I use Medical Marijuana for my Chronic Disease; I am not a drug dealer

I recently moved back to my home state of Illinois from Wisconsin to be closer to my family. MS has drastically affected my life and after two years without any remission, my wife and I decided it was time to move back near family for some much needed assistance. Since my diagnosis in December of 2014 I have had new lesions every MRI (13 total), switched DMDs 3 times and been on more than 20 different medications. It’s as though the doctors throw meds at you to see which ones will actually stick - like a monkey throwing poop at their glass enclosures. Needless to say, another reason for my move back to Illinois was to legally obtain medical marijuana to see if that would help ease my symptoms.

After 2 months of paying over $500 and waiting for my card to come in the mail, I was able to legally get medical marijuana. Just like any other medication, marijuana comes with the good and the bad. My mood has definitely improved, my depression has lifted, my spasms are under control and my pain level has subsided. However, no one warned me that the marijuana of today is much more potent than it was 20 years ago when I was smoking “downtown brown” back in college. There is a learning curve for the right dosage amount and the right strains that help specifically my MS.

Lastly, no one warned me that if I mention I use medical marijuana for my CHRONIC DISEASE that people would naturally assume I am all of a sudden a drug dealer. From my neighbors to my family to my friends, I have been repeatedly asked if I would pick them up some marijuana. No, no, and absolutely no! Do you want to take my Tysabri infusions every month? Do you want my spasms, numbness, pain, dropfoot, pins & needles, cog fog and so on? Then stop asking me to share the one thing that is making my life a little more tolerable. Medical cannabis has done wonders for me and I would love to spread the word about its efficacy. Just please don’t make me feel like a jerkoff for not wanting to lose my license by illegally buying and selling it to you for “recreational use”.