[420 Girl]

Ore. -- Extreme sickness and major medical events are pushing some people to consider alternative medicine, like medical marijuana. But some lawmakers say the number of people holding medical marijuana cards is getting out of hand.

Deb Beckham of Medford is a stroke survivor. She smokes medical marijuana to control the tremors the stroke caused more than 30 years ago. “The stroke caused permanent damage in the motor areas of my brain,” Beckham says, “it pretty much wrecked the left side of my body. Medical marijuana has given me back my life.”

So Beckham is hoping to share her positive experience with the drug with others, by growing marijuana as medicine. A cardholder may possess up for six mature plants and up to 24 ounces of marijuana each for themselves and up to three other cardholders. Beckham grows cannabis for herself and two other cardholders, one of whom has a degenerative spine disease. “The most important thing about growing my own medicine,” Beckham says, “is I know what’s in it. I know the soil, and I know if it’s been sprayed.”

Republican Representative Sal Esquivel of Medford says medical marijuana has become too mainstream. He says he wants to look closer at ever cardholder. “I personally don’t think just because you have pain you should have medical marijuana,” Rep. Esquivel says. “The original intent of the bill wasn’t to allow people just to have medical marijuana at their own convenience. It’s got to be legitimate, and I think we’re getting past the point of legitimacy.”

Esquivel says the law needs to be tighter. “You need to have two doctors agree to the same medicine,” he says, “and I think you need to be checked up yearly because things can change on a yearly basis."

While Esquivel fights to make medical marijuana harder to get your hands on, Beckham fights to use marijuana to help her lead a more normal life.

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