cannabisnews.com: Pain Drove Me To Pot Pain Drove Me To Pot Posted by FoM on May 31, 2001 at 08:04:22 PT Biz Ivol takes a stand: I am not a criminal Source: BBC News Multiple sclerosis sufferer Biz Ivol has found a way to ease her shakes and pains - she smokes cannabis, as advised by her doctor. The Orkney Islander also sends "care parcels" to other sufferers. I was diagnosed with MS in 1990 and tried all the usual things they give you - muscle relaxants, sleeping tablets, anti-depressants, painkillers. I was in constant pain, and a complete mess from all the drugs. Everything I took had side effects - even the painkillers messed up my stomach and my waste disposal unit. I wasn't doing anything, just sitting in a chair gazing into space. I tried THC injections [a synthetic cannabinoid] but my then doctor stopped it halfway through the 10-day course because the side effects were so horrific. After that, he suggested cannabis. I'd used it back in the 60s when I went through my hippie era, but hadn't thought of it since then. The fact that it's illegal really made me think about whether to try it. After a month, I decided: 'To hell with it, nothing else works.' Homegrown Remedy: I asked my doctor where to get it and he replied, 'Grow it'. So I did - I planted 30-odd seeds and they took over the house, floor to ceiling. The smell was awful. But I've never had anything that alleviates the symptoms like cannabis. When I stop taking it, the difference is frightening. I've got uncontrollable muscle spasms - my hand starts banging off the table, my legs fly up into the air - my eyesight goes and I feel ill. And I can't tell when I need to go to the toilet without cannabis. I'm utterly and completely incontinent, I just sit at the table and piddle like a carthorse. Pot Through The Post: In 1997, some naughty boys were doing their community service here. Their supervisor spotted my plants, and reported me to the police. They took me to court, where I was slapped on the wrist and told not to do it again. It left me with a criminal record. Cannabis took over my life after that. As soon as they took my plants away, I started growing more. I make any surplus into chocolate sweeties, each with one night's dose, and send it off to people in our marijuana collective. Each time the local paper does something on me, I get anonymous packages of seeds through the post. But the last two have been stolen - the front of the envelope slashed open, the contents taken. Within two days of the last article, I'd had 104 phone calls from people wanting to know how to get hold of it and what to do with it. I'd say 95% are middle-aged women with MS, and most have been told by their doctors to try it. Cannabis doesn't do anything to stop the MS - the disease still works its way through your body - but at least you don't have to put up with the symptoms. Shock To The System: I've got some very understanding neighbours, who help me water the plants and who scraped me off the ceiling the first time I got high. I'd been pruning the wee leaves at the top of the plants and licking the sticky stuff off my fingers. First my fingers felt numb, then my tongue died... I send Christmas cards to politicians and MSPs, asking for their views on the medicinal use of cannabis. I get quite a few responses from the Liberal Democrats, some from the Conservatives, and none from Labour. My current doctor doesn't approve, because cannabis is illegal. But I'm not the criminal - the criminals are the politicians and the drug companies and the petrochemical companies that won't let us have this herb. Source: BBC News (UK Web)Published: Thursday, 31 May, 2001Copyright: 2001 BBCWebsite: http://news.bbc.co.uk/Feedback: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/talking_point/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by missmymoo on May 31, 2001 at 20:32:54 PT: ur story wow...what a story...good luck to u!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by ras james rsifwh on May 31, 2001 at 11:25:46 PT Exodus from Drug Lord War The alcohol-tobacco drug cartel is still fighting the heroin-cocaine drug cartel over the addicts. Herion, cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco are all dope. These drugs go directly to the dopamine center of the human brain...causing death and addiction in many cases.Cannabis Sativa is a healing herb that goes directly and safely to the cerebral cortes...stimulating spiritual thinking.Give all praise and thanks to Jah Rastafar-I who liveth and reignith in I and I. For Now and I-ternity, Marijuana has manifested as the "Sacred Tree of Life" marking the End of Tribulations. Book of Revelation 22:1&2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Cuzn Buzz on May 31, 2001 at 11:25:33 PT Note to Doug Hello Doug.One problem with our "doctors" and other "authorities" now-a-days is that in large part they are the idiot children of the ruling class.Incompetence is more than a word to many medical doctors today, it's a way of life.Gone are the old GP's who knew when a patient needed a shot of penicilin and bed rest, replaced by idiots who will cram shotgun type anti-biotics into you until you manifest stevens-Johnsons syndrome, or just die.Another little problem with our medical system is that there is no incentive for the doctors here to help you get well since they make money from you being sick.If you want to have fun educate yourself on just about any medical problem and then consult with an MD who specialises in that malady.You will soon discover that he not up on the current literature, in fact you will lleave his office wondering how such an idiot ever graduated med school.I'll tell you how he graduated, by cheating on papers, and very loose "standards" of education, and by threats from his or her father to quit sending money to the school.After graduation from med school most doctors these days get their information from the drug salesman.If you ever need a doctor pray you get a guy like Dr.Russo who frequently posts here, who will see you as a person/patient, and not just an insurance claim. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on May 31, 2001 at 10:56:09 PT: This is why antis fear patients Antis know that MMJ-using patients are an especially vulnerable lot. They live in the very real fear of winding up like Peter McWilliams; ensnared in the (ha-ha, but it's no joke) 'justice system'. And be doomed to die by following the demands of ignorant (or pusillanimous, or stupid, or callous, or sadistic, take your pick) judges blindly adhering to a law that should have been scrapped long ago.This is why the antis practically wet themselves at the prospect of being faced with an articule MMJ using patient. The patient gives the very obvious lie to all the propaganda the antis have doled out over the decades. Their very existence threatens their gravy train.This is why the antis oh-so-very-quietly are trying to cut off these patient's access to MMJ. And they try to do so under color of law...just as they did with Peter McWilliams. They know that if they can play the attrition game (more people who could be helped from MMJ dying instead, and more people who use MMJ dying as a result of lack of access to MMJ) then they can continue to play the game.But the moment a patient, risking far more than you can imagine, stands up and says what this one has - in essence, daring the antis to try to kill them - the antis are shown for what they are. Enough patients speaking up, and the antis lose. Which is why they are so quietly vicious in their efforts to silence by fear those who are - despite their physical helplessness - their most dangerous adversaries. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Doug on May 31, 2001 at 08:27:32 PT: Very Strange It is so very strange: Over and over again people suffereing from various diseases testify to the huge effect that cannabis has made in their lives, but still we here doctors and other "authorities" say there is no proof that the herb works. What a serious disconnect. We are so willing to trust authorities that we deny reality. And we wonder why people distrust authority. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: