I've mentioned in a couple of thread my use of medical marijuana (MM). I wanted to start a thread specifically addressing this therapy.

Presently 14 states allow possession and use of MM. A few weeks ago the Justice Department announced they will no longer be raiding the dispensaries and growers and leave enforcement to the states as they wish.

About 2 weeks ago the American Medical Association reversed their position on MM: they now state it has some medical benefits and deserves more study.

These developments are heartening to me because I have found MM very helpful for my pain. I became a "patient" about 18 months ago. A friend was a patient and helped me through the process of qualifying and then agreed to become my grower (which was extremely helpful because growing MM is not an easy task). I did my research and discovered the Canadian study that concluded MM is helpful in 35% of the cases of diabetic neuropathy.

The first social event for patients I attended astounded me. I expected to see lots of stoners. Instead, I found a roomful of people where the average age was mid-late 50s. They were sitting at tables like you might see in a bingo hall, but instead of bingo cards they had bubblers and pipes. Yeah, there were younger "stoners", but they were in the minority (at least at this social event).

In my college days, the only way I knew to use marijuana was smoke it. Since that first social event I've learned a lot of different (and effective) ways to use it besides smoking. I bought a vaporizer which has the effect of turning the medicine into a clear vapor which you inhale. Now my usual method of medicating. I also make an oral tincture. Two or three droppers of tinc before climbing into bed generally holds my pain at the level I am going to bed with.

Side effects. If you smoke it -- it is harder on your lungs than tobacco. If you have high blood pressure, MM can increase it. Yes, sometimes there is a "head" effect, but that is usually more from the sativa strains of MM. The indica strain is the one which works best for pain and it has less of a head effect (and if using a vaporizer, the head effect is less).


I'd say the expenses associated with growing and processing MM are about $100.00 a month; the expenses depend on whether you grow indoors (like my grower) or outdoors (cheaper with much greater volume). I use perhaps 2 ounces over 3 months. I learned the best way to keep it (it can lose up to 35% of its medicinal effects after a few months unless kept in an air-tight jar). I am probably going to switch to an outdoor grower this summer.

In the past year I've learned what varieties work best for me and can rotate them. If you were to look in my cupboard today, you'd see 6 jars; each is different and depending on time of day and my pain level, I pick and choose (at least 2 of the jars are "curing" -- you want to wait at least 30 days after harvest before using).

I certainly don't encourage anyone to violate the laws of their state (although if your state doesn't allow MM, you can help support changes); if you do live in a state that allows MM, I'd suggest checking it out.

I'd venture that my MM use has kept me from seeking out greater opiads. When I have pain at 6 or 7 and I use my vaporizer, the pain drops like a shot. 2 or 3 minutes and I've knocked the pain down a notch or two (or 3) for the next 90 minutes.

In one sense I'm grateful for PN, because in my case it doesn't really begin to affect me (in a disabling way) until mid-to-late afternoon when my work day is finished (I use no MM prior to work -- while head effects don't usually show up, they may and besides, my morning pain is 2 - 3). The friend who "turned me on" to MM has pain from a back injury and she uses MM almost all day long.

So, there's my story. I'm not an expert, but am happy to answer questions (I am beginning work on production of a documentary about the MM program in my state).

Thanks for listening.

Cowboy

Cowboy,
Where do you get the seeds to start growing,
& how do you know which strains- are the seeds you get?

thinking of finding out more about this, I have nerve pain, tingling pain been on neurontin for years. anyhow... someone I know is license and her hubby her caretaker grower whatever you call it! She said he has enough to take on another patient just I would have to find more out and get a license for my health. I want to try it. She as you said vaporizes more often than not...

well take care and thanks for sharing the info, sarah

***Only the most dedicated growers work with seeds. Most propagate from clones. For instance, one of my grower's friends was also a patient/grower who died. My grower went to close down her garden and one of the varieties she brought back was called "God". My grower finished growing that plant out and took about 4 clones before it went into flower. Those clones are placed in a special medium where, after a couple of weeks, they sprout roots and -- voila' -- a second generation "God". The attitude among the MM community is to share. No one sells anything to anyone else. They will, however, pass along clones for others to grow in their garden. There is apparently a variety which is now in its 34th generation. You do the math, but it has been arounbd for many years.

*** Therefore, when you receive a clone, you know what variety it it.

*** The garden geeks, now, they will produce and work with seeds, trying to match different strains to create a new one.

*** It is a pretty complicated process -- thus my gratitude at having a grower from the beginning.

Cowboy

Living in Australia we are the last to get anything to help with pain & illness. I looked at the list of things that medical marijuana is intended to help people with and my jaw dropped.

Of those things on the list I have
peripheral neuroapthy
epilepsy
major depression
anxiety & panic

If I could get of neurontin I would be so happy. I don't think its doing much good because I am still numb in my fingers and the pain on touching the skin is dreadful. Even material making cobntract hurts my skin.

I've lost all feeling completely in my ring & little fingers of the left hand.

But there is only one state in Australia that had the trial and there has been no further information about how the trial went and if it worked for people who could benefit from it.

I've been looking for information but so far have found nothing

AHA !!
And there's the rub.
(Especially if you live on the Mid-East Coast
and know of no MM growers.)

hi there
based on my previous life as a 'junior stoner' (back in the days of sex drugs and rock'n'roll) who had epilepsy, I am astonished that it is recommended as having a beneficial effect on epilepsy. It was awful for mine. But, if it helps some, good luck to them.

Personally I think it should be legalised - seems to me alcohol is responsible for a lot more of societies ills than weed ever has been.

cheers
raglet

Of course, the 'Feds' maintain that weed is the source for crime ,
violence , rape , is highly addictive ,
and is the stepping stone to other harder drugs. (That's because of the element & environment of those that dispense/sell it)
At one time in the past, it was not illegal, and Rx'd by doctors.
Today, Obama has put it on Federal 'hold' and will let the states mandate the degree of prosecution, or to ignore it. (But its still on the books as a Federal crime to possess, or grow and the DEA is champing at the bit, to bust anyone they can.)

Montana is one of the states that allows medical marijuana use, I know about ten people that are using it, about half I would say are abusing it. It's not a consideration for me as when I tried it in my youth we didn't agree on any level, especially the part where it wasn't legal.
Here they apply for a card and then meet with an authorized grower that shows them how to "clone" rather than grow from seed, everyone is allowed 6 plants for personnal use. My sister-in-law is using it saying it works for her where opiods don't, I believer her, she weighs about 500lbs and is in very poor health. She showed me the literature last night on the different methods of use so its kind of a user cookbook.
I found research for my newly diagnosed grandson with his tourettes syndrome that marijuana is very helpful with minimum side effects. My daughter is willing to use marinol if his condition warrants it rather than the heavy duty clonipin(sp?)and other brain numbing drugs. I agree with her.
As far as I'm concerned it should be legalized, taxed like cigarettes are and that money would bring us all some tax relief Law enforcement could then focus on the bad boy narcotic sales and abuse that this country struggles with.

Any abusers would be zapped for say 'driving under the influence' just as they could/would for any other of the many drugs we take.
Besides, it'd likely be 'taxed' somehow AND regulated somehow for quality controls. That would put a whole bunch of illegal growers [cartel types] outta business [unless THEY have a secret lobby?].
So many of us are prescribed VERY EXPENSIVE drugs for which no one knows the long term ramifications....until we have 'problems'. When it's often too late to reverse a drug or drugs' damages.
That it might happen in my life time? I'd be surprised tho.... Even tho MM in it's essence, has been around for centuries...unlike some new formulations of meds.
It's a hard call, but IF IT HELPS? Give it a try.
I guess the best thing you could do is write your congressmen and senators and encourage the NIH to do further tests [never admitting, of course, that you've used it] I must warn you tho? Many trials restrict any use of such things for several months/years prior to the testing... AND with any trial? YOu mite get the 'dummy' and not the real thing as part of the test. It's a trade off for the long run? Good luck and take care! - j