[420 Girl]

"This is an historic meeting," began Laguna Woods resident Dr. Bill Schwied to a growing crowd in the Community Center's Elm Room Friday, July 10 for "A Discussion on Medical Cannabis." "We're in our 70s, 80s, 90s. We're trying to fill medical needs with whatever will help we can get."

Minutes earlier United Director Gail McNulty had introduced Schwied to a group of about 30 for the meeting sponsored by the group, Laguna Woods for Medical Cannabis. Now she was setting up more chairs as more people continued to stream in and Dr. Schwied struggled to make himself heard. As the throng grew a decision was made to transfer to the nearby Board Room. By the time the meeting reconvened—a sign posted near the Elm Room's entrance announcing "Mary Jane" had moved—more than 70 people were present.

"I'm a herder!" laughed McNulty. "Our last meeting had only 10 people."

Both McNulty and Schwied reintroduced themselves and the purpose of the meeting: A discussion on how to reduce human suffering through the benefits of medicinal marijuana.

Next a woman introducing herself as Margo spoke about dealing with the nausea accompanying her multiple sclerosis. She had tried everything, she said, but nothing worked.

Then she was advised to try medicinal marijuana. As a former psychiatric nurse, Margo added, she had her doubts. Nonetheless, "I took one whiff, expelled, and . . . no more nausea! Then I thought, what comes next? Am I supposed to get a little bit crazy?"

It didn't happen, she added. But with the nausea vanquished, she was at last able to keep food down.

Others shared similar stories or asked questions about how they, too, might be able to obtain medicinal marijuana. Interest forms circulated and Mission Viejo resident Anna T. Boyce, a retired nurse and the driving force behind the 1996 California state proposition making medicinal marijuana legal, said "I call marijuana an herb, not a drug; to me a drug is chemicals."

Boyce also noted that last year the City of Laguna Woods passed an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries. "But none have been established yet. Everyone's afraid."

McNulty responded that one of the aims of the group will be "to establish a collective here in Laguna Woods, where we can grow our own."

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