Pubdate: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL) Copyright: 2014 The Palm Beach Post Contact: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333 Author: Michael Sloser Note: Michael Sloser is the vice chairman of the Neuropathy Association, the oldest national organization devoted to serving the needs of those with neuropathy, as well as their families. He lives on Singer Island. WHY I BACK MEDICAL MARIJUANA (AND YOU SHOULD, TOO) More than 25 years ago, I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. I had never heard of it until then, but was soon to learn how many Americans suffer from it (more than 20 million) and how few know the name or the symptoms. My symptoms and my story are not unusual. My feet are numb yet sensitive, tingling like they would if they'd gone to sleep. Except mine never wake up. I'm luckier then most because I can function at a decent level, can walk without assistance, don't feel like my feet are on fire, and only have pain in one or two spots, which I describe as feeling like an electrical current running through it. Over the years, I've been treated with a variety of drugs, from anti-epileptic to antidepressant and codeine-based. Right now I take Lyrica three times a day for my neuropathy. It's expensive even with a good drug plan. Some of the more interesting side effects include weight gain and the "three D's" (dizzy, drowsy and dopey). Being drowsy at bedtime is OK, but morning and afternoon calls for ample beverages with caffeine. As for "dopey," it usually is a memory thing which, at my age, comes with the territory. Why do I tell you this? To help you understand why I strongly support the state's constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana. You see, like so many medical conditions, science has not come up with an answer. We all hope it will, but until then we want to live our lives in comfort and with dignity. It's not about politics. This is not the time nor the place to have that debate. It is a matter of humanity. About five years ago, I received an email from the medical director of the Neuropathy Association. I was asked to serve on that board by this doctor more then a dozen years ago, and saying no to your neurologist didn't seem like a good idea. His email said that a study on the use of marijuana for neuropathy showed a 34 percent reduction in neuropathic pain. I was excited by that news and replied "send me a prescription." His answer: "no good in Florida." "No good in Florida." Is that the best we can do? Since then I've conducted my own "research" in more accommodating states. The results were amazing, yet unless I wanted to risk arrest and prosecution, I was left on my own in the state that I live in. "No good in Florida." I cannot speak for those undergoing chemotherapy treatments nor for those with other medical conditions that seem to be helped by marijuana. But I can, and I will, speak on behalf of those who suffer from any of the more then 10 forms of neuropathy. The good news is that it probably won't kill us. The bad news is that we will continue to suffer from pain and discomfort for the rest of our lives until medical research finds a cure. Until then, on their behalf, I beg you to join me in voting to legalize medical marijuana in Florida. If you do, I promise you that someone you may not even know will thank you for making his or her life more bearable. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D