Bipolar, Fibromyalgia and Medical Marijuana.

As bipolar sunk its teeth into my brain, the disease began to rot away the rest of my body with fibromyalgia, which causes pain throughout the joints and muscles. The stress from the whirling emotions pound away at my muscles and joints until I ache like an old boxer whose body has endured one too many decades of abuse. When anxiety sets fire to my nerves, my body radiates with soreness from joint to joint. Each new pang feels like a hard punch landed by an iron fist. My hips, shoulders and lower neck take the brunt of the beating and it leaves me fatigued even after 10 hours of sleep each night!! I've tried stretching, and it helps while I'm doing it, but the minute I stop, the pain flairs back. The problem is that the pain is inconsistent and rotates from point to point. I use to take low-level pain relievers like Advil or Tylenol but they eat away at my stomach and take forever to work. Then, I tried medical marijuana and it was a revelation!!

I didn't want the smokiness of burning marijuana, so I converted into vaporized form and it instantly relaxed my tense body. Within literally seconds my inflammation melts away and unlike pain pills, it doesn't cause stomach pain!! In fact, the cannabis plant (marijuana) is known to calm the stomach. I use it whenever I forget to take my anti-depressant, Lexapro, because if I miss a dose, it makes me throw up. Terrible side-effect of those damn pills. But, once I realize I'm vomiting because I missed Lexapro, I vaporize some cannabis and it calms my stomach long enough for the missed does of Lexapro to take effect without inducing vomiting. I would take a different A.D. (anti-depressant) but Lexapro works so well for me that I stick with it. I've tried all the other A.D's anyway and none work like Lexapro. To be totally honest, marijuana doesn't have any negative side-effects on me except stimulating my appetite to where I eat too much!! But, I usually have little appetite because of anxiety, so that's really not a "negative side-effect" after all!!

Also unlike many of my so-called "approved" medications, marijuana isn't physically addictive. I can use it fairly regularly for months and then go on vacation for two weeks and have no withdrawals. The first day after I get a little headache and somewhat grumpy but by the next day or so I'm fine. A good side effect I discovered with medical cannabis is that it is a life-saver when I'm spiraling with deep depression. I vaporize some medical cannabis and my mood picks right back up until I can see my psychiatrist to adjust what needs adjusting. It's kept from out of the psych ward many times. I get the best results when I do my fibromyalgia stretches after vaporizing some medical marijuana. So, I don't care what any doctors or people in society say or think, marijuana has been a wonder drug for me and I think it's ridiculous that some states don't allow for medical marijuana use. Thankfully I live in Colorado where they allow it.

Personally, I think it should be legal for everyone. It's much safer than alcohol. Alcohol makes you want to act dangerously like driving or getting into fights. Yet, with marijuana, it makes you docile and calm. The last thing you feel like doing is arguing or otherwise fighting. How many times have you heard alcohol being related to a domestic abuse situation? Constantly. Now, how many times have you heard marijuana causing violence and fights? Hardly ever. But, yet, uninformed and self-righteous people still want to keep it illegal. The ones I have a problem with are those who haven't done any research of their own and just blindly oppose it because they've always opposed it. And, the "gateway drug" theory has long been debunked, showing alcohol to be the substance the majority of people try first. And what about caffeine?!! I've seen people get the shakes without their coffee but I've never seen that with marijuana!! Yet, marijuana is illegal?! Does that many any sense to you?! Anything can be abused if used the wrong way, even food. Are we doing to make chocolate illegal now?

One final point, if people are seriously worried about marijuana getting into the hands of teen-agers than they should push for legalizing marijuana. That might sound illogical but let me lay out my argument. Currently, teen-agers can get marijuana without having to show any proof of adulthood (identification). The drug dealer isn't going to ask for their identification, but if it's legal then the only places that would sell marijuana would be licensed stores. That means showing proof that you are 21 the minute you enter the door. That's currently how it works at medical marijuana dispensaries and how it would work if legal for recreational usage. Right now, your teen-ager can get marijuana easier than alcohol because alcohol is legal and thus requires identification.

Legal, licensed marijuana shops would put the marijuana black market out of business as no one would risk buying black market marijuana when it's legal in a local shop with proof of age. It would also slash the crime on the Mexican border since 60% of their "business" is transporting marijuana into America. Then there are all the schools, hospitals and kids food programs that the taxes on legal marijuana could create. Instead of wasting all this money on a little weed like marijuana, we could be benefiting from it in so many ways.

I'm not a medical expert but I know what works for me and what doesn't. I also know what medicines have the worst side-effects and marijuana isn't one of them. I'm not here to say that medical marijuana is what everyone should be using because that's ridiculous. Everyone's body reacts differently. Therefore, it's important that the doctor who prescribed the marijuana for you follow up on how it effects you. It's not for everyone and in some people with psychiatric conditions the drugged feeling can irritate them but for myself and many others I know, it's been an invaluable addiction to my treatment.

If you can see the benefit of marijuana then please support your local campaign to legalize marijuana. If you want more information go to: www.norml.org (click on the address and it will take you there). NORML is a well-respected national organization pushing for marijuana legalization. Colorado and California have legalization on the ballot this year, please consider voting for the campaign if you live in either of those states. Or, otherwise supporting these campaigns through financial donations.

P.S. - Click here to see how marijuana has reduced traffic fatalities

-hbw