Despite passage of the Medical Marijuana Act in Michigan, which allows registered patients to obtain and grow marijuana to treat a broad variety of ailments as an alternative to costly and less effective pharmaceutical drugs, local law enforcement has recently been targeting a select group of providers focused upon providing relief for cancer patients that utilize a special type of hemp-based medicine known as Simpson Oil.
Saginaw-based John Roberts is one such provider who has been growing and producing Simpson oil and has witnessed amazing results in cancer patients. He personally cared for approximately 22 patients through his Cannabis Cancer Project, which was raided last month by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department. Present during the raid was an obvious cancer patient in a wheelchair who possesses a MMM patient card and had cannabis oil in her possession, which she uses to treat her stage 2 spinal cord cancer.
The medicine that she depends upon to save her life and keep her from being paralyzed from the neck down was confiscated by law enforcement that tried to circumvent decisions made by herself and her doctor on how to treat her cancer. One officer asked her, “Why don't you use Vicodin like everyone else?' According to the patient, she responded by stating that she was on disability and this was being given to her for free. At which point they pulled all the legal plants Roberts had in his enclosed and locked facility, arrested him, and he spent 3 days in jail and now faces 2 felony charges.
Many people harbor the misconception that medical marijuana is simply a fraudulent excuse for people to get high; however, as this story will document, this could not be further from the truth.
Rick Simpson Oil is being dispensed to cancer patients across the country and worldwide on a donation basis only and mostly for free, largely because cancer patients cannot afford the cost. Indeed, the Cannabis Cancer Project has been dispensing this for 4 years now with amazing results of cancer cases being actually put into remission, as in the case with 16-year old Alysa, who was diagnosed 2 years ago with inoperable brain cancer and given 2 years to live and is now cancer free.
Another patient whose life is now in danger because of the actions of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department had this to say: “I was diagnosed with cancer for a third time with stage 4 bone and liver metastasis from breast cancer. It started almost 7 years ago and I'm one of the lucky ones to have survived, given the amount of chemo and radiation that I have been subjected to. This third diagnosis convinced me I was done for, so I went searching for miracles and found Rick Simpson oil. At this point I have nothing to lose, so I reached out and asked for help and began ingesting one gram a day of my medicine, working up slowly to that dosage.”
“Rest became a big part of my day, which is exactly what my fighting body needed,” she continues. “The only side effect I experienced was the amount and quality of sleep I was getting. My pain was under a control and last year I was told that I had inoperable tumors and to get my things in order. Last week I was told my PETscan was negative, meaning there is no cancer. This is nothing short of a miracle. I am getting healthier every day and John Roberts helped get me there. To me this is a life and death matter and I hope everyone takes it that seriously. The Michigan Cannabis Club has taken care of my needs medicinally and educationally and this is a serious group that deserves serious support.”
This is a testimonial from only one of dozens of patients now coming forward in the aftermath of this latest raid. But in essence, it is a story much larger and in many ways more sinister than nefarious forces interfering with the decisions of desperate patients battling for their lives.
Truth, Confusion & Propaganda
Even though President Barack Obama has stated that the DEA is supposed to lay low on crackdowns of medical marijuana patients and providers in states that adopted laws relating to disbursement of their medications, for John Roberts this has not been the case. Several years ago he was raided twice in Saginaw County but never charged; consequently, much of his property was seized and never returned even though he was never formally charged with a crime.
“Actions speak louder than words,” reflects Roberts when asked about the series of raids that have beset him. “Obama has said that prosecutions should not be pressed in states enacting laws regarding medical marijuana, but look at the percentages - his conviction rate is 5 percent higher than that of the Bush Administration. So what politicians say and what they do are drastically different.”
As a caregiver, Roberts' main product is Cannabis Oil. Presently he has 3 patients and is allowed 12 plants per patient and is within legal parameters of the plant count. “We've always been within the legal parameters,” he explains, “but because of a recent verdict in regards to concentrates in making baked goods determining weight, there is speculation that oil is illegal. However, there is no law restricting concentrates or their use in making cannabis oil. If you look at history over the past 4 years, what's putting cancers in remission is not eating baked goods or smoking marijuana, because its too hard to regulate the dosage. But if you get the concentrate down to its most viable form with an oil, which is more accurate, you see an amazing number of incurable cancers going into remission. Granted, there are people it does not work for. But I've seen at least a 70% success rate with cancer patients.”
“What really woke me up was the fact that when I was first raided several years ago I was dealing with two seriously ill cancer patients. One woman was on her deathbed for 4 months after 16 years of breast cancer and treated by Hospice. Within two weeks of taking Simpson oil she was able to get out of her bed for the first time and mitigate her pain.”
“The second patient that I treated MLive did an interview with, only never reported the story,” continues Roberts. “This involved a 5-year old girl with 2 brain tumors that had been undergoing chemo and radiation. Her parents came to me to try the oil because this child could not sleep more than 2 hours and was developing autistic behavior. My heart bled for her and after taking the oil, she was able to sleep 11 hours like a normal child. That fall she started school, which her parents thought would never be possible. Only a parent can be a caregiver to a child, and in Michigan there are five cases of kids going through the same thing with the same results.”
What Makes Simpson Oil Different
& The Greed of the Pharmaceutical Industry
Since 1974 the United States government has known that THC (one of the many active ingredients in marijuana) kills cancer cells without harming good cells. However THC is only one of many varied cannabinoids, which are a diverse array of chemical compounds that activate receptors on cells that repress neurotransmitter release in the brain. There are at least 85 different cannabinoids isolated from cannabis.
With Simpson Oil they crucial cannabinoid is CBD and how that compound works in synergy with receptors in the body to heal itself. Simpson oil is produced to minimize THC levels (patients cannot get 'high' from it as you can with smoking or eating marijuana) in order to increaseCBD levels.
“One of the commonalities with all the cancer patients is that after taking this oil they have the blood work of a teenager,” explains Roberts. “One patient had a bladder tumor of 2.4 centimeters and his doctor wanted surgery. He tried the oil for 3 weeks and his MRI showed that he did not have the tumor anymore. It had shrunk to .5 centimeters. So there is proven evidence how fast this oil works, but the information is being suppressed. We are breeders, not growers,” continues Roberts. “Growers breed the CBD out of the plant, which is vital for the oil. We strive to increase the CBD levels.”
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon and leading spokesman for CNN initially made strong claims against the effectiveness of Simpson oil. But after doing one year of research with an open mind he apologized recently to the American people and said that we've been lied to by our government and the DEA for the last 70 years. He referenced the case of a 3-year old with epilepsy and how CBD is known for anti-inflammatory properties and can prevent cancers from spreading.
According to Roberts, despite the proven effectiveness of Simpson Oil, it is extremely costly to produce. “The price of high quality marijuana can run $2500 to $3200 per pound and it takes between ½ to 1 lb. of cannabis to make one ounce of oil. Most patients need 1 gram a day or 30 grams per month, so they can go through an ounce in one month. Part of the problem with our health crisis is that not one insurance company will pay for this treatment and 99 percent of the patients we encounter are on disability of fixed incomes and barely getting by. They can't work because of their cancer and have lost their income. When you see the desperation in their faces and hear it in their voices, all they want to do is live. I cannot tell them no.”
“We also produce a topical peanut butter oil that is based upon the Holy Oil of Anointment in the Hebrew text,” relates Roberts. “It is made of clarry, sage, oil based myrrh, mint oil, American Indian root, and cannabis. These herbs act as cannabinoid enhancers and for 9 out of 10 that apply this oil topically they receive miraculous results. It's worked for Krohn's throat surgery and I've seen it heal diabetic ulcer wounds and burns 50 percent quicker than conventional medicine.”
“The reason pot has all these difference ambiances is because of the cannabinoids. It all has to do with synergy and the ratios of different cannabinoids - THCV is an appetite inhibitor, CBN is for sleep and sedation, CBG is anti-bacterial in nature, and CBD kills cancer cells and stimulates appetite. And those are only a few of 85 different cannabinoids.”
“One thing to keep in mind is that not one person in the history of mankind has overdosed from this synergy. It's the safest medicine known to mankind. Radiation and Chemo are both very toxic and invasive, but this poses a natural organic solution that should be the first line of defense in treating cancers. GW Pharmaceuticals is now looking to capitalize on these very methods. They've created something called Sativix and when that comes down the pipeline they will own the patent and control it and charge $5,000 for what it costs us $2000 to do.”
“If the truth be told, that's the reason there is such big opposition,” concludes Roberts. “Right now the Supreme Court is being asked to answer why cannabis is classified as a Class One substance when everyone knows that placing it in that class is a preposterous lie. The way the government addresses this is they want to ignore the issues and not address it because it affects billions of dollars of revenue. These cures will put the pharmaceutical industry out of business. And what is America based upon? Not the truth, not justice, but pure greed and money. The one percenters would lose out big if this plant was freely grown everywhere.”
“Did you know that the U.S. government holds the patent on cannabinoids? Why is that? It's like holding a patent on the elements in the tomato plant. Are they going to take the patent on air and oxygen next? It's as if they want to control every commodity that we as a people are dependant upon.”
A Crusade of Compassion
For John Roberts his crusade to provide relief to cancer patients is not about money or getting rich, but to offer relief and compassion. “God gave us this plant and everybody wonders what I'm in this for and why I am doing this. But my goal is to show patients how to grow this plant and make the Simpson oil themselves. The reason the medical community is suppressing this information is because the entire medical system is based on money and politics. Compassion has left the room.”
Roberts himself is a surviving cancer patient. After living 20 years with a case of Hepatitis C he was in the beginning stages of liver cancer and was told 10 years ago that he would need a liver transplant. After taking his treatments of Simpson oil his cancer went into remission and he did not need to go through with the transplant.
“We have to absorb the cost of producing this oil,” states Roberts. “It costs $2000 per month per patient to make this medicine and I work under Section 8 of the law. We have to bow in and out and absorb the cost to treat these patients. Over the last 4 years I've lost my home, wondered how I will feed my family, and sacrificed a lot to help these cancer patients and keep them alive.”
When asked how's he managed to persevere, Roberts points directly and simply to the power of prayer. “Believe it or not 3 years ago when we did an oil extract we were coming back from a demonstration and had five patients to deliver and treat. We had a harvest that would take five weeks to develop oil from, so how could we get them oil so they didn't run out? For this to work, you cannot interrupt the daily dosage and treatment, as with any medicine. The only thing I could think of doing was praying, so I did just that. 30 minutes later the Third Coast Compassion Club in San Francisco called with a donation. And that's how we get things done…through hopes and prayers.”
“Patients have to do this the rest of their life to beat their cancer and keep it in remission, so that's our objective - to educate them and get them self-sufficient.. Our position is one of cannabis and cures. I did have a leukemia patient that 3 years ago went into remission with the oil, but now his cancer is back. I asked if he was doing the daily maintenance and he said, no, he stopped after it went into remission. This is why it's important for patients to engage in maintenance.”
Roberts says now that he is finally charged with this latest St. Clair bust it will give him the opportunity to fight this crusade under Section 8 of the law. “I'm not a drug dealer,” he states. “They've raided a guy that has spent the last four years of his life providing a viable medicine to cancer patients; and fortunately I have Michael Cohen representing me, who is one of the best attorneys in the State of Michigan.”
“We're not dealing this to people for recreational use. The people that come to see me have cancer and we are their last hope. If it's going to be a crime in this country to help a person dying from cancer, then God help us all because that's not a country I want to live in.”
The Disturbing Reality
At one juncture during our interview, Roberts directly asked me: “Do you know why this marijuana plant is illegal? Can anybody answer it? There is one answer: Money. This is why it's illegal. If you read the book The Emperor Wears Now Clothes you will realize that this plant can replace the whole petrochemical industry. We can produce fuel for less than $2.00 per gallon that is 90 percent cleaner and we can produce cellulose with alcohol to make bio-degradable plastic, but what would that do to the large petrochemical companies?”
“That's the whole thing. Mankind screwed up at the turn of the century when we went to a petrochemical based society instead of a vegetable based society. Hemp was the answer and it can grow in drought stricken conditions. We are not using what God has given us and wouldn't have climate warming if we were a vegetable based society. But if you tell that to someone they think you're a hippie conspiracy nut job. So obviously, it's even more difficult to get them to believe that hemp is curing cancer.”
“It's about the truth and I'm not here to convince anybody that these treatments will work,” reflects Roberts. “I encourage you do to research because new cases of success are coming out daily. Cannabis is probably the most researched plant in mankind and it's disgusting that we have to listen to the same old rhetoric constantly.”
“Fear is the number one thing the government has to play upon,” states Roberts. “If you have a controlled substance in your body the laws in society prohibit you from getting a job, losing your benefits, or having CPS enter you life. We've become a fascistic society and I can name horrific cases, which is the whole point of cancer patients' rights. We had a patient that went to Colorado and within 4-months their child's cancer was in remission with the oil. The doctor told them the protocol for this cancer was 3 years of chemotherapy, so they force it on the child for 3 years - forcing it on a child who's cancer has been proven to be in remission. If you have that kind of archaic thinking, where are we living - Nazi Germany?”
“During my first raid an officer asked me if I believed in Santa Claus,” concludes Roberts. “And then he said that I should find something constructive to do with my life, which pissed me off the most. That moment defined my purpose. I could direct my anger in a negative way or go ahead and focus in a positive way, which is what drove me to provide this oil for patients who cannot afford it. How can you tell a cancer patient no? You don't. You just get the job done.”
The Cannabis Cancer Project is in trouble and needs help to fight and continue to provide for the needs of the other cancer patients whose lives depend on this oil. If you believe in this cause and a patients right to use cannabis, would like to learn more on the topic, or would like to contribute to their legal defense fund, please go to their facebook page or their website at cancerpatients.com
info@review-mag.com
989-780-4162
Oct 31, 2013
Comments (0)