Volunteer finds medical marijuana petition drive highly emotional

She's on the front lines, helping gather signatures to get a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot in Oklahoma this November.

And Peggy Pianalto says it's an emotionally draining experience, one which has made her more convinced than ever that it needs to happen, for cancer patients, for children suffering seizures, for people suffering anxiety or chronic pain.

The stories from people with sick children who can't afford to move to a state where medical marijuana's legal are just one example of why she can't discuss the topic long before tears fill her eyes.

For example, she was recently approached by a man in Okmulgee.

"He said 20 years ago, his 3-year-old son died from seizures. And he said, 'I wish we'd have had this avenue, the medical marijuana, for him - he might be here today.'"

Of course, there are people firmly opposed to the idea, many of whom believe the issue is more about people wanting to get stoned and hope medical marijuana will loosen the availability of the drug.

"We've had people come up to the table, very antagonistic. 'Do you know what medical marijuana is?' 'Well yeah, it's that stuff you smoke, get high.' 'No ma'am, it's not, let me explain.' And I've had them leave the table, signing the petition, and shocked," she told KRMG.

One woman with Drug Free Oklahoma even found herself leaving the table much less sure of her position, Pianalto said.

Though she didn't sign the petition, she did plan to do more research.

Pianalto hopes that as more states make medical marijuana available, more research will be done to once and for all prove whether it actually works for the long list of ailments proponents claim it does.

She doesn't smoke marijuana, nor does she need it herself for medical purposes.

But she has a friend with cancer, and she's doing it for her.

There's a side effect as well, Pianalto told KRMG.

As they gather signatures, they're registering voters -- and doing so in record numbers.

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