Health Canada screwing me around.

[Marco Renda]

Well I just got off the phone with Mary Ann and she informed me that my renewal was sent out on Friday. She also informed me that my renewal is for 16 gr per day and not the increased amount that my dr had signed for. I was told that my dr was called by someone in their office to tell him that my amount is too high and so the dr backed down and sent a note stating to keep it at 16 gr per day. Who in the hell do Health Canada think they are? I will be seeing my dr this Thursday to go over this with him and to get him to give me a letter stating that I in fact need my increase. I have been at 16gr per day for the past 4 years and my medical conditions have worsened since my first exemption. If I had to stay at 16gr per day I will have to start taking pain killers that do more harm than good.

What do you folks suggest I do about Health Canada's interferience?

Take Care and Peace
Marco Renda
Federal Exemptee
Publisher & Editor
Treating Yourself
The Alternative Medicine Journal

[zigzag1a]

theres been quite a bit of this happening lately with hellth canada interfering with patient-doctor priviledges.
hellth canada has no bussiness phoning your doctor and making any kind of suggestions to him. they are not doctors merely beaureaucrats and don't have the information or education required to tell you or your doctor how much your daily intake should be.
i hope your not going to stand for this.

[Marco Renda]

i hope your not going to stand for this.

HELL NO! I already called my MP office and I will be discussing this issue with my dr on Thursday. If my dr refuses then I will look for a dr that has experience with mmj as my current dr isn't familiar and I am his first patient that he signed for

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[zigzag1a]

there has been a report that the new cards being issued have some kind of tracking device inserted into the corner of the card. it is a round bump apparently, that looks like a small button inside the card.
dunno at this point what it actually is.

[jb247]

God, this is sickening. When beaurocrats start to control how medicine is dispensed, or start telling doctors how to do their jobs, it simply sucks...I guess the only thing you folks up north can do is inundate your local MP's and such with complaints over the actions of these @$$es/

Peace...j.b.

[BUSH HATER!]

there has been a report that the new cards being issued have some kind of tracking device inserted into the corner of the card. it is a round bump apparently, that looks like a small button inside the card.
dunno at this point what it actually is.

Sounds to me like an RFID chip. Soon these things will be in everything you buy too. Pretty scary stuff.

Here's some more info on what RFID technology is, and why lots of people are worried about it...

http://www.eff.org/Privacy/RFID/

I wonder if you can just hit it with a metal punch and a hammer :cool: .

[zigzag1a]

i've been thinking that if my card comes equipped like this that some kind of accident like that may just happen to mine.



[
I wonder if you can just hit it with a metal punch and a hammer :cool: .

[Marco Renda]

I just got my card today and there is no bump in mine. Guess they already know all they want to know about me LOL

Marco

[bobbyD]

marco!!!

i am going to increase my daily usage amt,, in my MMAR,,, redo the form with my Neurologist,,,

if i am also subjected to this bullshit!!!! i think we should lodge a class action suit,,, with as many of us as we can,, go PUBLIC,, inform Canadians of ALL the bullshit issues with the MMAR

-renters insurance?
-doctor recommended increases
-installation Electrical codes
-gov't supply of PPS weed- Pretty Pathetic Shit!!
-growing issues - sexing seeds/time, moms, babies- next crops, cloning,
-cost of producing medication our gov't should be supplying us
-tax write offs
-personal security issues - new inspection team comes in 4 vehicles, RCMP fire , township- lets every freakin person on your street know you grow
- home invasions by freaks
-ignorance of MOST RCMP, city officials, on our MMAR legal rights - ''you can carry over 1/2 pound of dope on you in Canada WTF'' said by RCMP to me
--------------------

i can get really trivial here, and make a list forever,,, with all the crap we face as MMAR exemptees

anyone else have some issues to add to this list?? please do!!!

cheers
bobbyD

[zigzag1a]

good to hear that yours shows no apparent signs of a chip.
hopefully mine shows up the same. this is quite an interesting developement.



I just got my card today and there is no bump in mine. Guess they already know all they want to know about me LOL

Marco

[carl]

i am giving my license back and telling them to shove it youknowwhere
i will probably end up in jail over it, but they made me wait 10 weeks for my renewal without a license . while i was waiting, they said i was obligated to destroy all my plants and throw away all my cured bud :)

[BUSH HATER!]

they made me wait 10 weeks for my renewal without a license . while i was waiting, they said i was obligated to destroy all my plants and throw away all my cured bud :)

This is cruel and inhumane! Everyone knows that stress kills people. How much stress were you under for those 10 weeks, knowing that they could send the cops over at any time? As if a medical user, who is already sick, needs this piled on too!

Just thinking off the top of my head here, but I bet if you talk to every licensed cannabis user you would come up with at least one story by each of them where they got screwed over by HELLth Canada. What if all this information was compiled, and put into a class action lawsuit?

Just a thought. It REALLY pisses me off to see sick people abused by our fkd up system! :mad:

d

[zigzag1a]

we are trying right now to organize xmt's into a union of sorts to protect our rights. problem at this point seems to be some kind of competition between forums and med sites. this person dos'nt want to support that person and blah blah and petty jelousies getting between what we should be doing and what is actually getting accomplished. if we can't even co-operate at this point we're doomed.:(

[BUSH HATER!]

we are trying right now to organize xmt's into a union of sorts to protect our rights. problem at this point seems to be some kind of competition between forums and med sites. this person dos'nt want to support that person and blah blah and petty jelousies getting between what we should be doing and what is actually getting accomplished. if we can't even co-operate at this point we're doomed.:(

Ya.. I hear you there. If we could find a way to rise above this shit and work together... well... if we could do that we wouldn't need to have this conversation because cannabis would have been legalized YEARS ago! There are about 6 million users in this country, and about 1 million of them are admitted medical users. I believe that every single cannabis user is a medical user, they just don't know it yet. If they come home from a long day at work, and smoke a joint to relax, they are a medical user. They are reducing their level of stress, which will benefit their health and well being.

I wish I knew what the answer is here. There must be something more to this... something behind the scenes going on with fake activists who are government plants... there to start problems, and feed into the already existing issues until they blow up. I think we are being deliberately divided so we conquer ourselves. Then the feds can just pick us off.

[Marco Renda]

we are trying right now to organize xmt's into a union of sorts to protect our rights. problem at this point seems to be some kind of competition between forums and med sites. this person dos'nt want to support that person and blah blah and petty jelousies getting between what we should be doing and what is actually getting accomplished. if we can't even co-operate at this point we're doomed.:(

TY has worked and continues to work with pretty much every mj website out there. Well there is at least 1 that TY will never work with and that is CC and it's owner Marc Emery

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[carl]

we are trying right now to organize xmt's into a union of sorts to protect our rights. problem at this point seems to be some kind of competition between forums and med sites. this person dos'nt want to support that person and blah blah and petty jelousies getting between what we should be doing and what is actually getting accomplished. if we can't even co-operate at this point we're doomed.
one thing i know for sure is that i am being oppressed and i don't like it :)

[Neal]

Great, if the struggle to get legal isn't enough, they make it worse when you are. Maybe I should give up while I am ahead.

[carl]

Great, if the struggle to get legal isn't enough, they make it worse when you are. Maybe I should give up while I am ahead.
i think generally if you have the support of your doctors then you are going to be okay as long as you don't get carried away with the numbers :)

[Neal]

"the numbers"?

[speakrsrfun]

My Doctors won't resign for my renewal and Health Canada is the reason why. They tell me that the practice will no longer find it morally correct to give someone non tested measures of medication, yet they have no issues pawning off whatever pharmaceutical pill they can fire at me. I for one say SCREW YOU health Canada, you'll have to pry the bong out of my dead cold hands before I give up my meds, and that day isn't coming anytime soon, I hope.... We have to stand together on this one, and I for one have had enough of all the bureaucratic non socialist mumbo jumbo that’s been thrown at us sick people. We're not dead we're sick, and they are going to start to understand that soon, if not for us what are the future generations going to have to deal with in regards to this area.... Makes me ill to think they (health Canada) are less compassionate than some USA states...... yeah 1700+ exemptee's in Canada with 38 million in Canada, and in California alone they have well over 100,000 exempt with a population of almost 39 million, real compassionate county we have huh...., Peace and keep well.

Speaks

[carl]

the plant numbers :)

[carl]

you have got that right speaks. send it to the editor man. newspapers love that "cold dead hands" stuff. :)


My Doctors won't resign for my renewal and Health Canada is the reason why. They tell me that the practice will no longer find it morally correct to give someone non tested measures of medication, yet they have no issues pawning off whatever pharmaceutical pill they can fire at me. I for one say SCREW YOU health Canada, you'll have to pry the bong out of my dead cold hands before I give up my meds, and that day isn't coming anytime soon, I hope.... We have to stand together on this one, and I for one have had enough of all the bureaucratic non socialist mumbo jumbo that’s been thrown at us sick people. We're not dead we're sick, and they are going to start to understand that soon, if not for us what are the future generations going to have to deal with in regards to this area.... Makes me ill to think they (health Canada) are less compassionate than some USA states...... yeah 1700+ exemptee's in Canada with 38 million in Canada, and in California alone they have well over 100,000 exempt with a population of almost 39 million, real compassionate county we have huh...., Peace and keep well.

[BUSH HATER!]

Would this work? What if we run a website, designed for a single purpose, to shine a bright light on what is being done to everyone. If the website is organized in such a way that people can enter in their information into a somewhat standardized format, we could collect case histories from every exemptee in one section, and non-exemptees who are medical users in another section. Each person could talk about what condition they have, how cannabis helps them, what else they have tried, what HELLth Canada has done to them, etc, etc... Once enough people get behind a website like that I think it would be pretty hard to ignore. I think this would embarass the HELL out of HELLth Canada!

I'm willing to work on this if it is something we can brainstorm, and believe it will make a difference. I do website development, and have friends who do too. What do you think?

d

[speakrsrfun]

I'm in for whatever time I can spare, I'm a Graphic Designer with years of web experience so I'll be willing to pitch in, I'm just sick of being sick and tired of all this shite we go through to stay well. I haven't had a seizure during the day since I stopped taking my prescribed meds and started smoking more, lets just say I KNOW IT WORKS....... Lets get the ball rolling Twist A Spliff...., Peace and keep well.

Speaks


Would this work? What if we run a website, designed for a single purpose, to shine a bright light on what is being done to everyone. If the website is organized in such a way that people can enter in their information into a somewhat standardized format, we could collect case histories from every exemptee in one section, and non-exemptees who are medical users in another section. Each person could talk about what condition they have, how cannabis helps them, what else they have tried, what HELLth Canada has done to them, etc, etc... Once enough people get behind a website like that I think it would be pretty hard to ignore. I think this would embarass the HELL out of HELLth Canada!

I'm willing to work on this if it is something we can brainstorm, and believe it will make a difference. I do website development, and have friends who do too. What do you think?

d

[BUSH HATER!]

I'm in for whatever time I can spare, I'm a Graphic Designer with years of web experience so I'll be willing to pitch in, I'm just sick of being sick and tired of all this shite we go through to stay well. I haven't had a seizure during the day since I stopped taking my prescribed meds and started smoking more, lets just say I KNOW IT WORKS....... Lets get the ball rolling Twist A Spliff...., Peace and keep well.

Speaks

Sounds good. Lets bounce this around a bit, and see if anyone can blow holes through the idea. In the meantime, we can think up a domain name to use. I have some credits available to add another domain name to my enom.com account, so we're all set there. Lets see what kind of ideas we can brainstorm. This would not take much effort at all to get up and running. With a few thousand personal accounts of the benefits of cannabis, and lots of abuses at the hands of HELLth Canada and the cops, I think this would get noticed real fast.

Anyone else have something to add here?

d

[Cadillac]

since the US has taken over Canada with the dea and other Leo there making decisions. Other countries give in when the US gives them lots of money and now is training their leo. Now Canadians can see how hard it is for us to get bush out of office. Ya can't even get the dea out of Canada. When countries accept money and help from the USA they are then owned. Ya get nothing for free. I want bush out of the US more than you want him out of cCanada. Good luck trying. Cadillac

[BUSH HATER!]

Sounds good. Lets bounce this around a bit, and see if anyone can blow holes through the idea. In the meantime, we can think up a domain name to use. I have some credits available to add another domain name to my enom.com account, so we're all set there. Lets see what kind of ideas we can brainstorm. This would not take much effort at all to get up and running. With a few thousand personal accounts of the benefits of cannabis, and lots of abuses at the hands of HELLth Canada and the cops, I think this would get noticed real fast.

Anyone else have something to add here?

d

Here's a few domain names that are wide open in all categories:

cannabis4heath
cannabisforhealth
cannabiscures
cannabishelps
cannabisnotdrugs
cannabishelpsme

Any other ideas? Any thoughts on these?

[Marco Renda]

cannabishelpsme is a good 1

Marco

[BUSH HATER!]

cannabishelpsme is a good 1

Marco

Ya, that was my favourite too. Wife liked it too, so I bought it.

Step 1 [done]

[Mamahawk6]

Cannabishelpsme gets my vote! Where do I sign up?

[zigzag1a]

at this point we're trying to organize this xmt union thing out of the xmt only forums on eric nash and wendy littles web site which as far as i know holds the largest group of canadian exemptees. please if you are an xmt apply for membership and join in our union.
i'm not gonna put up a link as i'm unsure if this is proper policy.

[BUSH HATER!]

Okay... http://www.cannabishelpsme.com is active. I have it pointing to the TY main page for the time being, since there is nothing on the site yet. Marco, let me know if this is a problem for you, and I'll change it. By default it was pointing at http://www.coolmedia.com/ which is just a waste of time in my opinion.

I'm brainstorming ideas for the site right now, and this will take a couple days. I'll start a new thread so anyone who is interested can help get this off the ground. Don't want to completely hijack Marco's thread with this stuff :D .

d

[Marco Renda]

Hey zig are you talking about the medusers group? If so that is very old list and not very active. I am a member of that group if I am not mistaken

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[carl]

please if you are an xmt apply for membership and join in our union.
what are their goals?
when i was there, they didn't seem to have any :)

[BUSH HATER!]

Here's a pointer to the new thread on the CannabisHelpsMe.com project...

http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=22788

d

[zigzag1a]

i believe so, it's medusers on yahoo, phillipe, michelle, medpot marc,alison, opus , myself and quite a quite a few more are on there quite regularly, we have some legal advice through kirk and are lookinf forward to getting somewhere with this. one problem has been trying to get all the xmt's together.
take alook at what we have so far please. you know the sight.



Hey zig are you talking about the medusers group? If so that is very old list and not very active. I am a member of that group if I am not mistaken

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[pierre drouin]

when i got my permit my exemption 2 years ago i told my DR i was using 10 to 14 grams a day.

at that moment he told me to only apply for 5 grams so i wouldn't get refused from health canada.he told me apply for 5 so you get you foot in the door then at your renewal we will aplly for your 10 grams a day or more.

well when it came time for my renewal he told me i was staying at 5 grams a day because hell canada had called him about some one getting 28 grams a day ,i wont say any names but because of this i was told by my DR to be happy i have 5 grams and to shut up because the conservatives wanted to cancel everything all together.

so am also still at 5 grams a day.when i posted about it some one told me to shut up and be happy to have an exemption so i did.

alot of canadians are getting fucked around like this but all fell powerless really.

every one is scared to fight back.

i bitched at my DR he told me next time around he will apply for my 10 to 14 grams.

o and by the way people i lost my cultivation case trying to get into supreme court,they refused us.

but hey i shouln't complain right ,that's what am told :p


it's bullshit and not enough people are fighting the system to change things .

the other day that win in toronto was really good because i lost my case the day before.

i really dont understand what is happenning with the system.

they won't let me get into to supreme court to prove the laws are still dead but in a lower court a judge dismisses a guy .

am very confused right now,plus grant krieger goes to jail what the fuck is going on:mad:

am sorry for ranting but i've shut up for what a year now i've controled myself lol

anyways wish there was more people joining in the battle to fight,alot of people have before us and now we need a new generation of activist and fighters to legalize.

i lost my appeal in toronto ,i lost getting into supreme court ,now because of the case in toronto last friday maybe i will file a motion to ask the supreme court to consider my case since a judge in toronto has dismissed a man because the laws still haven't been changed with the government,no new legislation has been made.

so i will cross my fingers they let me in or i need to re start all over from superior court ,thencourt of appeal and suprem after.

man do they like to torture us and make us go true hell:eek:

well anyways that was just my 2 cent marco.

sorry to hear about the crap they put you true:mad:

give them hell:eek:

[Cadillac]

do you get charges filed or just your permit taken from you? or both? Cadillac

[slinky1961]

Depends on the Crown Attorney. Usually it is just a fine for being over your limit. if they are Goofs then you could be charged and lose your licence.
Does that help?:D

[No Coast Croppers]

The people you want to get through to don't read cannabis websites, buy pot magazines or listen to Bob Marley. Most don't read for that matter. File to become a for real NPO and HIRE someone to get your message out with a well devised, honest, and non-offensive target marketed message that has fact the can be 100% backed and manipulates emotions.

It's EXACTLY what the government uses against you to sell their bullshit lies of terrorism and the war in Afghanistan. They use professionals who have devoted their lives to selling the public ANYTHING by manipulating emotions such as fear and anger.

Medical Cannabis has to be marketed as though it is just the beginning of what they are willing to do to the sick. Will they take morpine away next? Your chemo treatments? Group it in with ALL medicine and our failing health system. Make it so there isn't just a group of potheads being victimized but EVERYONE is at risk of loss. They use fear tactics so use them back. Deliver the package to the public in a manner that shows that nobody is safe from having their medicine or treatments taken away from them.

People aren't going to give a shit about your potential loss UNLESS they too have something to lose.

Stop segregating yourselves and lump yourselves in with "all" the loses and cuts the govt are handing out. Someone not getting their license is just as bad as hospital bed closures and that's the image the public NEEDS to see.

[Marco Renda]

The people you want to get through to don't read cannabis websites, buy pot magazines or listen to Bob Marley. Most don't read for that matter. File to become a for real NPO and HIRE someone to get your message out with a well devised, honest, and non-offensive target marketed message that has fact the can be 100% backed and manipulates emotions.

Are you serious? I know for a FACT that non users are reading Treating Yourself Magazine! Our publication was gobbled up at the IDEACITY in Toronto and it was the movers and shakers of the business world that were in attendance. I know that most of them wouldn't go onto a mj website but they will read a publication filled with facts put together but mmj patients.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[Miranda]

Marco you of all people who have gone through so much already don't need this added stress - isn't this is a breach of doctor patient confidentiality? do they regulate insulin amounts? the # of AD's, anything else?

You and everyone else are being unfairly targeted by the very government department whose mandate it is to care for all Canadians without any prejudice. That seems to be all there is with exemptees - extreme prejudice and dictatorial management by a dept. that does everything in their power to make an already difficult life even more so for their fellow Canadians!

HC should take it's own temperature and find out what a sick dinosaur it is made so by the ineptitude of highly paid bureacrats who look out for themselves rather than the people who need it the most.

Go Public - You Shine in the Limelight :)

Maybe one of those consumer investigative reports? Get the media hounds on it for some answers why a legally exempt Canadian citizen is being so discriminated against by his own gov't ? Also begs how much privacy do we really have - if this can happen what next ? less tests ? less care?

[No Coast Croppers]

Are you serious? I know for a FACT that non users are reading Treating Yourself Magazine! Our publication was gobbled up at the IDEACITY in Toronto and it was the movers and shakers of the business world that were in attendance. I know that most of them wouldn't go onto a mj website but they will read a publication filled with facts put together but mmj patients.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

Are you saying a stack of magazines will reach the 7 million or more it takes to make real difference?

HOW?

[zigzag1a]

hello there no coast croppers and welcome to treating yourself.com.
i noticed that you hav'nt made an introduction as of yet.
it would be nice to know a little about you.




Are you saying a stack of magazines will reach the 7 million or more it takes to make real difference?

HOW?

[Marco Renda]

Are you saying a stack of magazines will reach the 7 million or more it takes to make real difference?

HOW?

Well lets see I thought that getting 1 person at a time would be nice but we managed to get to 50 of the speakers and hundreds of the attendees. Now to make it even better Moses Znaimer held up a copy of our publication when he introduced Michelle Rainey to the stage as a guest speaker. Michelle also had a copy of the latest issue in her hands. This event was taped and is going to be televised so yes MILLIONS of viewers are going to know about our publication and our cause!

Want to know more about ideacity check out their website http://www.ideacityonline.com/index2.asp

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[No Coast Croppers]

Only 6 999 650 people to go!.....gooooood luck!

[zigzag1a]

are you just here to stir up shit, or what?
how about an intro buddy.
:confused:


Only 6 999 650 people to go!.....gooooood luck!

[carl]

every one is scared to fight back.
i am not afraid pierre :)

[No Coast Croppers]

are you just here to stir up shit, or what?
how about an intro buddy.
:confused:

I'm a 6 year exemptee. What else would you like to know?

If you want to speak on my behalf be prepared to listen to constructive criticism of the other exemptees out there. Or is this just a one sided debate? If you want the support of exemptees you are speaking on behalf of the listen to what we have to say.


Can you answer me these questions:Why is there a crackdown going on against exemptees? Who is screwing things up for us that there is a need for a crackdown? Do you support the exemptees who are selling their crops? What other infractions that are damaging to the rest of us have been commited by so-called exemptees? Do we want those in our midsts?

[dee]

So exemptees have been trying to get together, this is true I am one of those people in question.
The debate is ongoing and getting a little redundant.
Anyone interested who is exempt please join medusers just to get caught up.

That said I would like to propose an Idea, You see all or most of the exemptees that are on some of the groups also have their own agendas; Keeping a high dosage, Running compassion clubs, others have committed themselves full time for other organizations on MJ and they are set in their own ideologies. They are all good things for mj but we can do more.

There are 30 active members looking to DO something, another 70 exemtees are registered to the site but are not as active. there are Many unaccounted for exemtees across Canada, I assume they are quiet because they just don't know were to turn. I am almost sure it is not because they are content with the HC system. If we don't know who they are its because they are probably hiding under a rock trying not to divert attention to their private health matters. That is our right after all.

A group of exemptees would indeed have a powerful voice in this country because we are legal. Even if Hydro companies , police, neighbours, and health Canada treat us like criminals, talk to our doctors etc. We are treated as second class citizens; when was the last time Health Canada phoned your doctor about your pain PILLS?

Anyway nothing will get done from a bunch of people sitting in front of their computer screens waiting for it to shit out answers.

I would suggest that in every province meetings be held, live and in person.
I know I would drive two or three hundred KM's and pick up as many people as I can along the way to sit down and talk to like minded exemptees.

We must flush out moles. We would never be able to do anything without the world knowing our direction if we just stick to these forums.

I have noticed this site is full of computer savy people this will be important to any group in the future.

I think it is great that one day pot will be legal, and it will happen. But if Canadian exemtees allow themselves to be trampled on by assholes than we can't do much for anyone else.
Legal HC exemtees speaking as one could set the record straight on pot, i.e. side effects or lack of them, the non addictive compounds etc. Once we can debunk all the U.S. driven hype we could literally change the MJ atmosphere which is already tipping in our favour.

Dee

[No Coast Croppers]

Dee - I agree that the same old tired and redundant avenues have gotten absolutely nothing done. It's doesn't matter how many rallys are thrown or speeches made to the same people over and over again the end result is always the same. The media makes a joke out of it.

I won't kick in any cash for another website or rally or smoke out or what have you but ask me for $50 to put a well written ad into Macleans and I'll gladly cough up. This is about getting through to voters and voters need to know what the govt is doing not to just exemptees but the health system in general. We need to make our fight part of the entire system so average Joe voter can relate to it. They will be more than happy to fight for our needs if we in turn fight for theirs. Like I said before the only way to make any serious changes is to make our loss parallel with ANY other cut back to medical services and have it so Joe average knows that he isn't safe either and that is called PERSONALIZATION

[Marco Renda]

Michelle Rainey did just that with her speach at IDEACITY. It will be televised on CITY TV as well as all the specialty channels that CITY owns. So yes we will be reaching millions of viewers.

I guess you agree with Health Canada regulations where exemptees are NOT ALLOWED to help 1 another with seeds, cuttings or meds.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[No Coast Croppers]

Michelle Rainey did just that with her speach at IDEACITY. It will be televised on CITY TV as well as all the specialty channels that CITY owns. So yes we will be reaching millions of viewers.

I guess you agree with Health Canada regulations where exemptees are NOT ALLOWED to help 1 another with seeds, cuttings or meds.

Take Care and Peace
Marco Yup. Doing so obviously leads to inspections and crackdowns especially when somebody is turning a nickle. If you want to go and buy somebody a bag or seeds from off the street knock yourself out but to do it under your license puts ALL of us at risk and has led to these inspections.

[Marco Renda]

Yup. Doing so obviously leads to inspections and crackdowns especially when somebody is turning a nickle. If you want to go and buy somebody a bag or seeds from off the street knock yourself out but to do it under your license puts ALL of us at risk and has led to these inspections.

I guess you were never in need. And for your information we won our case against Health Canada and the Ontario Court of Appeals ruled that licenced growers can grow for more than 1 person and that they can charge for their services. So are you saying that the courts are WRONG and that Health Canada is Right? I would hate to see something happen to your garden as you would have ailianated any help that might have been available to you from other exemptees with how you feel.

Can you tell me what you think our community has to offer you or what you have to offer it? TY is all about COMPASSION and we are all here to help 1 another in times of need

Marco

[No Coast Croppers]

I guess you were never in need. And for your information we won our case against Health Canada and the Ontario Court of Appeals ruled that licenced growers can grow for more than 1 person and that they can charge for their services. So are you saying that the courts are WRONG and that Health Canada is Right? I would hate to see something happen to your garden as you would have ailianated any help that might have been available to you from other exemptees with how you feel.

Can you tell me what you think our community has to offer you or what you have to offer it? TY is all about COMPASSION and we are all here to help 1 another in times of need

Marco
I've been in need but I took my lumps like man. I didn't expect others to manipulate a system that benefits more than just my circle of friends. I won't risk the licenses of 1400+ others who are in need, I'll go without until I'm capable of "treating myself".


Fine and dandy if someone is "licensed" and "designated" is doing the work and selling to the person who gave them the designation. That's not selling your meds for profit. It's getting paid for work done and the obvious outlay of time and expenses. Just like Prairie Plant gets paid for their LICENSED services.


Putting the licenses of 1400+ others at serious risk and scrutiny contains zero compassion.

[Pothead Pete]

have individual results. I for one will not stoop to get my seeds from "Health Canada" at 20$ for 10 seeds, whereas I can get my much higher quality and different varietal seeds or clones for FREE from compassionate medical users , be they exempt or not!! And by the way did you know Health Canada charges a 1500% markup on their meds supplied to those in the direst of circumstances,,,those that are disabled and mostly on fixed incomes or a disabilty of some sort? To hell with the regulations...I need my medication and I need plenty of it in different strains!!! We must stand up for our rights to be able to trade strains...this sure as hell keeps me from becoming "intolerant" to the same old strain. My life depends on this...thus I am going to continue to do what I have been licenced to do for the last 5 years as I feel it has had a profound POSITIVE effect on my prognosis.:cool: :cool:

[neutrino99]

follow rules blindly without bothering to ask who it is they protect.

I have spent most of my life as a totally rule following, law abiding citizen only to be told I am not allowed my medication of need (notice I did not say choice - every other med they tried to give me over the last ten years hospitalized me with some other condition and forced me into a state of total disability - never should have happened with proper health care and immediate interventions but you have to SEE your injuries to treat 'em).

I, for one, am grateful for the compassion of people that can see what the rules mean and cause to real people in real life and aren't willing to stand for more suffering when they are able to ease it in any way. I fully intend to do the same license or no. No one should have to suffer needlessly.

I played by "their" rules for 10 years and lost my house my car and everything I owned....now it is time to take my life and my health back. Sorry if you feel that lacks compassion but I won't change my actions as I beleive them to be right in light of any argument you think you could present. I have already had ten years to think about this and come to my own thoughts.

May you never need this compassion ...and to say you "took it like a man" implies that other people are less than you because they "give in" to their suffering??? I think you will not find yourself helped with much here or a lady to date with this attitude toward us. No one should suffer and to imply we should lacks the compassion of which you speak.

[zigzag1a]

i have no intention on speaking on your behalf.
oh was that constructive criticism you were dishing out?
did'nt even realize you were debating, looked like slander to me. certainly nothing positive about it.
i could care less wether i have your support or not.




I'm a 6 year exemptee. What else would you like to know?

If you want to speak on my behalf be prepared to listen to constructive criticism of the other exemptees out there. Or is this just a one sided debate? If you want the support of exemptees you are speaking on behalf of the listen to what we have to say.


Can you answer me these questions:Why is there a crackdown going on against exemptees? Who is screwing things up for us that there is a need for a crackdown? Do you support the exemptees who are selling their crops? What other infractions that are damaging to the rest of us have been commited by so-called exemptees? Do we want those in our midsts?

[Pain Pal]

Got my new card yesterday and found no lumps in it.And Pickles being a designated grower got her card .still no lumps in it eather thank God
John

[No Coast Croppers]

i have no intention on speaking on your behalf.
oh was that constructive criticism you were dishing out?
did'nt even realize you were debating, looked like slander to me. certainly nothing positive about it.
i could care less wether i have your support or not.

Do you feel you are being singled out? Why should you feel that way? It's obvious that more than one is selling their crop for cash to have these kinds of inspections and scrutiny happening. I'm a rotten person because I stink to the guidelines to protect my and believe it or not your rights? I'm evil because I won't share MY crop? Who says I won't go buy somebody a bag from a retail seller? Wouldn't that be the wise thing to do in order to protect your and my rights? If something did happen to my crop the world wouldn't end. I'd go do what the other 10 million who smoke cannabis in the country do to get theirs they don't seem to have any troubles finding anything so there is no excuse for somebody selling their medicine. It's illegal to sell or give any other Rx you get from your doc so why should cannabis be any different?

[No Coast Croppers]

have individual results. I for one will not stoop to get my seeds from "Health Canada" at 20$ for 10 seeds, whereas I can get my much higher quality and different varietal seeds or clones for FREE from compassionate medical users , be they exempt or not!! And by the way did you know Health Canada charges a 1500% markup on their meds supplied to those in the direst of circumstances,,,those that are disabled and mostly on fixed incomes or a disabilty of some sort? To hell with the regulations...I need my medication and I need plenty of it in different strains!!! We must stand up for our rights to be able to trade strains...this sure as hell keeps me from becoming "intolerant" to the same old strain. My life depends on this...thus I am going to continue to do what I have been licenced to do for the last 5 years as I feel it has had a profound POSITIVE effect on my prognosis.:cool: :cool:
You don't have to stoops so low to pay $20 for 10 seeds because it's 30 seeds for $20. I can buy clones to from any grower I want they don't have to be licensed why do the ones you buy from? There are plenty of seedbanks that will give free seeds to med users.

[No Coast Croppers]

There are plenty of forums hosted by MAINSTREAM MEDIA like CBC, CTV, Global.

Here is a nice one from Global. Looks like this guy could use the HELP of you wonderful oh so helping people.

h t t p : / / communities.canada.c om/shareit/forums/thread/92914.aspx

You aren't afraid of MAINSTREAM are you? No? Then why are there very few posts about medical cannabis on the mainstream news sites?

[Miranda]

to say you "took it like a man" implies that other people are less than you because they "give in" to their suffering??? I think you will not find yourself helped with much here or a lady to date with this attitude toward us. No one should suffer and to imply we should lacks the compassion of which you speak.

Couldn't agree more with Neutrino99 - your attitude seems to be patronizing, extremely biased and misogynistic as well.


It's illegal to sell or give any other Rx you get from your doc so why should cannabis be any different?

1700+ exemptees are but a very small fraction of the population using for medical purposes - the hundreds of thousands of us who can't get doctors to sign a form that by the way is not a RX - it is an acknowledgment of use and dosage.


You aren't afraid of MAINSTREAM are you? No? Then why are there very few posts about medical cannabis on the mainstream news sites?

If we controlled MAINSTREAM media we'd be ON it all the time. It's the media that's afraid of us - the truth gets out and the pressure is on to yank their license or cite them in CRTC violation.

[BUSH HATER!]

Got my new card yesterday and found no lumps in it.And Pickles being a designated grower got her card .still no lumps in it eather thank God
John

I have personally heard from exemptee's who have found this in the cards they just received last week. I'm not going to use their names without having talked to them first, but they are members here, so I'm sure the details will be coming out soon from them.

d

[No Coast Croppers]

Couldn't agree more with Neutrino99 - your attitude seems to be patronizing, extremely biased and misogynistic as well.



1700+ exemptees are but a very small fraction of the population using for medical purposes - the hundreds of thousands of us who can't get doctors to sign a form that by the way is not a RX - it is an acknowledgment of use and dosage.



If we controlled MAINSTREAM media we'd be ON it all the time. It's the media that's afraid of us - the truth gets out and the pressure is on to yank their license or cite them in CRTC violation.

What's stoping you from blitzing mainstream forums?

You can read whatever you want into "take it like a man" but to me it means I didn't compromise anyone's rights.

Why won't Dr's sign? Because they fear losing their credibility for signing up someone who is profiteering.

If you can sell your medicine off then you obviously don't need it as badly as you claim you do.

If your actions are causing me trouble you are damn well going to hear about it. My rights are being screwed with and I don't appreciate that very much.

[Marco Renda]

I used to purchase a quantity of mmj from other growers and distributed that but Health Canada doesn't care they state that you are still breaking their rules.

So say you know a person that is in need and you go out and buy that person some mmj YOU are breaking the rules. When they say NO HELP they mean NO HELP which is SCREWED UP if you ask me.

I know quite a few commercial growers that were helping me help folks in need, 80% of what was sent out was sent out for FREE and the rest sold at the same price that Health Canada is charging. The TYHHC never sent out a collection agency to those that couldn't afford to purchase their meds. All these meds that were distributed came from compassionate commercial growers that sold it to me at a reduced rate to enable me to distribute it to those in need for FREE.

Marco

[Marco Renda]

Oh yea I NO LONGER DISTRIBUTE MMJ

I only distribute TREATING YOURSELF MAGAZINE

Marco

[Miranda]

What's stoping you from blitzing mainstream forums?
Do you really believe we have not been trying to do that? :rolleyes:


Why won't Dr's sign? Because they fear losing their credibility for signing up someone who is profiteering.

I have to use daily to function and have never sold anything to anyone-the only people that are profiting from the continuing prohibition are the big pharma companies who are falling all over themselves to come up with cannabis derived drugs (4 to date) and of course the gov't. for all the cash brought in from fines, property seizures etc.


If you can sell your medicine off then you obviously don't need it as badly as you claim you do.

I don't know where you keep getting this from - I'm not selling anything and the other posters aren't either.

If anyone has profited here from helping anyone else it comes in the form of gratitude for their compassion.


If your actions are causing me trouble you are damn well going to hear about it. My rights are being screwed with and I don't appreciate that very much.

Who's causing you so much trouble that you're trying to start some here by erroneous statements?

If you use cannabis your rights are already screwed with - it's unconstitutional for the gov't to dictate what you put into your body.

Health Canada exemptees are always under scrutiny - they have your # don't they? and your doctor's - so they can tell him to limit your dosage. I find it incredulous that you're so willing to blame the sick people on this forum for whatever problems you're having with Health Canada.

Non-exemptees are screwed as well & get fined or go to jail possibly losing their job, home, etc.

[zigzag1a]

i have no idea what your babbling about.
what kind of medication are you on?
i don't think your evil, i think your a fool.
if you have a point, i'm at a loss to understand what it is.
your here because.....




Do you feel you are being singled out? Why should you feel that way? It's obvious that more than one is selling their crop for cash to have these kinds of inspections and scrutiny happening. I'm a rotten person because I stink to the guidelines to protect my and believe it or not your rights? I'm evil because I won't share MY crop? Who says I won't go buy somebody a bag from a retail seller? Wouldn't that be the wise thing to do in order to protect your and my rights? If something did happen to my crop the world wouldn't end. I'd go do what the other 10 million who smoke cannabis in the country do to get theirs they don't seem to have any troubles finding anything so there is no excuse for somebody selling their medicine. It's illegal to sell or give any other Rx you get from your doc so why should cannabis be any different?

[No Coast Croppers]

Health Canada exemptees are always under scrutiny - they have your # don't they? and your doctor's - so they can tell him to limit your dosage. I find it incredulous that you're so willing to blame the sick people on this forum for whatever problems you're having with Health Canada.

Non-exemptees are screwed as well & get fined or go to jail possibly losing their job, home, etc.

I have absolutely no problems with Health Canada nor does my Dr. I had no troubles at all getting my limit DOUBLED to 14gr a month ago. I've never gone over limit, my home is up to code and I've never had troubles finding a bag.

Sick people don't sell their meds. They use them for themselves.

[speakrsrfun]

And I'll be there to help along the way, that’s the compassionate thing to do is it not, to help, give and respect the fellow med user? Heck I know that I give hundreds of beans away and I only ask that you keep an eye on them and let me know what you think of them as a future med….. Am I wrong in doing so? Sometimes the rules are made to make the mission the government has vetoed impossible to obtain, this being said I feel Hellth Canada had an agenda set aside to combat the trade of genetics but don't understand the complexities of genetic and phenotypical variances in different strains from diverse area's of the world, and due to this can only keep their agenda as just an agenda and not a course of action. They don’t understand that a plant from the Himalayas will have a different medicinal effect compared to a plant whose lineage comes from say the Equator. Don't stop helping one another, don't stop caring, and for GOD'S sake don't cave to the agenda set out by a corrupt system not interested in our vested health issues, I for one find it benign to not allow others the benefit of your SUPERIOR genetics, when the government wants to supply you with INFERIOR genetic material that’s only real benefit as an end product would be to make hemp pulp paper from for Chrissake…. Keep up the good fight, only do what you feel comfortable with, be safe and support your fellow med user as if it was a family member, remember folks we are all sick in some way so we all have to be strong as a whole rather than fighting a David and Goliath type fight alone, anyway my ramble is over, Peace and keep well….

Speaks



have individual results. I for one will not stoop to get my seeds from "Health Canada" at 20$ for 10 seeds, whereas I can get my much higher quality and different varietal seeds or clones for FREE from compassionate medical users , be they exempt or not!! And by the way did you know Health Canada charges a 1500% markup on their meds supplied to those in the direst of circumstances,,,those that are disabled and mostly on fixed incomes or a disabilty of some sort? To hell with the regulations...I need my medication and I need plenty of it in different strains!!! We must stand up for our rights to be able to trade strains...this sure as hell keeps me from becoming "intolerant" to the same old strain. My life depends on this...thus I am going to continue to do what I have been licenced to do for the last 5 years as I feel it has had a profound POSITIVE effect on my prognosis.:cool: :cool:

[zigzag1a]

well aren't you the lucky one eh?
so far you or your doctor hav'nt been harrassed by hellth canada or had your card come late. your one of the few then. and your point is.....?



I have absolutely no problems with Health Canada nor does my Dr. I had no troubles at all getting my limit DOUBLED to 14gr a month ago. I've never gone over limit, my home is up to code and I've never had troubles finding a bag.

Sick people don't sell their meds. They use them for themselves.

[Miranda]

Sick people don't sell their meds. They use them for themselves.

Exactly - so what's your point ?

We're all sick and using our meds and not selling as you consistently and erroneously have inferred throughout this thread!

[BUSH HATER!]

If you can sell your medicine off then you obviously don't need it as badly as you claim you do.

A brand new member in here trying to stir up trouble, and slinging this kind of crap around? Anyone else smell PORK?

d

[coco_artist]

So now, saving a person's life is wrong.

Give me a break.

I would be dead if I had of waited for my exemption before I started medicating.

I have Stage Three Kidney Cancer (in remission) and suspected Bladder Cancer (a recent diagnosis) after my last surgery.

Without Marijuanna, I cannot eat. I would have wasted away long before now.

I am still alive.

Doesn't that tell you something? I got by with a little help from my friends.

You must be a cop because you certainly are not a patient or grower.

[No Coast Croppers]

So now, saving a person's life is wrong.

Give me a break.

I would be dead if I had of waited for my exemption before I started medicating.

I have Stage Three Kidney Cancer (in remission) and suspected Bladder Cancer (a recent diagnosis) after my last surgery.

Without Marijuanna, I cannot eat. I would have wasted away long before now.

I am still alive.

Doesn't that tell you something? I got by with a little help from my friends.

You must be a cop because you certainly are not a patient or grower.


You would have died without somebody helping you? You can't find a joint on the street? I find that very very hard to believe.


Sorry not a cop.


So which banner do I click on to find medical supplies?

[carl]

what is it you are trying to get at exactly ncc?
all these people are sick and dying so that they can somehow profit from med weed? :)

[nikoatnight]

:eek: :eek: :rolleyes:

[pierre drouin]

since no one will say anything can I ASK YOU WHO SHIT IN YOUR CONRFLAKES buddy. or are you just a pissed off pig that would like to really be part of our community and be able to enjoy your joint also:eek:

you sound like someone who tryed selling his meds and got ripped off or something:p

dont' worry be happy:D

[zigzag1a]

no kidding eh pierre, this fella's come on here and made nothing but allusions and rude comments.
smells like a pig to me as well.




since no one will say anything can I ASK YOU WHO SHIT IN YOUR CONRFLAKES buddy. or are you just a pissed off pig that would like to really be part of our community and be able to enjoy your joint also:eek:

you sound like someone who tryed selling his meds and got ripped off or something:p

dont' worry be happy:D

[Administrator]

there has been a report that the new cards being issued have some kind of tracking device inserted into the corner of the card. it is a round bump apparently, that looks like a small button inside the card.
dunno at this point what it actually is.

RFID chips... nothing that 30secs in a microwave won't sort out ;) Or a strong magnet, but microwave works better.

[zigzag1a]

latest reports suggest that it is not an rfid chip but is a chip to prevent forgeries.




RFID chips... nothing that 30secs in a microwave won't sort out ;) Or a strong magnet, but microwave works better.

[saeon-tsion]

You don't have to stoops so low to pay $20 for 10 seeds because it's 30 seeds for $20. I can buy clones to from any grower I want they don't have to be licensed why do the ones you buy from? There are plenty of seedbanks that will give free seeds to med users.

What seedbanks are these? I haven't noticed anyone going out of their way, except maybe a few compassionate organizations allied with TreatingYourself, to provide free seeds even to the most needy of sick people.

Of course, if you actually went to the breeders of most seedbanks and asked, they would probably help you out.....but that can be a lot of stress for a sick patient. There should be more of an established organization to get seeds directly to those who need them, without delay or complication.....

[VolcanoVaporizer]

With all due respects this seems to me as a case of you not being happy for what you have.
I mean you are legally allowed to smoke more than a pound per month and you have free health insurance that pays your medical bills and you are still mad. I am not for government control at all whatsoever but given that there are countries in this world who imprison people for life or worse for a bit of this sacred plant your doing pretty damn well. Just my two cents!

[dgbakercdn]

I'm a 6 year exemptee. What else would you like to know?

The MMAR program is just six years old at the end of July 2007.

I call bullshit.

If you want the support of exemptees you are speaking on behalf of the listen to what we have to say.


I listened or rather read your diatribe, it was specious, slanderous, mean spirited, and utterly bereft of an intelligent argument.

Can you answer me these questions:

Yes I can.

Why is there a crackdown going on against exemptees?

The Conservative government of Canada is a pawn of the USFG

Who is screwing things up for us that there is a need for a crackdown?

The Conservative government of Canada. There is no need for a crackdown. Incite is a perfect example.

Do you support the exemptees who are selling their crops?

Name a single person that has been charged with doing so; Just ONE; you cannot ergo your statement is at best false and at worst a lie, IMO it is the latter.

[Marco Renda]

With all due respects this seems to me as a case of you not being happy for what you have.
I mean you are legally allowed to smoke more than a pound per month and you have free health insurance that pays your medical bills and you are still mad. I am not for government control at all whatsoever but given that there are countries in this world who imprison people for life or worse for a bit of this sacred plant your doing pretty damn well. Just my two cents!

Excuse me but why should I be happy if what I am perscribed doesn't help me? I don't take PHARMACUTICALS only MMJ so YES I do REQUIRE more than what I was perscribed.

Health Care in Canada is a JOKE! Most folks in Canada don't even have a dr because there is a shortage and dr are not taking on any new Patients

Marco

[neutrino99]

I am totally AMAZED at the responses of some people here.

I dont want to enter the conversation as I am not good at controversy...but I would like to say:

Volcano....for you to say that because some one has a pound a month they should shut up? This is SO judgemental. I guess to those of you that aren't expempt it is so much easier to sit back and call foul to those that do and to try to judge how much one uses. This is my PERSONAL PET PEEVE....no other person can determine what another needs as medicine. We need to stop judging ourselves. MY compassion club said I used so much they threw me out and accused me of selling (though I now buy more than they limited me to and use it all myself) even though I only bought within the guidelines of their limits! Did they ever watch me consume or ask my Dr what I might use? I also am UNABLE to use legal pharmaceuticals so I need very high doses and after being chronic for more than 10 years cutting back sets me back every single time.
This is as bad as someone calling me a "stoner" becuase I "wake and bake". I hate these sayings as they made me feel guilty for years and not medicate enough. I have never been impaired - not even the first time I started medicating in my thirties. I have never been stoned and I dont get baked. People...take a look at your own language...how can we judge our brothers for what we ourselves found we need.
One person can take 5-80mg oxys four times a day....(this is someone I know) If I took this amount I would be dead within the hour......we all have different tolerances for different medications and different types of pain...to try to compare or qualify someone else's life experience is just plain wrong.

No Coast - to you and everyone else that insinuates we sell our meds. I need mine way too badly to sell them to someone else. I have always made that clear to all my friends and they get it. If I help anyone with meds it is for free and with stuff I find from the street for them. For the record though....it IS very hard to find weed on the street - particularly as an older person who knows no one and lives in a more rural community. I for one know that we have all had problems, been robbed, ripped off, sold oregano bought weed sprayed with coca cola and other atrocities trying to find weed on the street. The few people that helped me find my way and get a supply are the angels in my life and I will be forever grateful to them.

I also fully intend to live my life as an example of what I admire....contributing to the cause and others when I can and contributing to the Treating Yourself Alternative Medicine Journal. Until we all start to "listen" and hear eachother and convince others to see us for who we are and what we are capable of rather than what others fear we will never have the peace we desire in this or any other mmj community.

Everyone...we all use different amounts....the guy who uses 3 g a month is just financially luckier than they guy that needs 3 pounds a month. Many of us see that the more we use the more productive we are....this needs to be heard. If we arent impaired or stealing from others or causing harm to others it's time for the rest of the world to just step back. Stop judging and start hearing. We all have a plight and it over laps. We can't win this or presnt intelligent arguments when we don;t even take the time to make the effort to understand eachother.

(God I feel like Jerry Springer all of a sudden....but I hate this) :(

[dgbakercdn]

Ummm, is forgery of MMAR cards a big problem?

It reminds of the thinking of the Conservative goverment of Alberta.

The reason they regulated the amount of a prescription to one month's worth, one week's for antibiotics, was to keep us from selling our meds.

I can only get 30 Celebrex a month, T5's? 100!

[VolcanoVaporizer]

I wasn't implying you don't deserve more meds! Everyone should smoke as they please.
The point is that if you put in perspective, its still a pretty darn good deal that you Canada Med Users have got given what''s going on in this nasty world. Thats all from me.

[Marco Renda]

The point is that if you put in perspective, its still a pretty darn good deal that you Canada Med Users have got given what''s going on in this nasty world.

Sorry but you are way off base with that comment. Police have just raided a med patients home. This patient was waiting for their permit to be ammended and the folks at Health Canada stated that there was NO PERMIT for that person or address. This same thing happend to me. Now all charges were dropped immediately in court but I lost 31 plants due to CLERICAL ERRORS at HEALTH CANADA. MMJ Patients here in Canada are not protected by HEALTH CANADA even when HEALTH CANADA screws up.

MMJ Patients have to go to court to get justice.

You really need to do some research about the medical marijuana program here in Canada before you go and make statements like you did.

Take Care and Peace
Marco

[dgbakercdn]

This would be not be a disimilar action, not exactly but; Imagine the RCMP kicking down your door taking your meds because your prescription was expired.

The only reason that the C.R.A.P. can do this is because the MMARegulations are just that regulations.

And as we are seeing with the Wheat Board, another regulatory body that the C.R.A.P. is destroying.

They, the C.R.A.P., state that because it is a regulatory body that Parliament, IE the lawmakers, do not have to vote on any changes and they can thus be made unilaterally.

They will use the same reasoning to destroy the MMAR program.

[LauraNturd]

I know . . . I know . . . maybe a global campaign to legalize marijuana with NO gov't. control or taxation. This is very possible when we form one voice as in:
:p doubya doubya dot weed the people dot com:p

[LauraNturd]

I know . . . I know . . . maybe a global campaign to legalize marijuana with NO gov't. control or taxation. This is very possible when we form one voice as in:
:p doubya doubya doubya dot weed the people dot com:p

[VolcanoVaporizer]

Ok Marco-
You are right. There is no reason for you to be losing 31 beloved plants. That does suck. So what can I do to help?