MEDICAL MARIJUANA WOULD HELP MANY

I grew up on the northwest side of Chicago and love living in northern
Illinois, as I am close to my wife's family and mine. I was a Chicago
area union painter, until one morning in March of 2007 about 5 a.m.,
while on my way to work in the city, a person T-boned me in the
driver's door. They were ticketed.

I've had three surgeries on my neck and spine since then: 14 screws, a
steel plate, 2 steel rods and an artificial disc. My surgeon told me
that two more surgeries are needed. I am currently on many various
medications for pain including OxyContin, Dilaudid, morphine and
Lyrica, to name a few. Some days the pain is so great, I still have
difficulty walking.

There has been so much success I have read about in the compassionate
states, which allow for the use of medical cannabis, to help people in
pain. It is illegal in the state of Illinois to use medical cannabis,
so I don't. If Senate Bill 1381 passes, it may give me a new lease on
life. I need to get off as many of these other medications as I can,
if not all of them, if cannabis works for me.

Illinois should join the other 14 compassionate states that give
patients the option to use medical cannabis. I love Illinois. Can
Illinois show compassion and love people like me back? Please.

Robert Day

Huntley