Deanna Jean, Minnesota Mom, Fights for Medical Marijuana

Weedists: Meet Deanna Jean

“Weedists are the people who are out there fighting the good fight and these are their stories.”

Deanna Jean, or DJ as she is known in her community, is a medical cannabis patient due to a traumatic brain injury she sustained a couple of years ago. Minnesota does not have a medical marijuana law in place, so she uses her medicine of choice as a criminal. In the United States today, this is not so unusual. Deanna Jean’s story is special. After her brain injury, she had to relearn a lot of stuff that most of us take for granted — like walking, talking, reading and even wiping our own behinds. But, she persevered and discovered how cannabis could help in the process.

She lives in a small town in Minnesota that could be any other small town in the middle of the United States. It is filled with people who know very little about the healing qualities of cannabis and live in fear and belief of the lies they learned from the government. Deanna Jean started working with their local farmers’ market and quickly became a valued member of the community. She helped organize events that brought positive attention to the market in addition to providing produce and baked goods via Super Fresh Bakery and Produce, the company she worked for as her advocacy began. Here’s what she says about it:

“I brought SuperFresh Produce, Bakery, and Garden Center into the Austin Farmers’ Market…Jim and I talked about how to boost the community spirit so I brought it to the former board of directors and it was voted in…I was in charge of making it happen even then they all knew in way back then, one on one, I’m a MMJ Patient fighting for MN Patients…the market encouraged they loved and supported me…told me I was part of their family…”

It was all good until this article appeared in her local newspaper. DJ even wore her Moms for Marijuana T-shirt and provided literature and information about hemp and cannabis to those who wanted it. Since the article was published, the farmers’ market has kicked her out saying that they do not allow political advocacy or campaigning by vendors at the market. And, she lost her job because the company she worked for is “concerned” about their “reputation.” Yet, according to the comments on her Facebook page that addresses her problems with the market, she has private and individual support — even from the market president.

While all of this may come as a surprise to those of us fortunate enough to live in a medical marijuana state, it is happening all over the country. Activists and advocates are victimized daily by those who disagree with their decision to speak up and tell the truth about cannabis.

Right now, it looks like DJ needs a new job and a new place to advocate for her beliefs. She lost her livelihood and her community because she has chosen to openly discuss the miracle that cannabis has become for her. We see change coming, but we all know it needs to happen everywhere. How many more of us need to sacrifice everything before this is over?

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