The Treatment That Changed Everything | Chris Swanson & Amie Carter

In this episode, Chris sits down with Amie Carter to discuss their family’s difficult journey navigating autism, mental health challenges, and the search for treatment that finally brought relief. After years of hospitalizations, police calls, medications, and struggles in school, Amie shares how medical cannabis changed Jayden’s life and sparked her advocacy for “Jayden’s Law,” legislation aimed at allowing pediatric medical marijuana patients to safely receive their prescribed treatment at school. Their story highlights the challenges families face, the stigma surrounding medical cannabis, and the fight for compassionate care and understanding.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Imagine a hundred and twenty nine one calls to the same house, three hundred visits to the hospital, and a mom who loves her son unconditionally and then still struggles to get people's attention. Sorry, I'm gonna do it again because I said unconditionally. I said unconditionally. Ready? Imagine 120 calls for law enforcement to come to a home, 911 calls, 300 hospital visits, and a mom who loves her son unconditionally is feeling like nobody's listening and nobody cares. Then on top of that, there's an actual cure that can help with not only behavior, but also Jaden fitting in and having a normal life, and there's still resistance. That's who's with me today, Amy Carter. Uh I just I said off camera, I apologize. There were times that you had tried to get a hold of me, and for whatever reason, those times didn't connect. I accept responsibility. I ask for your forgiveness.

SPEAKER_03 1:04

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

And I want you to know that people coming on this show is because I want people's voice to be heard. That's how I am. That's what this campaign's about. But it's about you telling your story that I know can help other people and to get the attention of policymakers that are in you call them suit level positions, not to forget the people down here that need us. And so tell us about your son and why you're here, and we're gonna get some ground covered today.

SPEAKER_03 1:31

All right. Sounds good. So I will start off by saying my son is 19 years old now and he is doing well. Uh the journey started uh back when he was born, really. Uh, he was born with colic and um he just couldn't self-soothe. So that was kind of the first few signs. Uh, and then he went through a period of seizures and you know, different medical conditions. And at two and a half years old, he was diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder. Uh I fought the mental health care system for several years. I learned the ins and outs of of it all. I joined several different organizations, I served on the board, I did everything that I could to, you know, help my son, basically. So I have a few journal entries, I guess, um, to start out with. Uh because just explaining it is is kind of difficult to do.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Listen to this.

SPEAKER_03 2:30

This is December 5th, 2012. Jaden was five. He needs constant supervision and help with everyday tasks. Tonight consisted of him screaming, swearing, kicking, and biting himself. And he threatened to kill all of us. I had to stop Jaden from trying to grab a knife to stab himself. He was saying, I'm going to kill myself. I'm going to stab myself with a knife. I really am. I'm going to do it. I'm getting a knife and I'm going to stab myself. We would be at the hospital right now if his sleep meds have not had not kicked in. For the last three weeks, I have spoken with Jaden's principal at least 15 times because of his behavior. Today he was sent home early because he was out of sorts and didn't like his substitute teacher. The last time he was sent home, two weeks ago, it was because of his behavior again. He was so upset when he came home, he pulled his dresser onto himself and we ended up at the hospital. The time for before that, the first time Jaden was sent home, he was went by ambulance and was hospitalized for six days. He was only five. Last week alone, I ended up with a swollen eye for three days. A separate incident left me with a fat lip. Community mental health comes over a few hours a week, and Jaden is on four medications. Nothing seems to be breaking his pattern or helping. I will not stop fighting for my son until he gets the proper treatment. My daughter and I need help. Families that deal with children like this live in an environment comparable to a war zone. We are in survival mode every day. While you cannot see my son's disability, understand that it dehabilitates the whole family. This is age six, July 14th, 2013. The other night I was venting. I was talking about how this illness has changed our life dramatically, how my daughter's childhood is unhealthy, and how we are continually verbally and physically abused. I am running out of ideas, solutions, patience, and sanity. I was ranting about how much I have changed as a person. I am angry, worn out, mean, mentally and physically drained, and financially wrecked. His needs are greater than I can handle. I am to the point that I cannot even pay for our basic needs. This is too much for one person to take. I had an eviction notice and our car was repossessed. I have finally hit rock bottom. Who lives like this? There has to be other parents that sit in their car and cry for hours. They have lost their jobs and been pushed to poverty level and who live in fear of their child while sleeping at night. I'm getting emotional. Is this it? Is this my life now? Does it ever get better? Because it hasn't. After all my efforts in the last four years, this is where I am.

unknown 5:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Of a lifetime.

SPEAKER_04 5:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

I uh I mean, I honestly I'm I'm emotional because I nobody realizes that. People drive by your house, they they just have their normal life and they don't realize that. When you said you finally hit rock bottom, how what kept you going?

SPEAKER_03 5:27

My daughter.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

What's her name?

SPEAKER_03 5:29

Alexis.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

Shout out to Alexis. Yeah. How old is she now? If Jane's 19, she's she's 26.

unknown 5:37

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 5:38

She gave you courage.

SPEAKER_03 5:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

She was a caregiver of the house with you?

SPEAKER_03 5:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Never gave up on Jaden. No. Never gave up on mom.

SPEAKER_03 5:45

No. And same with my mother. My mother was a big support. So yep. Yep. Yeah, it was a it was a long journey that we had. And um, it wasn't until uh when Jaden was nine years old, uh, we ended up at the hospital um and CPS got involved. And CPS had said that they were gonna force me to terminate my rights. Um they were afraid that Jaden was gonna hurt me or my daughter, and I did not want that to happen. Um, I will add that I I did have to reach out every time that Jaden was hospitalized as at a residential center, the channels of the system would never work correctly. So explain that. So community mental health is supposed to give a referral stating, you know what, this family is in crisis, this child needs more than we can give at home, and give you a referral, and then you can get placed at a facility. Well, they won't give those referrals. Why they just don't, they don't, they they just don't. They're just like, oh, sorry, we don't do that. Well, what do you mean you don't do that? Well, what do you do? So I would have to reach out to at the time, Lieutenant Brian Cali. Yeah, um, he was the lieutenant governor, um Dan Kildy, uh Dana Nessel's office. Like I've had to utilize my representatives. That was the only way to get into a facility.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

That's why government officials in positions of influence mean so much to you because they can literally move the needle or destroy and do nothing.

SPEAKER_03 7:30

Yes. Yes, correct. So I ended up getting Jaden his medical marijuana card uh when he was.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Tell us that about that because I think that's what needs to be the point of interest in the show is of all the things that Jaden was prescribed throughout his childhood and all the placements, there's something that was therapeutic and magical with cannabis.

SPEAKER_03 7:54

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 7:54

How did that happen?

SPEAKER_03 7:56

So, I mean, we had tried everything from like gluten-free diets to no red dye to ABA to all these different therapies and doctors and yes, he was on lithium, depicot, um, laminectol. I mean over 15, 20 different medications.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Medications that also had terrible side effects.

SPEAKER_03 8:19

Terrible side effects. And even when he was on all of those medications, I was still having to call the sheriff's department. You know, so was it working? You know, it it wasn't a big enough change to justify those side effects. So yeah, we we did. We had the cops out uh over 120 times in five years, and that was just the times that we called.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

It was just the times that it was that bad. He we had to call the the school had to call at least 15 times the police at the school.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

And law enforcement is is, you know, we do our best, but we're not, you know, at all times trained on how to handle those kinds of situations. I think we're better today than we were 15 years ago. But there has to be, like you said, if I'm at my my last hope, then 911 is the only other hope I have left. But it didn't solve the problem. Somebody had to introduce, there's had to be a moment where you thought, medical marijuana, we're gonna try this because I'll try anything at this point as a mom. What was that moment?

SPEAKER_03 9:24

Um, that was when they wanted to take my rights away. They wanted me to sign and terminate my rights. And I was like, whoa, whoa, I have fought this long. I believe in my son. There's gotta be a better solution. And at the time, it was kind of weird because CPS had been called on me because they thought I was giving him medical marijuana, which you know, he got a blood test done. And you know, like there was no, I was not giving him cannabis at that time. So I said, you know what, as soon as this is done with, which they had dismissed it, um, I'm gonna look into getting his card.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Got it.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

So I ended up getting his card.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

So if I may, because they accused you, it caused you to think, well, since I'm not, but what if I did it and they did it the right way? I'm gonna try.

SPEAKER_03 10:15

Right. Yes. Got it. Yes, exactly. Yep. So whoever did call CPS on me then.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

You want to say thank you?

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Thank you. Yes, because it it did. It changed our life so dramatically. Um, I mean, it was like night and day.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

And do you think that person who called was trying to help?

SPEAKER_03 10:33

No.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

They called why, do you think?

SPEAKER_03 10:36

I don't know. Good question.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

Okay, I don't know. But it led you to a solution that Jaden's life has been changed forever.

SPEAKER_03 10:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Check this out. Keep going.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

So uh Jaden, when he started on cannabis, um What age? He was nine.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

So he got his card at nine?

SPEAKER_03 10:53

Yes. Yep. And I he had a sense of calm.

SPEAKER_01 10:57

And it's the oil, by the way.

SPEAKER_03 10:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

The non-smokable oil.

SPEAKER_03 11:01

Yes. Yep. He would take it in a capsule, just like his pharmaceuticals. And he just he was able to stay calm. He was able to sit without, he used to fidget and hand, you know, hand flap and and move, and he couldn't sit still. Um, I noticed things like when we would drive down the road, I used to say, Hey Jaden, look at that pretty bird or look at the color of that house. And he wanted nothing to do with it. Once he started cannabis oil, he started pointing out things out the window. Wow. And he was able to slow down. It calmed his aggressive behaviors, it calmed his central nervous system, and it just it really, it's like it unlocked his brain.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

I had seen a video that David Custer did three years ago, and I saw him punching you while you're driving. And now he's pointing out the colors of trees and birds.

SPEAKER_03 11:56

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

That had to be such a relief to you as a mom.

SPEAKER_03 11:59

Yeah, it did. And I also noticed like he was able to process things better. Um, he would get really frustrated because they couldn't get out what he wanted to say. So then it would turn to anger. And it's a funny example, but this is what he said. Um, after cannabis oil, you know, he was like, you know what, mom? Sometimes I feel like Cinderella. I was like, huh? And he was able to, you know, put himself into different situations. He said, Yeah, I feel like, you know, grandma and Lexi and you are always telling me to do this or do that. And, you know, but I was so proud of him for being able to take a situation personally and then, you know, reflect into something he could compare it to and verbally express that.

unknown 12:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:41

I'd never seen that before.

SPEAKER_01 12:43

Oh my goodness, you must have just been I I mean, it must have been one of the happiest days of your life that you see these things transform into something that you prayed about and thought of.

SPEAKER_03 12:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

I mean From the time the first dose to the time you saw a change in a positive direction, how long a was that? What was the time frame?

SPEAKER_03 13:01

I mean, honestly, it was immediate. It it might like within a day? I mean, yeah. I mean, his first dose, I actually recorded him that day, and you could just see he felt comfortable in his own skin for the first time.

SPEAKER_02 13:16

Dang.

SPEAKER_03 13:16

Yeah. And then it just continued to get better. I didn't say anything for the first like six months. I was like, I don't want to jinx this because there's a honeymoon period when you start a medication and you're like, oh wow, it's working, and then it fades off, or you have to increase it, or you know, and I wanted to make sure it wasn't gonna fade away and we were gonna get those behaviors again and you know, that type of thing. So I waited quite a while before I announced that you know it was actually working.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

And did the school call you and say what's going on? His behavior is so much better. Did they notice the change?

SPEAKER_03 13:54

They had to they they noticed a huge change. And his teacher would actually call me and say, We're having a little bit of a rough day. Could you bring this special medicine up for So they knew it? They did.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

Good for you, good for them.

SPEAKER_03 14:06

And the school actually, one of the teachers wrote a letter because I was the parent petitioner to help get autism approved for medical marijuana in Michigan.

SPEAKER_02 14:15

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 14:16

And so I had the school and you know, some of his therapists, you know, write letters because they had seen the change in him.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

Right.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

And and now he is on track to getting his diploma next year. He has his driver's permit.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Oh my God.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

Um, he's hit milestones I never thought were possible.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

All right, let's back this thing up now. Nine years old, oil, and there were some obstacles you had with the delivery of that medicine. How long would he take? How often would he take it?

SPEAKER_03 14:48

Um, he would take it typically twice a day. Okay. So I'd give him one in the morning, and then I would drive one up to the school.

SPEAKER_02 14:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 14:56

Now, the way that the law is, is I'd have to park a thousand foot away from the school and then walk in, sign him out, walk him back to the car, hand him his capsule, he could swallow it, and then I could drive him back in and sign him back into class.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Every day.

SPEAKER_03 15:12

Every day.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

You're a mom of the year. Yep. That seems stupid to have to go through those little obstacles. It is. When there's probably a cabinet of medicines that are controlled and are delivered right there by school nurses under supervision and locked in there. But yeah, a law keeps that from happening.

SPEAKER_03 15:32

Yep. Yep. Which we we have introduced legislation three times to try to get that change. It's called Jaden's Law, is what we call it. Um, but it will never, it hasn't moved out of the education committee because they just don't want any part of it. And it kind of hurt us a little bit when you know recreational came about because there's been you know a lot of vapes in schools, and it gives it a bad stigma where we're not talking about the different traits. We don't want that either, right? But we want a you know, child to be able and to get the medication that is working for them right in the office.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

So, in prep for the show, I uh I called some of my teachers from uh the MEA and I said, Hey, you have this scenario, and I didn't get specific. I said, But you have a student here and they have a cannabis oil that was a uh a medication that changed their life. What would you think about allowing that into where all their medications are? Everyone I talked to said, listen, it keeps the child safe, it keeps my staff safe, it keeps the other kids safe. And if it's a controlled, like any other medication we give and it's private and it's kept in a secure location, we're not opposed. And I'm not saying that's the MA's position, I'm just saying that's the teacher's position. And I think that's there's worthy, uh it's worthy of note that you're fighting it every single day and you found something that can truly transform his life and keep the environment safe. We need to fix that. That is a simple fix.

SPEAKER_04 17:01

Yes, I agree.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

That's a simple fix. Yes, but it didn't stop you. No, you kept going there, driving your thousand one foot away, and then driving back every single day.

SPEAKER_04 17:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

And you went through school after you started with the cannabis oil. How many times did you have to call the police for behavior issues?

SPEAKER_03 17:18

Oh, geez. Um, I want to say we've maybe called three times in the last five years.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

And it was 120 times before he was age nine. Yes. Oh my gosh, let that settle in. Yes. And as he transitions into a new life, and you explain this now that cannabis is legal in Michigan, and it, you know, I think there's less and less stigma. Uh, what have you noticed that's trending in the right way about your push to get Jane's Law not only in the governor's possession, but have the governor sign it into law? Where are you with that?

SPEAKER_03 17:58

Um, well, we're we're kind of waiting on the election to happen and you know, the new reps to get in. Uh, I don't see there hasn't been a lot of bills passing in the last two years. So we were gonna introduce it again, and you know, it's just it hasn't been the right time.

SPEAKER_01 18:16

And it's a huge lift.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

Yes, is it's a it's a timing thing, is really what it is. So I do see it happening. I mean, there are, I want to say, 12 other states that have legislation, and it just really it's disappointing that you know it's been legal since 2008 when we passed the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act. Um, and then 2018 we passed the MRTMA. So, you know, why are we discriminating against kids having a medication that they're allowed to have if they have their card?

SPEAKER_01 18:52

That truly has results. That's transformed your family and Jaden's life. Yes. Well, you know where I stand when it comes to not only protecting industry but making common sense decisions. God willing, that happens to me. And I wouldn't the governor, you can bet that that's gonna be signed in.

unknown 19:07

Good.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

And we're gonna help parents like you.

SPEAKER_04 19:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 19:10

And in the meantime, uh, you got to keep fighting the fight. The other thing I want to bring up is, you know, the whole industry of cannabis, I think uh it's important to note uh somebody who who does not use but protects an industry as a sheriff with a uh an extra tax of 24% on top of the 16%. Are you following that whole thing and how it's impacting the industry, you personally?

SPEAKER_03 19:34

I am. Yes. I'm watching what's what's going on, and and it is scary times, I guess you could say, with you know, the rescheduling and different things, because what has helped my son is the patient and caregiver program that it was put in place in 2008. And the reason is is I'm not against retail by any means. But for if you are treating a pediatric child or if your, you know, family member has cancer, right? You want to know what you're getting. And I've always used a caregiver for Jaden. I know how they grow, they do test their product, uh, but they're not growing 47,000 plants that they have to keep up with. Um, there's a thing called remediation. Remediation is when they they pretty much put it into like a microwave and um kill out all the molds and the insects and that type of thing. But uh typically you don't have to do that if you grow it properly and you don't grow too many plants. So uh right now we're we've been asking for labels on the retail. Like, is this a remediated product? Is this not a remediated product? I feel like we should know that.

SPEAKER_04 20:51

Right.

SPEAKER_03 20:51

Um, there's no expiration dates. So you go to a dispensary and you're buying two-year-old remediated um product that's been sitting on the shelf. So you don't know. That's not the type of medicine that I want my son to have. So so that's kind of a big thing that we've been pushing. That, you know, it's like the things that I feel like are really important, like Jaden's Law and these labels and different things, are not important when it comes to money making.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

Preaching.

SPEAKER_03 21:23

So it just seems like that stuff gets pushed aside. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

I think it's important to note that the retail side is a different bucket than the caregiver side. The caregiver side is truly impacting people's lives in a different way. Is there another excerpt in your book that you want to read? There is, yes. I want to hear this.

SPEAKER_03 21:39

And I do want to mention though, um, you know, with the retail market, they are putting in like House Bill 5757 was just introduced. And that is to reduce the plant count for caregivers. So right now they can grow 12 plants per patient. They want to reduce it down to six.

SPEAKER_04 21:57

Why?

SPEAKER_03 21:58

Money. Because they want Want to push us to go to these dispensaries with this tax increase. You know what's hurting? Our mom and pop businesses. Because the big corporations they can withstand it. So they're loving this. They're like, yeah, get rid of the patient and caregiver. Get rid of these mom and pop, and let's just have a bunch of Walmart weed here.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

And on top of that, when you increase that to 40%, you're not going to get the entire uh market. They're going to go back into the illicit market, the cartel. So you've created two problems trying to solve one problem, and the one problem trying to solve is pure money.

SPEAKER_03 22:31

It's pure money.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

That's it. Yes. That's why you're here.

SPEAKER_03 22:34

That is why I'm here.

SPEAKER_01 22:35

This is why you have my commitment that we're going to make some sense out of this.

SPEAKER_03 22:39

Yes. Because you know, I don't fight for this so that you know people can go get high. I fight for it because it works. And if you use it and utilize it in the right way, it can change your life.

SPEAKER_01 22:52

And that's coming from a mom with a perspective that this is what you lived every day 24-7.

SPEAKER_04 22:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 22:58

To find the best solution.

SPEAKER_04 22:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:00

And you saw what didn't work and you saw now see what does work.

SPEAKER_03 23:03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:04

How can you not fight for that? Any parent should.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 23:08

Okay. I'm going to get straight.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

T up what this uh excerpt is on this one.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

Okay. So this is the good one. This is September 20th, 2021. Jaden is 14. I started crying after leaving Jaden's school today. I cannot even begin to tell you how proud I am of him. We just had the best conversation about his childhood. He doesn't remember a lot of his childhood. Jaden doesn't know why he acted the way he did, and doesn't remember much about anything other than he didn't really have control. Back then, I didn't know what to do, and all of the therapies, medications, and minimal help from the state were not getting us anywhere. There were times I wanted to give up, but I knew I couldn't. There were times when friends or family would urge me not necessarily to give up, but just save myself. It was horrible for a lot of years, and I never thought in a million years I would be where I am today. Not only has cannabis oil saved Jaden's life, but my strong boy is pushed through and persevered through all of this. In all honesty, I never dreamed our lives would be as good as they are now. I'm so grateful I found cannabis, continued to believe in Jaden, and did not give up.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

Ah great job.

SPEAKER_03 24:20

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

Do you have a book called Courage and Cannabis?

SPEAKER_03 24:28

Yes, I was I co-authored Courage and Cannabis, and it is an amazing um book. It's kind of like chicken soup for the soul. Yeah. But it's a bunch of different little stories like that on how cannabis has changed people's life with.

SPEAKER_01 24:44

Is it all your stories, or are there other people's stories in there?

SPEAKER_03 24:47

Throughout the United States, there's um I think three stories from Michigan.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

Nice.

SPEAKER_03 24:51

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

How does one get a hold of that book?

SPEAKER_03 24:54

Um, it is on Amazon.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 24:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

Can you show it to the camera so we can uh highlight it?

SPEAKER_03 24:59

Where's the camera? Right here.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

Two ways. Yep. And um how many other parents do you think are out there? How many other people are impacted?

SPEAKER_03 25:07

Well, I tell you what, I have been um doing this, you know, um since Jaden was nine, and I have helped at least I want to say close to 300 families I've talked to. I invite people over, I teach them how to make Jaden's medicine. I have a special way that I make his um so I use Rick Simpson oil. Um, I put like two grams of Rick Simpson oil in a glass container, and then I add seven grams of sunflower lethosin oil. And the reason you do that is because it breaks through the blood barrier differently, so you don't get tolerant of the strain or the dose. So it's like new medicine, and it lasts for four to six hours. So I marinate that for about three or four days. I add in some terpenes, which terpenes are the flavor and the smell of that is derived from the cannabis plant. So I add in what's called linolule, which is the calming one, it's kind of like uh lavender.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Lavender, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

So it it calms him. I can tell the difference if I don't put the terpenes in and I do put the terpenes in. So I I he takes right now just one capsule a day.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

He went from two to one.

SPEAKER_03 26:20

Yep, he went to two to one.

SPEAKER_01 26:22

There's no honeymoon phase anymore.

SPEAKER_03 26:23

No honeymoon phase. Nope.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

My gosh. Yep. So how much would you make and how long does it last?

SPEAKER_03 26:30

Is it um with that recipe? I would say that will last about 10 days.

SPEAKER_01 26:36

And who taught you to do that?

SPEAKER_03 26:38

Uh, my caregiver.

unknown 26:39

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 26:39

Yeah. Yeah. For the first two years, I didn't know about that. So I was just giving him Rick Simpson oil, but I kept having to increase it and you know, try to change, get different kinds because he would get tolerant of it. And so it wouldn't work as well. And we've been on this regiment now for gosh, like six or seven years. He's been on it and it's working well.

SPEAKER_01 26:59

But if you have the right combination, why isn't that being sold in different dispensaries?

SPEAKER_03 27:04

Right.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

Does everybody have to make their own capsule?

SPEAKER_03 27:07

You know, my dream, Chris, is to have, you know, those essential oils that you can get. Okay. Well, wouldn't it be great to have the cannabis kit where it had Mersine and all the different yeah, add and stir. Yeah. And then you you can go as far as to get cannabinoids like CBG, CBN. Some do brain rebuilding, some do, you know, different things. Do you want to increase appetite or decrease appetite? And so you can actually formulate a medicine exactly for what you're trying to treat. Oh my gosh. Which is amazing. Because I would love to be able to go and have a kit so that I can give it to these, you know, parents that, you know, really understand their. I mean, autism parents, they're just one of their own, right? Like they're just they're aside, they'll do anything that they can for their child. So they would be able to formulate that medication right on hand.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Well, I would encourage you to take that leap because I mean, you're obviously helping 300 families. There's more out there that need help. There's, you know, kids right now that are struggling, that moms haven't read the book, dads haven't read the book, and they're thinking, what do I do? I've hit rock bottom. You're an inspiration. We've had two back-to-back podcasts today of two moms that are like super moms, both with a deep love for their kids, and they will do whatever it takes to give them life that is thriving, but also one that has the greatest chance of success. Um if you have to give a message to people that don't understand cannabis, don't uh don't understand what you went through, the autism, you know, uh subject, what message would you give to people that are at where you were in the first story?

SPEAKER_03 28:44

Uh to, you know, I that's a tough one. Um, I don't want to push this on people, you know, but I want them to do their research because it is out there. I mean, we're not, you know, there's not a ton of medical research that's done on this, but if you really jump in and see, I mean, it's it's out there and to contact me because I am more than willing. I don't I don't charge anybody because I know what it's like to feel so alone during that time. I want to help families and be able to be that that that person that listens and can give advice that actually works. I I love um helping families. I just I really do, whether it's school issues or um and or helping them make matters.

SPEAKER_01 29:37

You're gonna give them hope.

SPEAKER_03 29:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 29:38

And a plan.

SPEAKER_03 29:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 29:39

How does somebody get a hold of you if they wanted to connect and say, I need your help, Amy?

SPEAKER_03 29:43

Um, you can find me on Facebook, you can find me on Instagram. Uh, I actually started the Michigan Weedsters, which is uh advocacy group that we want to protect our laws here in Michigan. You know, we've only had 15 voter-initiated laws since 1963.

SPEAKER_02 30:01

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 30:01

Those laws are laws that the people have put into place. We've only had 15 of them. Uh, two of them are cannabis laws, which means that we can protect them. It takes three-fourths majority vote in order to change them. If we're not watching, if we're not united, they can get changed. So we need to all work together. So Michigan Oysters, it's $4.20 to join for the year. Yep. And um, it's it's more about just getting people aligned so that when our rights are, you know, challenged challenged that that we can protect them and stand up for what we feel is right.

SPEAKER_01 30:40

Wow. As I said, I I I I saw the story before, and you've done this. Before we end, I'd like people to know who you are. Like tell us your background, how many other kids you have? Do you have kids? Where you grew up? Just okay, take us take us down that lane.

SPEAKER_03 30:55

Okay, so I grew up out in Lapier. Um, my parents were business owners. Uh, we owned uh HB's Country Market.

SPEAKER_00 31:03

Got it.

SPEAKER_03 31:03

Uh we sold it.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Lapier East, Lapir West.

SPEAKER_03 31:05

Uh Lapir West. Got it.

SPEAKER_00 31:07

That's where my wife went.

SPEAKER_03 31:08

Yep. Oh wow. Yes. Yep. So we were out there for 38 years. Uh so I helped my parents ever since I was three years old on the cash register and making pizzas.

SPEAKER_01 31:17

Where's the store?

SPEAKER_03 31:18

Uh it was off of Elba Road.

SPEAKER_01 31:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:20

Yep, right on the right hand side. My dad had a bunch of deer antlers.

SPEAKER_01 31:24

There's a uh there's only one intersection in Elba.

SPEAKER_03 31:27

Well, it's right off of I-69.

SPEAKER_01 31:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 31:29

Yep. Right. You get off the expressway. Yep. It's right there. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

Had the great billboard?

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Yes. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 31:35

It's closed now, unfortunately. Wow. Oh, yes, because you would see it going eastbound on 69.

SPEAKER_03 31:40

Yep. So that's where I, you know, my dad says I got the gift of Gab. Yeah. You know, because I'd, you know, run the cash register and talk to everybody. And uh from there, I started uh selling houses. I was selling manufactured modular houses. And then I went to Yellow Book. That was my favorite job. I used to sell those, you know, the big phone books. And I'd sell advertising and that. And uh, and now I'm actually working on what's called Rooted Michigan. I am starting a magazine in Michigan uh that is for those businesses that we should support. So such as well, and back in 2021, um, we had the Safety Act, is what uh they introduced a bunch of corporations came together. They paid this lobbyist, Steve Linder, to uh get this legislation pushed through, which was called the Safety Act, and we fought back. Um, so then we came up with a boycott list of all those companies that were trying to take our freedoms away. Um, so we had the boycott list, but you know, we don't want negative things, so we need where should I go?

SPEAKER_01 32:48

That's got it. You know, that's the same thing, but not positive.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

Yeah. So we want to support those Michigan mom and pop businesses um that are you know having a hard time with this tax increase. Uh, we want to support them. So, in order to get into rooted Michigan, they have to sign a pledge that they won't come after our rights. And we will continue to support them as well. So I'm working on that, which will be a directory throughout Michigan.

SPEAKER_01 33:13

Good for you. Yeah. Well, I just want to say thank you. And before we leave, uh, who's your favorite artist of all time? What what what who do you ever listen to?

SPEAKER_03 33:23

Jeez, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 33:24

What concert would you want to go to?

SPEAKER_03 33:26

Concert M M.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

Eminem?

SPEAKER_03 33:27

Eminem.

SPEAKER_01 33:28

All the way. Yes. There you go.

SPEAKER_03 33:30

Yeah, he'd yeah, he's my favorite.

SPEAKER_01 33:32

And uh, what's your favorite food of all time?

SPEAKER_03 33:34

Uh, I'd have to say pizza.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

Right on. So far, we're two for two with me. Yeah. What is uh your favorite movie when you just want to get away and just either laugh, cry, or just love? What is it?

SPEAKER_03 33:44

You know, um, believe it or not, it's Aaron Brockovich. Really? Yes. Fight. Yes, I I have that fight in me. I just do. I I I believe to fight for what's right.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

Yeah. So my favorite scene is when the uh the owner of the firm comes in and gives Aaron her check.

SPEAKER_04 34:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 34:02

And she thought that she's being undercut.

SPEAKER_04 34:04

She's like, wait a minute.

SPEAKER_01 34:05

Yeah, he's she's just flaming them up, and she opens it up, and then he just says, I'll accept your apology.

SPEAKER_03 34:11

Yeah, like that's a great scene. Yes, that is such a great movie. It's a great story.

SPEAKER_01 34:16

Wow. Yes. And uh now you have the whole country watching you, you have 30 seconds, nobody's distracted, and you have a message for the country. What would your message be to them?

SPEAKER_03 34:26

Um, my message is is to just continue to be a voice in whatever you feel strong about. It's important to get your voice out there and be heard.

SPEAKER_01 34:40

Well, you can count on my voice, and uh, and I appreciate you and I appreciate the fight. Jaden, I hope you watched this episode. You're proud of mom, you're proud of your sister, and I'm very proud of you, man. You have shown that you can overcome some some big obstacles, but there's more that you can do. For all the moms and dads and all the families out there that are struggling. If you need to get of uh some encouragement, go see Amy Carter. You can follow her, you can you know tag us, we'll figure out how to get a hold of you. But stay the course, be the voice, and uh and lift up those that need you. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Working Class Podcast.