The negative and irresponsible image of marijuana users portrayed by the media and film industry compound the public image of the drug, so that those who haven’t had cause to research the genuine curative properties of marijuana can be quick to discard its credibility. Being prepared to look at alternative medicine with an open mind is met with extremist attitudes, and those that do risk being seen as a ‘hippy’ or ‘druggie’ tarnished by the
Marijuana has been used as an alternative to modern conventional medicine for years; its effective use as a pain killer has many referring to it as a miracle drug. But there are people out there staunchly opposed to the use of illicit drugs to alleviate symptoms of suffering – from those who unquestionably follow the law to those with religious beliefs and preconceived ideas; social conditioning also plays an enormous part in this taboo area.
Seizure Control
I felt compelled to address this subject after seeing the moving story on BBC news on the 17th of June about a mother, Charlotte Caldwell, who took the law into her own hands and flew her 12-year-old son abroad to receive treatment for his severe and debilitating epilepsy. Billy Caldwell “used to suffer up to 100 seizures per day, but has now not had a single seizure for 300 days” according to Ms Caldwell, who also said the cannabis oil has improved Billy’s autism, evidencing the fact he has been better at making eye contact and showing more engagement with his books and toys – after receiving treatment with cannabis oil.
On her return to the UK on the 11th June, Tory policing minister Nick Hurd ordered the confiscation of medicinal cannabis oil from Charlotte Caldwell at Heathrow Airport. His actions forced Billy Caldwell’s treatment to be stopped cold-turkey with no opportunity to slowly wean him off the drug – a method which is recommended by medical professionals for long-term prescribing treatments.
Charlotte stated that her son would surely die if he wasn’t allowed to take the medication and that “If Billy dies, which is looking increasingly possible, then the Home Office, and (minister) Nick Hurd, will be held completely accountable”.
An Astrological Perspective
On the evening of the 15th of June, Billy Caldwell was back in hospital as a medical emergency, forcing Home Office Minister Nick Hurd to perform a complete 180° turn on his previous decision to withhold the medication.
I cast a sunrise chart for the 15th June 2018 in London to see what was happening. This is the day Billy Caldwell was admitted to Hospital – Initially to Paddington Hospital and then in the evening to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital – where he was said to be in a “life-threatening condition”.
The chart of the day shows Neptune in Pisces, Jupiter in Scorpio and the Moon in Cancer completing a Grand Trine between the three watery planets.
The Sun at the moment it rose that day, at 24° Gemini – the discovery degree of Uranus – highlights the nervous system and neurological disorders which Gemini rules. Epilepsy falls into this category. As a result of this, the 15th of June has an added Uranian flavour making it a powerful day for change, sudden reversals, and awareness of alternative perspectives.
Uranus in Taurus
Uranus ingressed Taurus back in May 2018 and has already presented itself in a variety of interesting and revolutionary ways. In this case, sitting at the first degree of Taurus (the sign ruling nature, the body, and the physical environment), Uranus raises our awareness of issues affected by this area of life. A plant which can heal debilitating mental and physical disorders is thrust into the spotlight and the mass media reports a story which could revolutionise drug laws in the UK. Trined by Saturn retrograde in Capricorn, as well as squared by Venus in Leo, Uranus calls for the laws and traditions of the UK to be reconsidered under compassionate review.
Jupiter in Scorpio has presented an issue considered to be a taboo to many, forcing us to broaden our perspective on the issue and consider the bigger picture as far as the use of medicinal marijuana is concerned. In the 5th house, Jupiter has highlighted the issue through a vulnerable young child whose life has been transformed by the “illicit” substance.
Bending the Law
Neptune in Pisces in the 9th house has called for a law to be ‘bent’ in order to make a special exception for Billy Caldwell, whose situation has challenged the perspectives of politicians and law enforcers alike. Politics and Law are directly associated with the 9th house and Pisces is the sign of redemption and compassion. In association with Jupiter in Scorpio in the 5th house, the precarious condition of this child’s life has given us all a very extreme case to consider; the benefits of loosening laws and granting alternative options to those who haven’t had success with prescribed, legal medication.
The Moon in Cancer feeds into this in a special way – not only is it completing a Grand Trine in the caring and compassionate water signs, but will have also passed the degree that Pluto was discovered (17° Cancer), giving extra transformational power to this potent degree of the zodiac plus echoing Jupiter’s position of power, currently disposited by Pluto.
Saturn, Mercury, and Chiron have formed a potent t-square with Saturn in Capricorn wishing to preserve tradition, the definitive word of the Law and the word “no” as far as questions are concerned. However, Saturn’s retrograde motion indicates an element of reconsideration. Mercury in opposition to Saturn is about having ideas challenged by a life-threatening situation. This is also the old man vs the young man. In Cancer, the care and welfare of a child are called into question, as is the need to review the serious issues that surround the reasoning behind a decision to deny potentially life-saving medication.
The Wounded Healer
The Apex of the t-square is Chiron in Aries, the wounded healer in the sign of the warrior and ruler of the top of the head and brain. The potential of healing here comes by breathing new life into a situation which requires fresh review; the pain caused by this neurological disorder could pioneer a new treatment method through the suffering of this young boy. Billy Caldwell has become a symbol of hope for everyone suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses.
The outcome of the situation could have been very different had Nick Hurd said no and decided to stick to the letter of the Law. He could have found himself in a very serious – and potentially indefensible – situation if a helpless young child had died as a result of a policy he enforced. However, in a break-through for alternative medicine and medicinal marijuana use, the Right Honourable Nick Hurd chose to backtrack against his previous stance – prohibiting the use of medical marijuana by Law – in order to do what was right, and to allow the use of the only medication capable of alleviating the life-threatening seizures which have controlled every aspect of Billy Caldwell’s life since birth.
With a child’s life on the line, Hurd’s actions were being viewed as inhumane and callous by many who understand the need for the UK’s current, archaic drug laws to be reviewed in cases such as these.
Human Rights
There were also questions over the legal implications of Hurd’s actions, particularly when considering that his decision may have been in breach of Human Rights Article 2: Right to Life – being enforced under the instruction of Mr. Hurd.
Nick Hurd was born on 13th May 1962, in London. There is no birth time so I cast a noon chart for him.
Interestingly, he has Jupiter in Pisces and Neptune in Scorpio (the reversal of their current positions by transit). Accompanied by the Moon in Cancer on the day Billy Caldwell was admitted to hospital, this Grand Trine has played directly into his personal experience.
In this instance, the Moon in Cancer can be seen directly in a mother’s call to action for urgent and immediate care (necessitating the bending of a harsh, antiquated law which required immediate review).
With the transiting Moon passing his North Node in Leo and opposing Saturn in Aquarius, Mr Hurd’s decision to allow Billy Caldwell to receive this illegal treatment created an historic precedent. Billy Caldwell isn’t the only person who could benefit from this type of treatment and those suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses may be able to resort to this alternative medicine in the future.
Groundbreaking Decision
With Mercury in Gemini making trine/sextile to the nodes, this will have been a decision which challenged Nick Hurd’s comfort zone in favour of a situation which will change the course of history forever. Regardless of the current law, the flexibility that has been utilised in order to implement this decision is groundbreaking and has already set a precedent for the use of medicinal marijuana. The law will have to be reviewed and as a Taurus, flexibility is likely not going to be the easiest stance for Nick Hurd to take – though with the help of Uranus in his sign, this may come a little easier than before.
Having just had his nodal return, and the total Lunar eclipse on 27th July at 04°44′ Aquarius, an acceleration of change to his fixed views and loyalty to the law is being presented through challenging situations. Mars retrograde is also highlighting the need to assess the use of pioneering treatments and with Mercury retrograde recently moving over these points, there is a lot of friction requiring his fixed position to be reconsidered.
Let’s face it, Nick Hurd really is the man who can make a difference in this case and his staunch attitude towards the the enforcement of drug laws have been challenged by a genuine case where his decision could leave him accountable for the death of an innocent young boy. You can understand his position in this situation, but with many countries legalising cannabis (both for medical and recreational use) the concern over keeping this drug totally illegal in any form throughout the UK really should not be emphasized as strongly as it still is.
However, as well as being seen as a politically sensible decision – for his own self-interest in not publicly denying a child life-saving medication – you may also look to see if the decision had a more human basis (owing to the fact that Mr Hurd himself is a father of 6).
One Small Step For Man
In recent years, the world has been waking up to the unnecessarily tight regulations on the substance. As I write, 29 states in the US have some kind of legalisation program and Canada legalised marijuana for medicinal use in 2001. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada is making the necessary adjustments to have all use (including recreational) of marijuana legalised – a policy promise which helped get him elected to office on 19 October 2015.
The thing that strikes me most about this story isn’t that this is a one-off. It isn’t a little event which doesn’t mean anything. Clinicians have confirmed that it was dangerous to take Billy Caldwell off of the medicine he had been using, and that since commencing treatment he had gone nearly a year without a seizure – showing the drug’s clear effectiveness in helping to control his symptoms.
This is a medical breakthrough and the government have to acknowledge the power of this natural drug in alleviating and controlling the debilitating effects of many illnesses and medical conditions – regardless of whether or not they chose to legalise it.
With the promising steps being made during the Uranus–Saturn Trine plus the Jupiter–Neptune trine, new attitudes can be formed from the archaic attitudes of yesterday and we can put our faith in the healing and medicinal properties of nature, once again.
Infinity Astrological Magazine
Soul Connections issue, September 2018