EDITOR’S NOTE: This is Part III in this series by Dr. Ralph E. Jones. Part I & II can be found at www.valleystar.com.

I began using pot at age 13, introduced to it by my “friends.”

By age 25 with my continued use, I was really hooked on it. Despite my families urging that I get some help with it, I continued to use heavy. Denial and Rationalization were everyday tools I used to justify my use and its continuation: “Everybody does it,” “It’s just harmless marijuana and nobody gets addicted to it,” “It’s safer than drinking,” etc. I eventually loss all my jobs, wife, and my beautiful twin daughters because smoking weed was more important than they were … I just wanted to be stoned all the time.

Bronx elected officials, community leaders and health officials are looking to finally ‘snub out’ synthetic marijuana sales.

At a Wednesday, August 12 press conference at Jacobi Hospital’s Trauma Center, Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, Director of Behavioral Health Services at North Bronx Healthcare Network Dr. Maryann Popiel, Director of the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program at Jacobi Hospital Dr. Benjamin Raatjes, community leaders and health officials demanded a crackdown on synthetic marijuana sales.

The toddler lay in the hospital bed, her leg twitching and eyes drooping. Her body was reacting to a seizure attacking her brain, but little Lucy Brorson still lifted her hand when her mother asked for a fist bump.

The 18-month-old loves to gently knock knuckles as a form of greeting. Lucy also waves hello, says “bye–bye” and a handful of other words.

The issue gets people talking. But no matter which side of the medical marijuana debate you fall on, its acceptance is growing.

"Twenty three states have medical marijuana legalized right now," said Isaac Caviness with Green the Vote Oklahoma.

Caviness would like to make Oklahoma number 24.

"There's real proof out there that it's curing cancer," said Caviness. "It's controlling epilepsy and seizures. It's helping with Parkinson's."

Caviness and his group submitted a petition request Friday at the state capitol. A petition to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. If approved, they'll have 90 days to collect 124,000 signatures.

"Across the state, we have several hundred volunteers," said Caviness.

HOUSTON — Voters in Houston will join those in Palmer to decide whether or not marijuana will be commercially available in local stores this fall.

Voters in both communities voted to approve statewide Ballot Measure Two, which legalized the drug in 2014. Houston was the community that voted to approve marijuana by the widest margin of local municipalities: 14 percent. In Palmer, voters gave less full-throated support, approving legalization by a four-percent margin.

CLIO —

The nation's largest marijuana expos "Cannabis Cup" took place in mid-Michigan.

This is the second year in a row the "Cannabis cup" has been in the Clio area.

Organizers say it's growing in popularity.

Last year there were about 4,000 marijuana enthusiasts who attended.

This year, about 6,000 are expected to pass through the Auto City Speedway near Clio.

The number of vendors has also doubled compared to last year.

People can buy items like gear for grow rooms.

Organizers say some politicians were also expected to attend.

I have long feared getting fired from my job because I consume marijuana. It is a fear that most working cannabis consumers have to worry about constantly. Cannabis consumers can be fired for consuming cannabis even in states where medical and/or recreational marijuana are legal. Cannabis consumers can be fired from jobs even if there is no proof of impairment while on the clock. My work recently came out with a policy that we can consume marijuana at night and on the weekends (but not before work, or on breaks or lunches), which for the most part is great. But if I were to get in an accident on the job, I would be drug tested (even if the accident wasn’t my fault) and would lose my job after they found THC in my system.

The Oregon Court of Appeals last week threw out second-degree criminal mischief charges against a Philomath man following a ruling that the smell of marijuana smoke can’t be considered “physically offensive.”

Philomath police obtained a search warrant in the November 2012 case based on complaints of the odor drifting into a neighbor’s apartment. While searching Jared William Lang’s residence, police discovered cans of spray paint and stencils and that had allegedly been used to create graffiti on street signs, walls, fences and other places around town.

The ruling is seen as one with statewide impact, especially following the legalization of recreational marijuana on July 1. The smell has become more widespread, primarily to those who live near pot smokers.

The issue: Careful consideration has to go into the types of physical ailment that qualify state residents to participate in Connecticut’s relatively new medical marijuana program.

As it stands now, 11 conditions are approved by statute for patients to get prescribed doses of the drug to ease symptoms.