My father was the victim of a terrible accident. He had worked all my life for a large phone company. One winter day while climbing a pole he slipped on a patch of ice on a foothold and fell almost 2 stories to the ground. He went through countless operations to correct the herniated discs in his back causing pain so great he couldn't get out of bed most days.
When the pain persisted after the surgeries he was prescribed many opiates to relieve it. He told me himself during this time that the pain subsided with the medication. The rest of the family, while glad that h was in less pain, watched him slip into a kind of mental coma from the pain killers. He developed a severe addiction to oxycontin. H was a walking zombie during that time. His love for the outdoors and hunting and fishing was gone. He treated myself and my siblings as if we were strangers.
At one point 2 years ago he missed an appointment to have his prescription renewed. He could have simply called his doctor and he would have had his drugs within an hour. But instead, in his moment of clear thinking, he realized the stranglehold the those drugs had on his life the last 6 years. He told me "I'll never take oxycontin again." He didn't. On the days he was in terrible pain he treated himself by smoking marijuana. He told me that it brought the pain in his back to bearable levels and helped to clear his mind further. Today he hikes through the 3 acres of mountain land he owns and hunts again on a regular basis. He has now gotten himself to the point of being able to lift weights and is in the best physical condition I've ever seen him in. the surgery he had on his back had worked. the pain medication he was prescribed had not. He prescribes his own medication now and he lives a happy life as a husband, a father, and a proud grandfather.
This herb can do amazing things. The drug companies don't want us to believe that but its the gods honest truth. I saw it first hand. the only travesty to this story is that my 50 year old father has to deal with criminals and lowlifes to get the only drug that works for him and still allows him to live his life. the prohibition on marijuana in this country needs to end and it needs to end now.
jaqi, 9/15/2008
Hi, my name is M…I’m 31 years old. I have Cerebral Palsy. I have spasticity in my legs. The type of Cerebral Palsy I have is called Spastic Diplegia. I have muscle spasms, arthritis and anxiety attacks.
The muscle spasms, arthritis and anxiety are all caused by the Cerebral Palsy. I have to use my whole body to walk to compensate for the weakness in my muscles; I have arthritis in my left hip and ankles because I had a bone fusion in my feet to correct a deformity; and I have chronic anxiety attacks because I have hypersensitivity to noise or any sudden, startling movement.
I take Flexeril; it relaxes my muscles but it puts me to sleep. I take Ultram for my arthritis, but it puts me to sleep. I’ve also taken Adivan (Lorazepam) for anxiety in the past, and it has helped. But, all three medications make me groggy and unable to function.
I have heard from someone who has the same conditions, and not only did marijuana relieve the symptoms but left them fully-functioning with no side-effects. I’d like to have the option to try pot legally. 
MassCann: The Massachusetts chapter of NORML
Legal Reform
