My name is Jeremy Robbins and I use medical cannabis because I broke my neck in a bicycling accident 21 years ago. I am paralysed and have severe spasms and chronic pain, but I do not take any narcotics to mitigate my symptoms: I eat cannabis oil and smoke concentrates instead.
I have always had support from my doctors, have been a legal cardholder for almost 17 years and I have found a protocol that works for me using cannabis. I have a profound disability, but it is the draconian laws of cannabis that keep me handicapped.
I have never been in any sort of legal trouble with cannabis (or anything else for that matter), but I feel like a criminal in my own home and I have no place for Public Consumption. This is because I live in Public Housing and due to the nature of funding I could be evicted for using my state and physician approved medicine.
I strongly believe we need spaces for people to legally consume cannabis. I have used public consumption in Amsterdam, Holland and Vancouver BC, in the East Bay of Oakland and Berkeley as well as San Francisco. Legal spaces for cannabis consumption in Humboldt county, California and in Olympia and Seattle, Washington, and lastly in Portland, Oregon before the laws changed. We need this in the PNW and we need this now.
Places for safe, legal consumption would not only solve this issue for many in similar living conditions (like low-income, public funded apartments) but they would also serve as a community hub for those needing this accommodation. In light of COVID-19 restrictions, and due to shelter in place orders many have been consuming “illegally” in their living spaces. Consumption sites can be constructed in a way to limit the spread of the virus while still providing a legal space to medicate. Outdoor heated patio with the number of occupants capped at half in a socially distanced manner. Build it and they will come!
People living in low income residences and people with disabilities need social consumption space because they often struggle to get out into the community. This would incentivize and positively impact leaving home and exploring the neighboring city. Making connections with
others of similar interests and abilities vastly improves the quality of lives for people, especially those with disabilities, and this has the potential to serve as a hub. COVID isolation is real and can cause a host of health issues. We need to get out in safe ways.
As a person who uses a wheelchair for mobility, having access is another huge issue for places of consumption. I need to be able to move around and get into the restroom with relative ease. You would think in our world with ADA laws this would not be an issue but I have to fight for accessibility every day. Also, see my previous post on the ADA and cannabis. No protections.
Most bars and pubs do not have this sort of access and it can be challenging to navigate them, so a dedicated and thought out place of consumption is preferred. COVID-19 also requires distancing and limits on numbers of occupants so newer buildings have the best access and the hope is to find a space in one of the plethora of current building projects in the PNW. This could really benefit the cities on so many levels if they would begin the process of rule making around legal, safe and accessible social consumption.
In closing, I want to reiterate my support for spaces for cannabis consumption in the PNW. It can benefit many that are stuck in a legal conundrum not being able to consume in a Federally funded apartment or due to the Clean Air Act, provide a COVID restricted space like a covered outdoor patio with distancing. In these unprecedented times of isolation and fear it could act as a community hub and destination for marginalized communities. Please consider my story as you think about rule making.
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