContin and the like that
would take the edge off for Farquhar. “It’s legal hero-
in,” he said, noting that he was on several prescribed
narcotics before being offered another solution by his
doctor: medical marijuana. That was approximately 16
years ago and he’s been using the medical marijuana on
and off since. It’s currently the only pain medication he
is on.
“I doubted it was working last February and so I quit
cold turkey,” said Farquhar, who has lived in Cottage
Grove since 2005. “But that created other health prob-
lems because I didn’t realize how much the marijuana
had been helping my pain. I’m just in so much pain, I
didn’t realize,” he said.
Farquhar joins thousands of others that have turned
to medical marijuana to help ease the burden of both
physical and emotional pain. Veterans have begun
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
using it to ward off the effects of war and for Farqu-
har, it helps dull the pain in his hips, back and legs. It
also helps stave off the memories of fi nding his infant
daughter dead in her bed.
While medical marijuana has been used for years,
the state of Oregon legalized recreational marijuana
with the passage of Measure 91 in November of 2014.
Subsequently, the legislature moved to tax the new
good and revenue poured in. Last year, Oregon report-
ed tax revenues of $14.9 million from the retail sale of
marijuana and in November of 2016, Cottage Grove
residents approved an additional three percent tax on
recreational marijuana.
But despite economic upsides, the legalization and
subsequent confusion over laws and usage have stoked
division between those who oppose the former party
drug and those who fi nd solace in its ability to mask
pain and anxiety.
“I would say the biggest misconception is that we’re
doing it to get high,” Farquhar said. “We are not. We’re
not doing it to get stoned. Everyone who’s seen com-
ing out of the dispensary doors, people assume they’re
getting high. No, they’re patients getting help.”
The misconceptions seemed to spring up after recre-
ational marijuana became legal with residents 21 and
older able to purchase up to one-quarter ounce of dried
marijuana, have up to four immature plants and an
unlimited amount of seeds.
More recently, further clarifi cations and mandates to
the original law have altered the blurred lines between
medical and recreational marijuana.
As of January, medical marijuana dispensaries were
prohibited from selling recreational marijuana. Buyers
of recreational marijuana were also permitted to buy a
larger quantity and pay a lower sales tax.
“It’s expensive,” Farquhar said. Before slipping on the
ice and further injuring himself, Farquhar said he used
to spend between $50 and $100 on medical marijuana.
Now, that amount has doubled. “It’s harder fi nancially
because federally it’s still illegal and I don’t know if I
can claim it or how it works,” he said.
Long-held worries over marijuana contribute to mis-
conceptions over medical use and a 2016 study by the
Oregon Health Authority seemed to support the notion
of use among minors. The student found nine percent
of eighth graders reported using marijuana. Moreover,
OHA found that 48 percent of adults in Oregon had
also used the drug at some point.
"I would say it helps chronic pain," Farquhar said in
addressing his specifi c use. "I think it's important that
people understand it's not to get high. It's not to get
stoned. It's to help."
LCC declares itself a "sanctuary campus" for students
Follows the lead of University of Oregon, others
Lane Commu-
nity College has
cmay@cgsentinel.com
joined several
other
entities
around the state
in declaring it-
self a sanctuary campus. The announcement came
on Feb. 8.
“Sanctuary” campuses, cities and other entities
have become more common in the wake of Pres-
ident Donald Trump’s executive order banning
individuals from seven Muslim-majority coun-
tries from entering the United States for a period
of 90 days. Further concerns emerged as rhetoric
surrounding illegal immigration and a potential
wall at the U.S., Mexico border and stories of ICE
round-ups of individuals based on their immigra-
By Caitlyn May
tion status became public. Non-violent activist
group, Cosecha initiated the idea of sanctuary
campuses as part of its mission to help the ap-
proxmitely 11 million undocumented immigrants
currently living and working in the United States.
LCC, in a statement concerning the new des-
ignation, said it would, “protect students from
intimidation, unfair investigation and deportation
and will take every legal measure to support stu-
dents.” It would also take actions to protect stu-
dents who may be in the country undocumented.
The University of Oregon also made the move
to become a sanctuary campus in November, cit-
ing Trump’s campaign promises to crack down on
illegal immigration. UO President Michael Schill
said at the time that the university would go “as
far as the law allows” in protecting its undocu-
mented students.
However, recent action concerning DACA,
or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, has
prompted further discussion of sanctuary spac-
es. DACA allows children brought to the United
States by their parents, and who qualify, to receive
two years of deferred action concerning possible
deportation.
South Lane School District may also consid-
er adopting sanctuary status according to super-
intendent Krista Parent. The issue, according to
Parent, has been brought to the district’s attention
and may end up on a future school board agenda
after the district does further research concerning
the consequences and requirements of declaring
itself a sanctuary school district.
The state of Oregon currently prohibits local
law enforcement from detaining or otherwise in-
teracting with an individual based solely on their
immigration status. Governor Kate Brown essen-
tially extended ORS 181.850 by prohibiting any
state agency from acting on immigration status
alone.
According to the Pew Research center, a
non-partisan research entity, approximately eight
million undocumented immigrants were working
in the United States in 2014. During the same
year, statistics showed that 52 percent of undoc-
umented immigrants originate from Mexico but
that number has decreased in recent years. States
with the highest number of undocumented im-
migrants include New York, New Jersey, Texas,
Florida and Illinois.
Senior Meals
Offering Meals on Wheels and
Cafe 60 at the following locations:
Anyone age 60 and older is served, regardless of income,
suggested donation is $3.
Guests under age 60 are welcome to attend for $8 per meal.
Cottage Grove Riverview Terrace
925 W. Main St., Cottage Grove
Noon: Tues., Wed., Thurs.
Creswell Cresview Villa
350 S. 2nd St., Creswell
Noon: Mon., Wed., Fri.
THURSDAY, FEB. 23: Cowboy Campfi re Stew or King
Ranch Chicken Bake
FRIDAY, FEB. 24: BBQ Smokehouse Chop or Turkey
Loaf w/Gravy
MONDAY, FEB. 27: Swedish Meatballs or Orange Glazed
Chicken
TUESDAY, FEB. 28: Southern Chicken & Rice or Baked
Ham w/Orange Glaze
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1: TBA
Keep your beat
PeaceHealth doctors help care for your heart –
from preventative care to emergency procedures
Drain/Yoncalla area
Served at 400 Main St., Yoncalla.
(For Douglas County Meals on Wheels eligibility, call 541-
440-3677.)
Suggested donation $3.00
THURSDAY, FEB. 23: Lima Beans w/Ham
FRIDAY, FEB. 24: Beef Enchilada Bake
TUESDAY, FEB. 28: Chicken Patty w/Gravy or Sweet/
Sour Turkey over Rice
– so you don’t miss a beat.
Adult and Pediatric Heart Specialists
Heart screenings Life-saving procedures
Grant Gording, BC-HIS
Board Certifi ed in
Hearing Instrument Sciences
peacehealth.org/heart
Jenna Buetow
Hearing Consultant
Free Hearing Screening
Same Day Appointments Available
www.grantshearing.com
1498 E. Main St., CG
541-942-8444