Name:
Johnathan Simmons
Age:
44
Condition/Illness
Heart Bypass (Quad), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, spina bifida, six cardiac stents, spondylolisthesis (L5-S1 Grade Two), arthritic spinal spurs, bipolar manic depression, social anxiety disorder.
Home:
Greenwood Village
Using medical cannabis since:
1978
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA?
When I was 11 years old, my mother used it as an alternative to Ritalin to treat my hyperactivity. Ritalin gave me a lot of problems with my stomach and decreased my appetite. My older brother and my older sister had already used it for recreational purposes, because after all it was the 70s. My mother raised us telling us that pot was better than alcohol for a number of reasons. The fact that she was an alcoholic with 11 DWIs under her skirt was something that she wasn’t proud of and she didn’t want us to fall prey to booze. Off and on throughout my life I have relied on MMJ for a variety of ailments. Nothing else has ever come close.
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE MARIJUANA?
Yes. I have tried everything from chiropractic, NSAIDS, physical therapy, holistic medicine, pain management and [a] regimen of narcotic pain medications ranging from Vicodin and Norco to Oxycontin and Dilaudid. Because of my anxiety issues, I have been treated with anti-depressants like Prozac and Paxil as well as things like Xanax and Atavan for panic attacks. I am one of Big Pharma’s biggest supporters (not by choice). The side effects of just the heart medications I take are so debilitating that I am constantly, literally sick and tired all of the time. My quality of life before MMJ kinda sucked. With MMJ, my quality of life has improved greatly.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MMJ PATIENTS IN COLORADO?
Education. Legitimate education with facts obtained from official sources. Medical facts obtained from independent research and not those backed by special interests or Big Pharma . . . As with many other controversial topics, the more you know the better able you are to understand different sides of an issue. MMJ is no different. This is the 21st Century. It is far past the time for myths. Educate people and most importantly . . . vote.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE?
MMJ is not for everyone. Neither is morphine, Valium, codeine, Vicodin, Percocet, Prozac, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Lyrica and all the other “legitimate” drugs. By “legitimate” I mean those that are manufactured by Big Pharma and come with pages of “potential” side effects. MMJ has given me my life back. Everyone should know about MMJ and have the right to make their own choice regarding their medical treatment. It really is just that simple. (Chris O’Keefe)
Our “Profiles in Courage” features are intended to highlight the problems—and solutions—that Colorado’s medical marijuana patients face every day.
