ACCIDENT RESULTING IN CHRONIC PAIN -- Kendle G., male age 31, injured in 1997 when he was pinned between the rear bumper of a UPS truck and the concrete loading dock. "I consider myself fortunate to not have had my legs severed, but am still left with chronic pain and difficulty walking. I have been on pain medication since the accident and am severely addicted to them. My pain specialist constantly monitors my medications because of the harmful effects of the pain killers.
"My medications are not only expensive but also very hard on my body. Currently, I am taking methadone and OxyIR (oxycodone) for pain, Lexapro and Celexa for mood, Trazedon to sleep, and Zantac for nausea. The side effects of all these medications include uncontrollable nausea, and combined with my physical problems have left me terribly depressed. Marijuana allowed me to reduce the amount of prescription medication I have to take to eat, sleep, and function during the day and helped me gain a better frame of mind.
"I have struggled to continue working so that I could maintain my health insurance, and to afford needed surgeries and my medications. At one time, medications alone were costing me over $1000 per month. This included medications I had to take to counter the unwanted side effects of the pain medicine. I have spent my entire life savings in my effort to maintain my medical care. At one point, I had to choose between medication and food.
"If marijuana had been legal, I would have chosen to grow a few plants and not waste my life savings on medications that actually made my condition worse. I finally tried marijuana in spite of its illegality. I was amazed at how well it relieved my pain, nausea, and state of mind. When I used marijuana, I was able to return to college to start work on a new career and another attempt at life. I'm in my junior year toward a degree in microbiology.
"I owe so much to marijuana. In my opinion, and according to all the research I have read, marijuana is less habit forming that many of the prescription drugs I have been taking, such as Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Methadone, and others. I had no negative side effects from the marijuana and was more able to think clearly to do my school work. I hope the medical marijuana law will pass in Arkansas so I can face a better future without threat of arrest." Jan 2003