UNPARALLEL PATHS

The statistics are staggering. In 2006, marijuana arrests reached a
record 829,627, with one occurring every 38 seconds. Of these, 89%
involved mere possession, not sale or 'manufacture'. [1] The Bureau
of Justice Statistics reported in 2004 that state and federal prisons
held 41,507 individuals on marijuana-related offenses. [2]

So, when Irv Rosenfeld of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, lit a joint at a
press conference this past Tuesday, November 20, the fact that he
wasn't arrested should be newsworthy by itself. But the absence of
handcuffs, Miranda warnings, plea agreements, and parole officers are
what make Irv Rosenfeld a prominent public figure and what formed the
basis for this groundbreaking press conference. That day, he
celebrated his 25th anniversary as the second individual to
participate in FDA's now defunct Compassionate IND program. He
marked this 'Silver Anniversary' by pulling another pre-rolled joint
out of a round, silver tin containing 300 such cigarettes that he
continues to receive each month from the federal government.

To me, Irv would have been just another reform advocate had it not
been for a video of him taken on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court
after the U.S. vs. Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative hearing. In
that video, he uttered four magic words, "Multiple Congenital
Cartilogenous Exostosis." I played it over and over.

That snowy February evening, I had returned from the Alzheimer's care
unit where my father lay dying. Until that video, my dad was only one
of three people whom I had ever known to have 'Multiple Exostosis.'
My son and I were the other two. In a matter of days, I would lose
one of those people, only to find another. It had always been
comforting to be close to someone who understood this condition so well.

Multiple Exostosis is a rather rare disorder, occurring in one of
every 50,000 people, for an estimated 5,000 cases nationwide. [3] It
is characterized by numerous lesions called tumors, which occur at
the end of long bones and can result in a deformity of the bone,
pain, spasticity, and even cancer.

Even though we share an uncommon condition, it's hard to suggest that
Irv's life and my life followed parallel paths. Although we're almost
the same age, Irv's condition occurred spontaneously, while mine
manifested genetically. Irv learned he had it after a childhood
baseball injury; I knew from birth. We both grew up in middle class
homes, but his condition was treated in a prestigious New England
medical center; I went to a community hospital. By age 17, we both
had relearned walking as a result of multiple surgeries. Irv
underwent four procedures, three on his left leg and one on his right
wrist; I had tumors removed from both of my knees.

We both entered college in the early 1970s, and because it was, well, the 1970s, experimentation with marijuana was a 'required course.' From cannabis, Irv regained the ability to sit for more than 10 minutes. I was introduced to cannabis by my boyfriend and have enjoyed a 35-year love affair with both ever since.

During the early 1980s, Irv was accepted into the FDA's Compassionate
IND program, which provided cannabis to patients who could complete a
complex application process. I tracked this program through that
decade as a market analyst for a pharmaceutical company. In the
early 1990s, the program closed to all but current patients at about
the same time a corporate merger eliminated my job.

Both Irv and I have gone on to successful careers, which defy the
stereotypes that often accompany marijuana. As a Ft. Lauderdale
stockbroker, Irv handles financial transactions each day in the
millions of dollars. He is also a skilled disabled sailor and avid
softball player. A graphic designer by trade, I earned my APR [4]
certification in 2000 and, shortly thereafter, joined the staff of
DrugSense/MAP and co-founded the Ohio Patient Network.

Fast-forward to 2007 finds us both well-known medical marijuana
activists who share the same rare bone disorder. This commonality is
where our unparallel paths end.

When medical marijuana laws slice and dice qualifiers, the condition
becomes a pivotal point. Have the more common cancer, glaucoma, or
Multiple Sclerosis, and you're in. Have a rare disorder like
Multiple Congenital Cartilogenous Exostosis and you're out ... unless
you have been grandfathered into the Compassionate IND program.

This program accords Irv the special privilege of lighting a joint at
a press conference without fear of arrest or prosecution. He will not
lose any driving privileges or professional licenses. There will be
no handcuffs, Miranda warnings, plea agreements, and parole
officers. Unlike me, if I were to do the same, he will never become
a statistic.

And that's the poignant irony. The Compassionate IND program showed
what was possible for those with both common and rare medical
conditions. It was based on cannabis' therapeutic value, a
physician's care, a prescription, and a distribution model. Under the
Compassionate IND, participants - even 25 years later - cannot be
arrested, prosecuted, or hassled in any way for their marijuana use.

Irv is a remarkable man. He could remain a successful Ft. Lauderdale
stockbroker, who quietly receives his government-issued silver tin
each month. Instead, he chooses to venture into a world where others
risk arrest to testify before the cameras about the difference that
cannabis has made in his life. He is a hero to many.

To me, however, there is a unique connection. I hearken back to that
snowy February evening, remembering the special man that Irv
replaced. Irv holds an esteemed position. He is now only one of
three people whom I have ever known to have Multiple Congenital
Cartilogenous Exostosis.

Happy 25th Anniversary, Irv. May our paths converge to end this war
on medicinal cannabis.

[1] "War Against Marijuana Consumers" NORML
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3400

[2] "Senate Committee Weighs Costs of 'Mass Incarceration' as
Marijuana Arrests Top 800,000," Marijuana Policy Project.
http://drugsense.org/url/25hYzkvg

[3] "The Genetics of Hereditary Multiple Exostosis (HME)," Sandra A.
Darilek, MS and Jaqueline T. Hecht, PhD. http://drugsense.org/url/26WU5cOZ

[4] Accredited in Public Relations (APR) certification by the Public
Relations Society of America (PRSA). http://www.prsa.org/PD/apr/index.html