I will independently confirm these findings...

Tom

At least here in Washington State you have to have a document signed by your doctor, that says he has counseled you on the use of medical marijuana. And the dispensary where I get mine only provides for documented patients, but I am not sure if someone from another state with a medical marijuana "card" could present it there or not.

does anyone have any cookies?

Unless my pain were bad enough (and then I'd swallow whole toads, to relieve it), I'm staying away from MMJ. I may just enjoy it too much.

RW, I have the munchies without MJ and have lots of choc chip cookies.

Where are the "powers that be" with regard to this? We've all seen these positive reports so where have they been? I know, more money is probably exchanged with pharmaceuticals. Anyway -- I hope my state will do something to legalize MMJ soon. I've been living with chronic nerve pain for 13 years and nothing on the market now takes it away. My two Aleve a day take the edge off and sometimes 1/2 a carbamazipine tablet, but this 24/7 pain has taken a real toll on my quality of life.

It would be easier to deal with the rest of MS if it weren't for this pain. It permeates every aspect of living .... even sitting still hurts. It hurts to have clothes touching my skin, shoes are impossible since there is so much pain in the tops of my feet. And legs -- between pain and swelling, sometimes I wish they were cut off!! They don't work anyway. The pain in the butt -- OWIE!!!!!!!

Yes, even though we probably shouldn't mention it here, thoughts of suicide are something I have to fight. This never ending pain just drives me crazy, as I'm sure it does anyone else with it. All you can think about is the pain and how to get rid of it.

It looks like people will just continue using alcohol, becoming violent, abusing family members, drunk driving, killing each other, etc., etc., etc. while our hopes of some pain relief go on and on.
Sitting here in this wheelchair with only my little dog, who cares if I get the munchies or gain a few pounds? I'm not going out and becoming a menace to society!! All I'm asking for is perhaps a better quality of whatever life I have left (60ish) and not being reduced to tears every day because of the pain.

Okay -- that's my story and I'm sticking to it!! The soapbox is put away.

I agree, Judy. If Prohibition taught us only one thing, it was surely that making it illegal does nothing to stop it. Some historians suggest that the illegal sales volume of alcohol actually exceeded previous (legal) years during that period.

I laugh at the folks who so adamantly oppose legalization saying that they don't want that in their neighborhoods. Hellow! It's already there, trust me! There is also a popular argument suggesting that once legal, everyone will start walking around high.

Pahleeeeeze. There are those who walk around drunk all day, but there are waaaaaay more of us who don't!

I think the marijuana growers need to hire tobacco lobbyists away from the big tobacco companies— that way, they can have whatever they want!

I totally agree with both Judy and AMN...the pain is the worst symptom for me also and I do sometimes let that "s' word creep into my thoughts occasionally...but I promised DH that I wouldn't go that way...but I do understand now all those Kevorkian patients' way of thinking...
the pain isn't like having a baby, but it IS constant when it's bad...just kind of nags at your consciousness...and crowds out any thoughts of how to live a life of activity and quality...

My city prides itself on being on one of those lists of "best places to live in the U.S." They turn away from seeing the rampant drug use amongst the youth here...both prescribed and street-bought.

My DH and I never did illegal drugs...so for me to consider going out and trying to find relief on the street saddens me...that I live in a country that ignores the benefits of a drug because of the rampant fear...yet allows people to kill themselves with tobacco, and tolerates the drunk driving that is NEVER tolerated in Europe.

I wrote my state senator to urge him to support a bill in the legislature that would make medical marijuana legal here...but noooo, it's a "gateway drug". And this guy's in the run for our next governor...
I continue to write letters to anyone in state government that will have a say in this legislation...maybe if I bring up how much in tax dollars they would make that would sway them...after all, it's all about the Benjamins with those folks...

Ok. I did something illegal. but other than my written word (which is subject to questioning since I have MS and in enough pain to be out of my mind literally) there is no evidence in my house.

I smoked pot in my late teens/early 20's. We had fun, laughed and ate food.

So for medicinal purposes, I had a friend in a legal place bake up a batch of brownies and send them. Biggest dilemma was how much to eat and when. Full stomach? How long for digestion?

First time was full stomach. small amount. nothing.

Next time, late at night, went to sleep. Got up in early AM, wobbly legs. Morning after, felt pretty good.

Then tried a bigger brownie just before dinner. Ate dinner. 1 1/2 later, uh oh. Not good at all.

Instead of relaxing, everything was wrong. I was stiff as a board. Could not put sentences together. DH helped me to bed, I could not move other than one hand! I wanted to call the paramedics but it was an herb, I knew it would go away and really, how embarrassing that a 56 year old lady ate a brownie laced with MJ.

Next morning, no problem and back to normal.

Next attempt, my friend sent me a joint. I took one hit. Still had negative results. All the unpleasant reactions. Felt the buzz factor, could not concentrate, stiff body, lack of coherent thoughts.

And my lungs were really unhappy with me. My breath smelled like pot for hours despite brushing my teeth. I could feel the lung tissue saying, "don't ever do that again!"

I was looking for the high I remembered as a young-un. I had no fear of MJ. I was even a bit excited for the high.

This is not a rant AGAINST MMJ. I think it should be legal not only for medical use but for all people. As a choice. I have met mean drunks but stoners were just laid back and mellow.

I wrote this negative post to see if anyone else had my same response to the drug.

I know there are different strengths. This may have been too strong but the high was unmistakable.

And yes, I am a rebel.

What I don't understand is that MJ is not legal yet salvia is. Not only is it legal there is no age limit on who can buy it. They sell it in this store here that is right by a middle school, high school, and university. If you don't know what it is google it or look for it on youtube. The videos will blow your mind. Very scary.

I like to "eat" my medicine, too, and usually bake "it" up in gingerbread cookies. I even ice and decorate them! I have carried them onboard planes without a problem. I make my cookies small enough that 2-3 cookies are one "dose." And gingerbread cookies keep very well without freezing.

The effect takes longer to kick in (for me 1-1/1/2 hours), can be much stronger, a "body" high, that if it is too strong can make you feel really out of it. So I like to find out where to stop early in a batch of cookies! The first time I baked cookies I "taste tested" a few too many while decorating them and got so "baked" I warned my partner to keep an eye on me! The high lasts longer when ingested. Some folks seem to get no benefit from baked goods. I prefer to bake when I can make my own "canni-butter," so I can make if fairly strong, but that is a smelly, messy, time-consuming icky task!

I will say that I get a surge of increased spasticity shortly after smoking a bowl, but it goes away in a few minutes or so, leaving me able to deal with the pain and stiffness better. But sometimes I have to get myself to the point of being out of it to just get comfortable.