I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as OPN's newly elected Vice President. Sunday, October 22nd, 2006 was the day I was honored to accept that position in this five year old organization; yes, Happy Birthday OPN!

And, oh how lucky I am! In my closet, up on a shelf, is a box. This box is full of newspaper articles, magazine articles and many handwritten letters. Everything in it pertains to our mission...from the very beginning. Starting in 1996 at the SB2 testimonial hearings at the packed Ohio Statehouse hearing room. The excitement was thick in the air, for we were all there for one reason. That reason was to keep the affirmative medical necessity defense in our Ohio State Law. There were cameras, protesters, politicians, onlookers and most of all medical marijuana patients. Some standing, some in wheelchairs. All with stories to tell, stories about how using medicinal cannabis affected their lives. The mood was exhilerating yet serious - as each one of us waited our turn to be at the podium and tell our stories, some people choking on their tears, there was one thing in common by the end of this session. Many kindred friendships developed from that day, friendships that will never die; even when we lose some of these people to the heaven above. we will always remember them. By the year 2001, these same fine people who first met on that one day developed the organization called Ohio Patient Network, OPN. It was difficult at first; we had to form relationships with other people and other similar organizations, then all of the tedious duties that are involved in forming bylaws, the OMMA (Ohio Medical Marijuana Act), getting officially scheduled as a nonprofit organization. I am so proud to have those memories to hold onto, but due to personal illness and some personal issues I had to step down from the Vice-President seat. That was a sad time for me and remained so until October 22,2006.

Now this fine organization is five years young/old. It takes time to build a structure. Sort of our own "stairway to heaven" building and working to change the laws for Medical Marjuana Patients in this great State of Ohio like a ladder, one rung at a time. We've had some changes; some people have passed on or retired and will be missed very much, yet in the same breath I am very excited about our future. I feel OPN has made itself known in the Statehouse and has gained respect from many people and politicians who at one time were quite skeptical. I have seen many new faces and have heard many new thoughts and ideas from them. Knowledge and strength come from being active and working together as a finely knitted family. We are fresh, we are working towards 10 years, and we need you. So our doors are open for business, we welcome all newcomers with open arms, and I and the other Board Members will be working as hard as possible to make life for the Medical Marijuana patients in Ohio less fearful of facing criminal charges for what our forefathers worked so hard to create for us. That cannot be ignored; they started this country called America, but somehow leaders became greedy, laws and amendments were changed or ignored, and now here we are, trying to make things proper again.

Thank you and I hope to see many new faces.

Eleanor Ahrens
Vice-President
eahrens@ohiopatient.net