24

V O L U M E 9 , I S S ue 6

PHOTO COURTESY OF TORI LACHAPELLE

TOKIN FEMALE

Tokin Female is dedicated to bringing womens voices and deeds out of the background into the foreground of all things cannabis.

TORI LA CHAPELLE

The righteous are mobilizing and organizing. ~ Tori La Chapelle

TORI LA CHAPEllE -- nurse, mother, medical cannabis advocate, social media writer and medical refugee conductor -- belongs to a new breed of cannabis activists, well-versed in medical uses, well-educated in the injustice of prohibition. Tori gains her advantage from being in the generation with a mass awareness of medical purposes that has wiped out the sense of it being morally wrong, instilling knowledge and condence in activists on a justice mission fraught with difculties. What makes it easier now is -- the marijuana majority has got their back! All polls show 80% and climbing support medical marijuana! Since CAs Prop 215 in 96, a generation has matured that represents the marijuana majority. Tori is an example of the savvy, competent, compassionate, middle-of-the-road professional leader of the future, single mother of four children, Nurse Tori to thousands she has helped in her career, a connector on social media, a conductor for medical refugees, and an everyday woman with bromyalgia in constant pain who informs her social media friends of feelings of uselessness to stay connected.
W or D s

WHAT STARTED YOU ON YOUR PATHwAY TO MEDICAL CANNABIS ADVOCACY/ACTIVISM? I rst spoke at the 2010 Great Annual Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival in Madison Wisconsin. It started when I made a post on facebook about being a nurse and wanting cannabis for pain. If this exchange had not happened Id never have had the chance to meet the wonderful cannabis community and advocate the way I do now. The rst activist I ever met was Ben Masel of Wisconsin who founded the Harvest Fest with Dana Beal. WHAT wAS YOUR PART IN THE MADISON SING ALONG AGAINST GOVERNMENT POLICIES? The Solidarity Sing Along has been holding the fort for First Amendment rights in Wisconsin every weekday in the Capitol Building since the 2011 uprising, when hundreds of thousands gathered to protest Scott Walkers attack on public servants and unions. I had always followed the Sing Alongs efforts but it was seeing the arrest, handcufng and detention of a singing 80 year old grandmother on the news that sparked me into action. Out of nowhere a week before Walker was to hold the Republican Governors Convention in Milwaukee, the police began arresting Sing Along participants in the Capitol. I went to participate in the protests the next day and witnessed a Vietnam Veterans violent arrest. He was standing, not even singing, when the American ag he was holding was ripped from his arms, thrown to the ground and walked all over by these

PEBBLES TRIPPET

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. AFRiCaN PROVERB

TOKIN FEMALE: TORI LA CHAPELLE

it was a First Amendment issue, but to no avail. When I worked as a psychiatric nurse, it taught me compassion and de-escalation techniques. He was so angry that I felt compelled to change that if even for a minute and to show him kindness. I wanted him to see that we werent thugs but people protesting joyously. At rst when I approached him with my arms open. he looked at me as if I was crazy. I smiled and said, How could you deny me a dance? Then he took my hand and we started dancing. He had the biggest smile! I use that moment as a reminder to extend compassion to people I disagree with. Respect disarms people from their anger. HOw DOES YOUR MEDICAL CONDITION SPUR YOUR ACTIVISM? I had symptoms of disseminated lyme disease 11 years ago but it took 5 years to diagnose lyme. Chronic pain is a great motivator. You can either surrender to it or turn it into something productive. For example, one day Id gone through an unplanned opiate withdrawal. I have no consistent access to proper medicinal cannabis so lm stuck still relying on traditional pain medications. I forgot to pick up my prescription. Within 18 hours of my last tab of Lortab, I was in full-blown withdrawal, shaking, sweating and crying while writing out my speech to lawmakers against another prohibitionist bill. I was pissed to be suffering the effects of opiate withdrawal when all I needed was safe access to medicinal cannabis. I was pissed at the unfairness of the Drug War and the government telling me what I can put in my body. Finally at age 30, when I was facing a choice of morphine or oxycontin to control my pain, I gave in and tried cannabis. I felt my body truly relax for the rst time in 10 years and I sobbed in relief. Through activism, I nally feel Im a useful person, comfortable with who I am. HOw HAS ACTIVISM CHANGED YOUR LIFE? Activism has lifted a veil of societal despair that had been clouding my eyes and stagnating what I now believe to be my lifes path. Ive found community, love, humanity and understanding amongst activists. Its made me more effective as a human being. Of course, giving a shit comes with more stress which exacerbates my condition.

I Am A Criminal -Tori speaking at WI HempFest

While I was getting off the plane in Denver. the woman next to me (whom I had only exchanged pleasantries with) asked if I was staying in Denver. I told her I was just here for the weekend but that Im moving to Colorado next year and she said to me...But you have so much work to do in the Capitol. Wisconsin needs you. Other than the Solidarity Sing Along button on my camera strap, I dont know how she knew me but my eyes are now lled with tears and my heart is lled with pride. WE ARE WINNING!

@solidaritysingalong (anonymous woman Tori met on the plane)

Gestapo like police. He was then violently handcuffed and taken to jail. The next day a pastor was arrested and nearly died in custody with a cardiac emergency brought on by the stress of the arrest. Every weekday for nearly a month 20-30 people a day were handcuffed, arrested, threatened and given citations no worse than speeding tickets, yet kids, grandmothers, soldiers, reghters and the elderly were being treated like criminals. I was arrested twice for singing, subjected to pain compliance techniques both times, having my arthritic wrists twisted and bent into metal handcuffs, though I never resisted. Sticking up for myself made me more conscientious about being involved. My cannabis activism denitely payed a role in my having condence to join in the Sing Along. After all, Id smoked cannabis on the Capitol lawn during Harvest Fest surrounded by police. I thought I could get arrested for singing pretty easy. I never anticipated being the victim of pain compliance applied by police. THERE wAS ONE ESPECIALLY ICONIC MOMENT wHEN A HOSTILE ANTI-UNION PRO-WALKER SUPPORTER ACTED IN A BELLIGERENT wAY AND YOU DIFFUSED THE HOSTILITY BY ASKING HIM TO DANCE. WAS YOUR OUTREACH SPONTANEOUS? Yes, it was spontaneous. I saw Carl Gibson of Occupy try to engage and calm him down. He was up to his usual, calling us pigs and union thugs. I tried to get him to put his feelings about unions aside and understand

photo Leslie Peterson

Pain Compliance Tori arrested at Madison WI Solidarity Sing Along

26

V O L U M E 9 , I S S ue 6

photo Stephanie Roose

photo courtesy of Tori LaChapelle

Tori with Boston bombing hero and Veteran for Peace, Carlos Arrendondo Pain compliance and arrest for singing at Sing Along

HOw ARE YOU DEALING wITH YOUR MEDICAL CONDITION? Mainly through alternative treatments. including herbs and Chinese physical medicines. I eat whole foods and stay away from pharmaceuticals at all costs although I still have to take opiates for pain. Since starting cannabis, Im off nearly a dozen pharmaceuticals and have accomplished physical feats I never thought possible -- running for miles, hiking long distances, climbing mountains. Four years ago, I could barely stay upright more than a few hours. Cannabis has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. HAVE YOU TRIED CANNABIS OIL OR LEAF JUICING? I once tried less than 1/4 gram cannabis oil and felt the pain-relieving effects until the next day. It was amazing! But I cant afford to use it for myself and I dont want to take up supply that can go to cancer patients. I cant wait to move to Colorado and start myself on oil. HOw DO YOU EXPLAIN THE VIRTUES OF CANNABIS AS A MEDICINE TO YOUR CHILDREN? Ive always been into herbalism, so the boys grew up seeing me use plants as medicine most of their lives. Standing up against unjust laws is a family value theyve always been taught. They understand that sometimes people have to break laws for the greater good. I dont think my older boys (16 and 12) are the least bit surprised by my outspokenness. My 12 year old son Trevors reaction to the Solidarity Sing Along arrests made me so proud. He said he wanted to become a lawyer to protect peoples rights. It was the moment I realized they had been listening all along. My oldest son Hunter once stood up to a teacher who was punishing people for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance. At age 9, he knew it was a First Amendment violation and called the teacher out. I hope someday theyre as proud of me as I am of them. IN LIGHT OF WISCONSINS UNENLIGHTENED MARIJUANA LAwS AND FIRST AMENDMENT VIOLATIONS wHATS YOUR TAKE ON MOVING TO ANOTHER STATE, AS PART OF THE FIRST wAVE OF MEDICAL REFUGEES? The most important thing in my life is the immediate safety, well-being and happiness of my family. Ive always said if you believe

A SHORt HIstORY Of TORI LaCHaPEllEs SUPPORt Of tHE FItZRaNDOlPH FaMIlY

Dec 2013 I met Tori through my wife Ruthie who worked with her in the nursing profession. At the time, we were seeking information on an alternative protocol cure for our daughter Jessis Stage IV breast cancer. We were totally fed up with conventional protocols including chemotherapy and radiation. Neither worked and both were slowly killing our Jessi. So we decided to learn more about medical cannabis to provide a natural alternative to her failing treatments and health. Tori was not only incredibly knowledgeable about medical cannabis; she also was able to provide educational and sourcing information that became our lifeline to the Simpson Oil we coveted for Jessis treatments. She taught us to make our own oil. She put us in touch with the appropriate contacts that were willing to provide the quantity and quality of plant buds we needed to ease Jessis angst, pain and nausea...and to actually slow the spread of the cancer and ultimately eliminate the hideous disease that had taken up residence in Jessis body. Without Toris input, courage, cooperation and willingness to ght the existing system in Wisconsin which discourages the use of any kind of marijuana product regardless of whether it is for recreational or medical use, our daughters prognosis would not be nearly as positive. We credit Tori with allowing us to look forward with our entire family to another year of healing and continued progress defeating Jessis cancer.

photo Karen Kinsley

photo Leslie Peterson

Nurse Tori speaks her mind.

~Jeff FitzRandolph

In a whirlwind, theres not much of a fence to sit on! PEBBLES TRIPPET

TOKIN FEMALE: TORI LA CHAPELLE

Tori with angry counterprotester... the dance that disarmed rage

I rst met Tori at an outdoor Solidarity Sing Along in Madison, Wisconsin. It was a gorgeous sunny summer day, so lots of us were present. From the beginning, a right-wing counter-protester began heckling the crowd between songs, and I tried to intervene and de-escalate to keep the group on the right track, but to no avail. Then, out of nowhere, I see an impossibly beautiful blonde woman take the counter-protesters hand in a polka song and start dancing with him. Before he knew it, he was smiling and laughing and dancing with the rest of us. I cant say if he changed his entire world view that day, but in subsequent appearances at Sing Alongs, he was always much more civil. I think Toris charitable dance went a long way in bridging the gap between citizens who share a common class struggle and are only divided by the ideologies to which the media and politicians force them to subscribe. Toris soul and energy are electric. (Ive attached a photo of that moment.) Also, Toris willingness to go toe-to-toe with the state and ght for her basic rights to free speech and free assembly despite having four boys to care for is admirable. Activists in all issues can learn a lot from someone like Tori. Her dedication to her causes is proof that there is literally no excuse not to get involved, because she dees all of them. Having kids, having an arrest record, having a job -- she has all of those things and continues to be vocal in her ghts every day.

photo Sarah Mittermaier

~Carl Gibson 12/16/14 Lead Investigative Reporter, Occupy.com Contributing Editor, ReaderSupportedNews.org

in something and choose to ght, you have to accept the consequences. But I cannot accept the negative effect those consequences would have on my family if something were to happen to me because of my cannabis use. No matter how fearless I may feel, my children are afraid of losing their mother and for good reason, as the threat of CPS action against families is very real. There seems to be an epidemic of activists and patients being visited by CPS in legal medicinal states like Michigan and California as well as prohibitionist states. Children are being removed from family homes because a parent uses medicinal marijuana or has a supply on premises. Children are being kept and parents put on child abuse registries interminably, even after charges are dropped and/or ndings are unsubstantiated. There is also the very real effects a CPS investigation would have on my children. Several parents have reported long-lasting trauma after a CPS call. At risk is also my ability to support my family. Parents are being put on the abuse registry without ever having lost custody of their children. As a nurse, those consequences would strip me of my ability to adequately provide for my family and Id never be able to practice again. How would my family survive without my income? It would take years to recover from such a devastating blow! Ive chosen to move to Colorado instead of Oregon or California because, after the passage of Amendment 64, Colorado authorities assured the public that marijuana use or possession alone will not result in a CPS investigation. No other state has offered such assurances. Nothing comes before my children, not ideology, not my rights, not even the rights of the people I ght for. What is most important is that I be able to mother my children from

home and not from a jail cell. Whats the point of being a mother without anyone to mother? (LadyBud online 7/15/13). Im excited and hopeful about the move. Im seeing it as a way to new beginnings and new paths. Im networking with other Wisconsin refugees to form a lobbying delegation that returns to Wisconsin to testify and campaign for legalization.There may also be a way to keep my nursing employment and school for my boys in Wisconsin while transitioning to Colorado. Im a mom rst and I have to be the best mom I can be. If I dont do my best and take every step I can to protect my family from prohibition fallout, I will have failed at my most important role in life -- as a mother. YOURE SETTING UP A NURSE.TORI wEBSITE TO COORDINATE MEDIA FOR SEVERAL GROUPS YOURE PROMOTING, SUCH AS PARENTS FOR POT AND UNDERGREEN RAILROAD, HELPING MEDICAL REFUGEES TRANSITION TO COMPASSION STATES. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS? I intend to explore cannabis nursing as a specialty in my future. Im developing nurse. tori as a hub for activist projects Im associated with -- that includes all my advocacy projects and informational resources and will move to include counseling and supportive services for medical refugees. Someday I hope I can say I survive and raise a family on what advocacy pays. For now, Id be happy to be paid in karma. IF ONLY I COULD HELP YOU, I wOULD. AT YOUR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, YOU SHOULD NOT BE DEPRIVED OF MEDICINE, EVER. THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO HOPE FOR. I wONDER, DO CO AND CA HAVE RECIPROCITY RELATIONS? Thank you, Pebbles, I agree. I cannot be effective at my work level if Im in pain or sick all the time. FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE IN NETwORKING wITH A NUMBER OF GROUPS, wHAT ARE SOME OF THE FLAwS HOLDING OUR MOVEMENT BACK AFTER 75 YEARS OF BEING STALLED IN PROHIBITION? A large part of the stalled momentum is natural fears of punitive reactions from

28

V O L U M E 9 , I S S ue 6

society and law enforcement. The Drug War and Prohibition are pervasively invading the lives and threatening the liberty of activists. It seems like the faster the cannabis movement gains momentum, the faster the government throws up roadblocks and some of those include jailing more of us. There is also messaging and misinformation coming out of the cannabis movement itself that seems to be creating opposition to legalization. We are still seeing half-naked women promoting recreational use under the guise of medical marijuana. Theres certainly nothing wrong with recreational use. But calling bong-humping in public medicating is damaging to medical marijuanas credibility. Right now, theres internal divisions caused by an increase in corporatism within the movement giving rise to friction between entrepreneurs and purists who believe in total cannabis freedom. We need to nd a respectable middle ground. WHAT KINDS OF GENERAL PATIENT PROTECTIONS wOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN LAw? Im very concerned not to give CPS too much wiggle room to take children based solely on the parents medical marijuana use. Id like to

Toris family of 5 at home

see specic protections for patient employees so they arent punished for their choice of medication. Ive also testied against double jeopardy where municipalities/towns are allowed to prosecute marijuana possession crimes even as local DAs refuse to. Another bad proposal is making a 2nd possession of any amount of marijuana an automatic felony -- no voting, no benets, no loans... ruined. When I stopped listening to the lies and probed medical cannabis studies, I was oored to see how misled the public and medical community have been regarding safety and effectiveness of cannabis. When you discover the government has intentionally misled the public, resulting in devastating consequences -- deaths, imprisonment, drug war costs -- you realize the government is protecting and serving interests other than that of its people. When we were toe-to-toe with police and the Walker administration in the Capitol, we saw how ugly the Establishment gets when faced with righteous opposition. When their intimidation didnt work and the Justice system ruled against them, the administration didnt inch and instead of letting us exercise our rights, they used physical pain and humiliation at the hands of police. It opened my eyes to the role of law enforcement. Its not about LAW enforcement, its about the will of the government being enforced even when its contrary to the law. WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES? The activists I work beside have inuenced me to open myself up spiritually/ emotionally and to put the face of cannabis on an invisible illness like chronic pain. The people I advocate for have taught me to live for today, never take anything for granted and and to not waste time on unhappy endeavors. My friend Gennifer opened up a world of female empowerment and appreciation of nature...and right in time to experience magical 30s as a stronger woman. The women of the cannabis community are extraordinary at challenging oppression and sexism in society. Many of us combat sexism by showing the public that responsible moms and successful women enjoy and benet from cannabis.

photo courtesy of Tori LaChapelle

Tori mountain climbing, assisted by medicinal cannabis

AftERWORD
SINCE CALIFORNIAs Proposition 215 made marijuana for medical purposes a series of rights, no longer a crime, a generation has matured into the marijuana majority and taken the lead. Every poll from Gallup to Pew has registered the shift in attitude: Women, and particularly mothers, are the pioneers of common sense in public opinion, envisioning a better world for their children where medical freedom is treated the same as religious freedom and children are not seized from their parents due to their medical cannabis use. NurseTori is speaking to the needs of some of the most vulnerable people -- families who live in fear of being a target for taking their kids and families who live in states with no safe medical access, many of them have children. They are seeking treatment for, including conditions as diverse as leukemia, epilepsy, brain tumors. Tori is using her nurturing instincts as mother and nurse to counsel, connect, encourage, empower and advocate for those in need through her website hub, a port in the storm with a very competent person at the helm.

Toris tat signies spring...renewal... rebirth

photos courtesy of Tori LaChapelle

If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. HENRY FORD