VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE IGNORES CALLS FOR MARIJUANA POLICY REFORM
Three marijuana policy reform bills were introduced in the 2012 session of the Virginia General Assembly, but none of them were given a fair hearing. Alexandria delegate David Englin introduced two bills to advance reform efforts. HJ 140 would have created a committee to study taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol, and HJ 139 would have called on Gov. McDonnell to support efforts to reschedule marijuana. Separately, Roanoke Democrat Onzlee Ware introduced legislation that would have made it easier for individuals charged with possession of marijuana to have court and arrest records expunged. None of the bills advanced out of their respective committees.
One way that local activists are fighting back is by introducing measures at the local, city, or municipal levels that call on the General Assembly to get serious about marijuana policy reform. The Charlottesville city council passed one such measure in May. If you’d like to help your town pass a similar ordinance, please let us know.
© 2012 Marijuana Policy Project. All rights reserved.
Virginia Legislature Ignores Calls For Marijuana Policy Reform
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Free Online Disability Expo with IDA September 27, 2012
Free Online Disability Expo with IDA September 27, 2012
IDA Teams Up with Allsup for a FREE and Online True Help® Disability Web Expo
There will be more than a dozen leading nonprofit organizations presenting, including theInvisible Disabilities Association and Allsup.
Virtual booths with experts in health, Social Security Disability Insurance, financial planning, Medicare and health insurance will be available to provide screening services, answer your questions and listen to your feedback.
This free online event will support the specific needs and interests of people with disabilities and chronic illness. Caregivers, healthcare providers and the general public also are encouraged to attend.
Overcoming Negativity
I have been struggling with severe depression and anxiety for years, more so over the past two. My latest episode started in late May or early June. I was feeling more and more down and very anxious about everything, having small panic attacks every so often. The stress of getting my daughter ready for her trip to Europe was making me feel adversely about it. I was wishing that I didn't have to deal with it. More and more I didn't want to be Mommy. I was tired of what that role entailed. I was beginning to resent it. The more I despised the responsibilities of motherhood the more withdrawn I was becoming. I hardly cooked dinner, using frozen meals to feed my family. I stopped caring whether or not the kids did their chores or cleaned their room. I isolated myself in my safe zone - my bedroom. The month of July was the progression of the depression. By August it was full blown. All the cracks that have formed over the months finally gave and I fell apart. August 18th was my first break down. I was overcome with sadness and my anxiety was on full blast spewing negative images and memories over and over in my head. I wanted to go to the hospital but I talked to the crisis nurse at Kaiser and she pushed up my appointment with my psychiatrist to Tuesday. So I spent the weekend trying to cope as best I could. I was put on Celexa when I saw my psychiatrist to help with my anxiety and proceeded to survive as best I could for the rest of the week. The next weekend was spent going up to Buffalo to pick the kids up from my mother in law's house where they've been for two weeks. I was extremely miserable and had to hide it as best I could from everyone. I should have gone to the hospital while the kids were still away, but by the 31st I had reached rock bottom.
I drove myself to a local hospital to hopefully be admitted to the psych ward. I also had a very bad migraine so I got treated for that as well. I spoke with the social worker and explained to her what was going on and how I didn't want to hurt myself or anyone else but I felt like I should have never been born or I wish I wasn't alive. She talked to the doctor about admitting me and he said yes. I got up to my room after 1 a.m. and had my purse and phone locked away. I changed hospital gowns to one without strings, went over paperwork and my meds and had a skin evaluation by the nurse. She looked at all of my scars and my tattoo. I was given a snack since I haven't eaten dinner and I went to bed. I had a private room with a bathroom. There was only a bed in the room. There was a t.v. in the lounge as well as newspapers, books, puzzles and games to keep us occupied. I was woken up sometime after 7 a.m. to have my vitals taken and to eat breakfast. I didn't have anything but the clothes I wore to the hospital so I put those back on. Then it was time for medication which was given at the medication window, just like in the movies. The rest of the day consisted of groups and activities. First was goals group where we had to write down what goal we are trying to achieve for that day and how we will achieve said goal. The day went on with groups focusing on self esteem, anxiety, stress, spirituality, and art, music and pet therapy. At the end of each day we would have “Goals Wrap-Up” where we state whether we achieved our goal or not and the lesson we learned that day. We also had a lot of journaling time and I written in mine almost daily. It helped me get my feelings out because I have a hard time verbalizing them when my anxiety has a different emotion every minute of the day. There’s always too much going on in my head and I tend to forget what I wanted to talk or write about. So, every time I had a particular feeling about something I made sure to write it down in my journal so I can work on it later.
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