cannabisnews.com: Smoking Pot...Legally Smoking Pot...Legally Posted by CN Staff on November 01, 2002 at 13:02:28 PT By Doug Brown, Herald-Tribune Staff Source: Daily Herald-Tribune When the pain comes it's like a knife driving into the muscles in Glenn Thomson's legs, and then being viciously twisted. Along with the pain usually comes the fatigue - when all he wants to do is lie down and rest - while the agony pulses through his body. Usually there is numbness too, creeping through a hand or leg, rendering it dead to feeling. The attacks are part and parcel of the Multiple Sclerosis the 31-year-old Thomson was diagnosed with four years ago. And the only thing that staves them off is a special prescription medicine he takes - marijuana.Thomson is one of a select group of Canadians with medical conditions that allow him to grow and use the normally illicit plant by prescription. "The pot takes away the pain," he explains during an interview in the kitchen of his Grande Prairie home. The kitchen - like most of the house - is a work in progress. Thomson and his wife, Mary, have launched an ambitious series of home self-renovations. The work involved in doing the renos would be on the far side of impossible without marijuana to dull the pain of his MS.So would staying on his feet eight hours a day at his job in the parts department at Grande Prairie Chrysler, or learning how to fly-fish, or going camping with his family - any number of activities he loves that he could otherwise never enjoy again."I can barely walk when the attacks come. Then, 15 minutes later, I can be out playing a game of hockey with my son. It kills the pain, it gives me quality of life."For Mary, her husband's use of pot has been a godsend for their eight-year marriage. When he was first diagnosed, the symptoms of the disease were followed by bouts of depression for Thomson, and strain on the family."I was scared for both of us at first. What would this do to our young marriage? (The marijuana) made a change in his life. He's funny and happy again - the way he was when we first met," she says.Health Canada approved Thomson in September to use marijuana. His doctor - a neurologist at the University of Alberta - signed his approval. It wasn't his first introduction to the drug. Thomson freely admits he used pot recreationally as a teen as young as 15. But he had long since quit - "grew up" as he puts it - and settled down to his life in Grande Prairie when his vision suddenly went double one day while mowing his lawn, and an MRI scan eventually discovered his MS.Now he's legally entitled to grow as many as eight marijuana plants at any time, and to use up to two grams of the weed each day. "That's a lot of pot!," he acknowledges with a cheerful laugh. "But I couldn't do that much, no way." On an average day he consumes about half of his government-approved allotment. He does it discreetly, but refuses to hide his use as though it were something to be ashamed of. His employer knows about his condition, and about his particular medication, and is supportive, he says. For Thomson, smoking pot is just as crucial to his continued health as the weekly steroid injections he gets to strengthen his muscles and slow the damage caused by MS. "I don't overindulge, I do it as I need it. Usually once during the day, once after work, and once before bed."Sometimes people laugh if I walk by smoking a joint, but if someone asks me I'll explain it to them." In a small wooden box he keeps his modest collection of pot pipes - his recent favourite was a gift from a co-worker - along with his other marijuana paraphernalia. On the lid he's attached a photograph of himself with his son and daughter during a family trip to the Calgary Zoo."It's to remind me why I do this - to keep going for them," he says.Thomson's children, 10 and 11 years old, know that their father smokes marijuana. He's explained to them how it's medicine for him, but admits it can be a little confusing when a police presentation at school tells his daughter that marijuana is bad."We try to be as open with our kids as possible. I think it would be hypocritical of me to hide it from them."His current medicinal supply comes from "a friend of a friend," he says with a conspiratorial grin. Although approved to grow it, he hasn't found the time or space to set up a hydroponic garden that would follow Health Canada's strict rules for ensuring the security of your weed supply. When first approved for use, he didn't know who to buy marijuana from locally, so he asked a friend from out of town to ship him some pot by bus. It arrived with an appropriately cheeky label, which read Thomson Greenhouses.So far Thomson's use of pot hasn't run him afoul of the police.But when filling out the request forms for Health Canada, he consciously decided not to check off the boxes consenting to the local RCMP being informed about his approval to use and grow cannabis."I want it to be a surprise," he says. "It's my get-out-of-jail-free card."Note: Debate over medical marijuana use hits home for MS-afflicted man.Source: Daily Herald-Tribune (CN AB)Author: Doug Brown, Herald-Tribune StaffPublished: November 1, 2002Copyright: 2002 Daily Herald -TribuneWebsite: http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/Contact: http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/dht_staff.lassoRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmWe Ain't Talking Maple Trees http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14608.shtmlCanadian HIV Study Uses U.S. Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14501.shtmlPot Prescriptions - Hamilton Spectator http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14025.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by The GCW on November 02, 2002 at 09:33:17 PT YES! Blessed is He who has both the Holy Spirit of Truth and cannabis.The following is the last chapter in the Bible Rev. 22 subtitled The River and the Tree of Life. (NOTICE that if You want crystal clear river water, it is Biblically next to the TREE OF LIFE!) [& how much more clear must Our Father make it for Us?]Rev. 22:2, On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Rev. 22:3, There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.Again: "the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it," "IT" BEING THE LEAVES OF THE TREE OF LIFE, THAT MAY WELL BE CANNABIS, KNOWN AS KANEH BOSM....the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,... = THE THRONE OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB IS ACTUALY IN CANNABIS.http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=REV%2B22&showfn=on&showxref=on&language=english&version=NASB&x=14&y=10 The Final Message (subtitle to Rev. 22:10-21)Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy." 12 "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.The Tree of Life. Do You know of any any other candidate?KANEH BOSM is a blessing. It is a blessing and is spoken about from the very 1st page of the Bible to the very last page of the Bible.Christ God Our Father and His promised new teacher, the Holy Spirit of Truth is good.Cannabis aka kaneh bosm, is good.The Combination IS Big Time.IF YOU GET HIGH GET HIGH WITH THE MOST HIGH Legal?Those people are lost. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Patrick on November 01, 2002 at 21:34:14 PT What is going on? drug sniffing hounds, property seizures, jack booted thugs pointing guns at innocents, sleeping gas operations with acceptable DEAth rates, ad nauseam [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The GCW on November 01, 2002 at 18:15:27 PT What's going on? I look at this title and it still hits Me."Smoking Pot...Legally" We are told God gave Us all the green plants on the very 1st page of the Bible. Who is taking away cannabis, actually wishing to exterminate Our Fathers blessing? (consider 1 Tim. 4:1-5 subtitled Apostasy). Legally?Prescription?I am a Christian, this green plant that prohibitionists (falling away from the faith) wish to exterminate and prohibit, is not theirs to do what they wish.It is mine. Our Father told Us so.I am not asking anyone if it is ok. If it is legal. Can I have a prescription.It is not theirs. It is Mine. I accept all Our Fathers blessings, including cannabis.God reconfirmed this with Noah at Gen. 9:3. He gave Us all the green. Christians, do not ask man if cannabis is legal. Ask the promised Holy Spirit of Truth.Legal?Perhaps prohibitionists should have just told God to skip creating cannabis, since it does not fit in with their scheme.The Green Collar WorkerI am just one of a million green collar workers.You are a Green Collar Worker, too.Let's thank Our Father for each other.Blessed is He who has both the Holy Spirit of Truth and cannabis.Truly blessed are We. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on November 01, 2002 at 13:20:46 PT POLL http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/letters/Do you agree with Surrey School Board’s plan to have drug-sniffing dogs check out students' lockers? Yes No 71.84% = Yes 28.16% = no [ Post Comment ] Post Comment