cannabisnews.com: Man Says Pot Relieves Effects of Eye Disease Man Says Pot Relieves Effects of Eye Disease Posted by CN Staff on June 25, 2002 at 11:15:55 PT By Lee Reinsch of The Reporter Staff Source: Fond du Lac Reporter The communications director for a pro-medical marijuana lobbyist group says without cannabis, he’d be blind.Gary Storck, 47, of Madison, and a member of IMMLY (Is My Medicine Legal Yet?), says the Noonan syndrome he was born with affects his eyes in a manner similar to glaucoma and causes chronic pain throughout his body. He said smoking pot every day for nearly 30 years has helped reduce his pain and keep his eyesight. “The fact that I can see 47 years after I was born with this disease is a testimony to its effectiveness,” he said.Storck said he discovered its medicinal properties by accident 30 years ago, after his eye doctor reported an improvement in his eye pressure. Storck had been smoking pot.Noonan Syndrome is a congenital disease characterized by facial and skeletal deformities and heart defects, among other things, according to the American Society of Human Genetics.Storck said he’s tried a number of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, but none work as well as cannabis.“I have had a good quality of life by using cannabis as medicine,” he said. “God put this plant on earth to help us, and we shouldn’t slap him in the face by making it illegal.“I’m living proof that marijuana is an effective and safe medicine. None of my doctors question it. Why should the federal government, or any government?”Storck has spoken out publicly on medical marijuana but says he lives in fear of getting caught because, although Madison’s city ordinances allows for medical use of marijuana, doctors can’t legally prescribe it.“If I were arrested, I would go after a jury trial and let the people decide if I am a criminal,” he said. More information on IMMLY can be found at: http://www.immly.org Newshawk: Is My Medicine Legal YET? -- http://www.immly.orgSource: Fond du Lac Reporter (WI)Author: Lee Reinsch of The Reporter Staff Published: June 25, 2002Copyright: 2002 Fond Du Lac ReporterWebsite: http://www.wisinfo.com/thereporter/index.shtmlContact: http://www.wisinfo.com/thereporter/contactus/index/Related Articles from the Fond du Lac ReporterAlcohol vs. Marijuana: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13212.shtmlShould Marijuana Be Legalized?: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13209.shtml 2 Smokers Discuss Their Use of Pot: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13215.shtmlFormer Marijuana User Tells Why She Quit: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13222.shtmlHealth Officials Say Marijuana is Harmful To Body: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13210.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by Zero_G on June 25, 2002 at 14:32:33 PT Just to clarify... I mean NO attack on Gary Storck, whom I respect greatly, especially for his outspoken, honest approach.I only mean to point out that he would [hypothetically] be hamstrung in attempts to provide a jury with his story. I wish it were otherwise.btw, I remain the only member of my family without glasses for nearsightedness, though I'm starting to become slightly farsighted with age... I wouldn't bring it up, but for Dr. Russo's comments. Peter Stafford, in Psychedelics Encyclopia, postulated a correlation between good vision and peyote. I had the good fortune of knowing Native American Church members in the mid 70's. Still remain curious about possible correlations. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on June 25, 2002 at 13:49:44 PT Welcome Back Dr. Russo I'm glad you made it home safe and sound. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Ethan Russo MD on June 25, 2002 at 13:22:01 PT: Cannabis and Vision I am fresh back from my trip to Morocco and Spain, working on a project on cannabis in night vision. I am pleased to see this article on Gary, who is a tireless worker for the cause, and worthy spokesman.BTW, we showed in preliminary trials that Moroccan kif smokers had better scores on two tests of night vision after its use. More details later. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Nicholas Thimmesch on June 25, 2002 at 12:08:04 PT: Wisconsin's Gary Storck.... ...is becoming (or is already) one of our nation's primier medicinal marijuana movement's spokespersons and/or activists: NORML's Keith Stroup says of Gary, "He works closely with WI NORML and does a great job as an advocate in Wisconsin". Keep up the good work Gary: THIMMESCH [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Zero_G on June 25, 2002 at 11:58:57 PT Railroad to Prison The Courts these days are Railroad Stations to Prison.Consider:Most defendants are given a choice of either pleading guilty to lesser offences, or going to trial for major offences like "conspiracy to commit" charges which bring outlandish punishments.Drug offenders, who chose to excercize their constitutional right to trial, often end up serving more time than murderers and rapists. Our justice is reduced to just-ice.We should collectively announce our "Contempt". [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Zero_G on June 25, 2002 at 11:38:20 PT The Right to Trial by Jury is meaningless unless the defendant can bring relevant matters before that said jury.“If I were arrested, I would go after a jury trial and let the people decide if I am a criminal,” he said. To cut to the heart of the matter in these United States, this would only be possible if defendants are allowed to bring evidence of their conditions before a jury. This has been disallowed in previous trials, as happened in Peter McWilliams', before Federal Judge King.from http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n948/a03.html?124[...]the judge in the case ruled that Peter could not present to the jury any information about his illness, the fact that the government's own research concludes that marijuana is virtually the only way to treat the illness, or that using marijuana for medical purposes was legal in California. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment