Profile in Courage – Kristin Murr
Full name: Kristin Murr
Age: 32
Condition or illness: Chronic back injury
When did you start using medical cannabis?
A close friend of mine suggested that I try cannabis for pain relief and inflammation associated with hockey injuries. Within two days, I was feeling better than I had in years and started to wean myself off of prescription medications.
Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis?
Yes, I was prescribed a daily dose of Vicodin and Flexeril, as well as daily chiropractor visits. My doctor told me to take each as needed, which you can imagine led to taking these pills every three to four hours since I was in constant pain. I gained weight, became lazy and lost an all-around desire to excel or succeed in life.
What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients?
The lack of availability for everyone who needs it and the stigma that is still attached to cannabis use are the largest barriers medical patients face. Magazines like CULTURE help to educate those who are not familiar with the healing benefits that cannabis can provide. I will admit, when someone first suggested I use cannabis to help my sports injuries, I was skeptical and thought it was just for recreational use. But after feeling the release of chronic pain and gaining the ability to get back to day-to-day life without the pain and pain killer haze, I immediately joined the movement.
What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine?
Again, education is key during any movement. I believe it’s important to know your grower. What are their motives? Why do they do what they do? What inspires them to help others? Ask many questions and do your research. There are hundreds and hundreds of cases that reflect how lives (both children and adults) have been changed because of cannabis being used as medicine. History has shown us that we don’t always know what’s best. When something new and groundbreaking presents itself, it’s important to have an open mind and take a moment to really understand the benefits it supplies. Yes, people need medicine, but we need a medicine that doesn’t come with countless side effects that are detrimental or fatal to our health.
