Director's Blog

I received a distressed e-mail from patient Chris Cain (please read his story in our patients Blog) yesterday.

I can not word his frustration better than he did in his letter.  This is a patient who's life had been destroyed by our current laws.  Write your state senator and representatives and let them know that this is enough.  We are not talking about the idea of patients being the targets for law enforcement actions... we are talking about what IS actually happening in Texas. It needs to stop.

Without further narration here is Christopher Cain in his own words:

It's becoming almost surreal. My nerves are about shot, and every time I go somewhere, I have an overwhelming anxiety that they are coming after me. I can't take it anymore.

Yesterday, I decided to go to the Woodlands to a concert. It was my first time to really go somewhere for extended hours now that I'm finally able to sit in my chair for a full day after my last injury.

On the way home, I was pulled over a short time after re-entering Hardin County. It was around 12:30 AM on a small highway in a rural area about 20 min from my home. Somehow they knew where I would be. A state trooper came to the window and said our license tag wasn't displayed properly. A Hardin County sheriff deputy pulled in behind the trooper almost immediately. It was definitely a planned pull over.

It all made sense when the state trooper identified himself, he was the same guy that has pulled me over and harassed me numerous times. He is the same guy in this part of the timeline:

"2009 - A week after the April 20th thing at the park, a deputy pulled over a friend leaving my house and told her that he was pissed that they didn't put me in jail the week before and that she needed to stay away from Chris Cain, because "he is a sorry, drug dealing piece of sh**."  He then let her go and told her he was going to my house to give me a piece of his mind.  Later that night around midnight, he pounded on my front door and demanding to talk to Chris Cain.  I was already asleep, but a caretaker at my office walked him back off the porch and said without a warrant, he needs to leave the property.  He left yelling that he was gonna get me."

2 months ago, he switched from Hardin County Sheriff deputy to state trooper. Earlier this year, he moved about 2 miles down my road. My relative lives next door to him, and she said he told her that I was a drug dealer and that he was gonna get me. Over the last few years, many people all over the county have told me that he tells them I'm a drug dealer and that they need to stay away from me.

Last night, he claimed he smelled weed through the window and used that as probable cause to search my van. I had smoked the synthetic incense earlier for my muscle spasms, but I don't keep weed on me anymore for this very reason. They kept saying "we know there is a lot of weed hidden in this van."

My driver did have a bit of his own marijuana in his pocket that I did not know about, and they took him to jail. On the trip to jail, The state trooper kept trying to get him to say that he bought the weed from me. He kept telling him that he would let him go if he would say the weed was mine. My friend said they were doing everything they could to pin something on me, so they could come take me to jail.

I'm at the point where all of my friends and family are scared to even drive me town to get something to eat. They are scared to even come to my house.

I'm physically and mentally drained. I live in constant fear and anxiety, and the people I love are scared to be around me, because they witness firsthand how I'm constantly targeted.

I almost don't care about the criminal case anymore. I would do jail time if someone said it would make them stop making the destruction of my life their number one priority.

It's hard enough surviving as a quadriplegic. I can't take this witch hunt anymore.

Thank you guys for your help. You are the warriors that give me hope.

Link: http://www.texascompassion.com/texas-medical-marijuana-bill.html

We had a lively meeting in Austin with almost 60 people present. There was a great Q&A session and we have found ways to improve the bill. We are working on revisions and will post them as soon as they are ready, but we did post our considerations for revisions.

On another note: I thank all of you that wrote me out of concern for my wife after the last post. My wife has improved greatly in the last year and we are thankful for that. The only change was the fact that the doctors are stumped as to what is causing her symptoms. We have many things to be thankful for and my concern over knowing does not trump these many blessings. I am sure that many of you can relate to the stress of searching for the right diagnosis.

Our next presentation is in Ft worth... please copy the flier and post everywhere to get the word out. Meeting flyer