Former Congressional Candidate Makes Medical Marijuana Plea to Hassan

The battle of medicinal marijuana has taken a turn in New Hampshire and at least one cancer patient is not bowled over by the changes.  

According to a report on New Hampshire Public Radio, the state Senate has altered the medical marijuana bill to remove a provision that would have allowed home grown plants for medical use. The provision was removed from the bill in order to gain approval from Gov. Maggie Hassan. But as NHPR and marijuana advocates noted, Hassan was a previous supporter of the provision as a state Senator four years ago. The changes could keep marijuana from patients for another two years, according to the report.

After hearing of the change, Hardy Macia, a former Libertarian Party candidate for Congress in the 2nd District now being represented by U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, took to YouTube with a video urging Hassan to reconsider.

Macia has been involved in the medicinal marijuana movement for a number of years. But the support for the bill hit very close to home when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last summer, while in the middle of his campaign and former Gov. Gary Johnson’s Libertarian presidential campaign, which he was coordinating. 

Macia has a collapsed lung and said he uses marijuana occasional in an edible form in order to sleep at night. He challenged the removal of the homegrown provision, adding that it will save patients thousands of dollars a year, not having to purchase the drug in the marketplace.

“Let the patients grow their three plants,” Macia said, “it’s not going to affect the market share of marijuana on the market here in New Hampshire because people can get it regardless … think about the people, think about the patients, ignore the police unions. You really need to do this for the state.”

Macia recorded the video while in the hospital, undergoing treatment. He said other medicines prescribed to him have a number of negative side effects, including constipation. 

Macia expects to live another month or two, although he’s still fighting, he said. 

"It's supposed to be something really easy to beat," he said. "It turns out, it's a little more difficult than I had planned."