Profile in Courage – Tom

Patient name: Tom

Age: 31

Condition/Illness: Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita

Using Medical Cannabis since: 2003

Why did you start using cannabis?

Having been born with a rare disability, growing up I always dealt with a lot of pain, from surgeries, and procedures to correct my legs to day-to-day pain. I grew up in Los Angeles where the cannabis industry was always booming. I didn’t try cannabis until I was 19.

Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis?

I had several surgeries throughout my childhood, and I would always remember my mom being really good about not giving me too much opiates that the doctors would prescribe for pain so I never really ‘knew’ about pain pills. It wasn’t until I was an adult and living on my own that I realized I would always have some type of pain. Tried cannabis, first, then tried opiates and realized cannabis is just so much better for my body with how much I personally needed to take compared to the opiates.

What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients?

The biggest issue is our government needs to allow us the option to alternative medicine, especially if we want to grow it ourselves in our own homes.

What do you say to folks that are skeptical about cannabis as medicine?

Everybody is different. Some people need it, some don’t.