Giving thought to past entries, I thought it only appropriate to bring back an entry from the past where I discuss an approved part of my treatment plan for managing MS symptoms. It may seem unorthodox to those who only opt for traditional, pharmaceutical medications, but for me, having access to MMJ has been such a blessing for offering relief where traditional medications have not. The reason I am sharing it on election day is because this year on your ballot here in NJ the public question #1 is whether or not  to approve the legalization of recreational use of Marijuana for adults. Perhaps if you have maintained a “con” attitude about it, my experience could help you see it from a different perspective.

As I thought about the pros and cons to writing this entry, the one thought I couldn’t get out of my head was what will my former students and co-workers think about it? But that’s exactly why this piece deserves to be written. Often the pain and discomfort associated with Multiple Sclerosis is resistant to medications because these symptoms are neurological and traditional pain medications do not offer relief. There is an option out there but it exists with a stigma that is, in my opinion, unfounded. 

I like to think that my former students and colleagues alike would describe me as the utmost in professionalism. I worked full time (very seldom or never calling out sick), and I earned my Masters Degree just before MS decided it was time to leave the classroom (graduating Summa Cum Laude), while I was still working. I also traveled as a patient advocate and motivational speaker, giving as freely of my time to strangers as I did to my students. I am a professional woman, who has worked her whole life, who owns a home, who has a car, who gives back to society, and who just happens to have a prescription for Medical Marijuana. 

(I’m pausing for effect here so everyone reading can just take that in.)

Yup. You read that right. Medical Marijuana is an approved part of my treatment plan, and has been for several years because luckily I live in NJ, where there is a Medical Marijuana program (MMP) in place. Does that mean that I used to go to work high? Does that mean now that I’m not working I just sit home and smoke weed all day long? Does that make me a “junkie” or a “stoner”? Does that make me a drug addict? The answer to all of those questions is “no”, and I can only hope that I haven’t shattered anyone’s image of me by disclosing this information. 

My prescription is written by a physician who has registered with the state MMP, which contains a list of approved diagnoses for which the product may be used. Even though he specializes in MS, he still doesn’t prescribe it to just anyone. There is a definite protocol that he uses to determine if MMJ is an appropriate treatment. As a patient, I am grateful that he understands that relief doesn’t always come from some combination of pharmaceuticals used for symptom management. So why, then, do some of his peers criticize him for prescribing something that is readily available and could possibly keep his patients from needlessly suffering? The irresponsible ones are the hacks (and they do, indeed, exist) who charge $500 a visit (and don’t take insurance) just to write a prescription, and they do the same thing as often as they want to when your prescription expires. 

I consider myself lucky to have a prescribed medication that eases some of my most bothersome symptoms, but it’s also frustrating at times. Because I have fully integrated the MMJ into my treatment plan, it is just like my other medications. I take my meds just like anyone else: different medications at different times of the day. This one happens to be a nighttime medication for me, because it helps to relieve the leg spasms and neuropathic pain that prevent me from getting comfortable. I don’t sleep well because of that, but it is far worse when I am not able to “medicate”. It works when I’m in NJ… But because MMJ is not a federal program, and because it is not legal everywhere, I can not travel with it. I can’t even travel with it if I am traveling to another state with a MMP or to a state where recreational marijuana is legal. Essentially, I have to choose between being able to visit my family and friends outside of NJ and the multitude of symptoms that respond to MMJ. 

Beyond that, this particular medication is not covered under my health insurance. Not only that, but the dispensary is a cash-only operation. It’s unfortunate that more people who really could benefit from MMJ can’t simply because of the price. I understand this predicament, especially since I stopped working. But if it works then you just have to make sacrifices in other areas of your “budget” (like I did) so that you can continue on the treatment plan that best works for you. 

So why am I writing this? Because MMJ carries a stigma that is completely unfair. Some of the same people that rail against MMJ have no problem with opiates (such as OxyContin) that are so readily  prescribed. These drugs have been known on many occasions to result in severe addiction and ruin lives, yet most people don’t think twice about them because they are considered “prescription medications”. Why must we suffer? Because such a large percentage of the population associates marijuana with lazy stoners and “Cheech and Chong” movies? Not only is it unfair to those who could benefit from MMJ, but I feel it is unethical. 

Put yourself in the shoes of someone suffering from a chronic, painful, and debilitating condition. Would you not try to do everything in your power to feel better? Or even just a little more human? 

*Thanks to my partner in crime for helping me get this entry right!*

Photo credit: Idalia Photography