LIFE OF PAIN, OR LIFE OF CRIME?

I have a confession to make: I'm currently considered a criminal under
Rhode Island law. My crime? Functioning as a productive member of society.

Marijuana is the only drug that controls my chronic pain and motor tics.
But using it -- and writing about it in these pages -- puts me in danger of
arrest and imprisonment.

My medical history is long. At age 12, I was diagnosed with Tourette's
syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Tourette's
causes severe, involuntary movements and vocal outbursts. By age 19, the
twitching was so bad I had dislocated joints all over my body. And several
motorcycle accidents -- and subsequent knee replacements -- gave me
chronic, debilitating pain.

My doctors have tried everything to relieve my pain and vocal outbursts --
Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, Haldol, morphine, you name it. I've even
tried Marinol, which contains a synthetic version of THC -- the primary
active component of marijuana. Its effects were wildly inconsistent.

One day, a single 5-milligram pill would calm my physical outbursts and
relieve my chronic pain; the next day, the same pill produced no effect
whatsoever.

Other days, Marinol disoriented me and caused headaches. I couldn't count
on how it would affect me, so I had to stop using it. All I wanted was to
live comfortably and without physical pain.

When all else had failed, I decided to try marijuana. And it worked better
and more predictably than Marinol. Marijuana seems to perfectly complement
the many prescription medicines I take on a daily basis. Marijuana calms my
pain and allows me to reduce my intake of painkillers, and it has decreased
my motor tics and permitted me to reduce my dosage of Orap, a Tourette's
drug that can negatively affect the heart.

Additionally, marijuana stimulates my appetite, which is depressed because
of Adderall, an amphetamine-based drug that treats my ADHD but causes
unwanted side effects.

Because marijuana has helped me, my doctor condones my use of it. But she
can't formally recommend marijuana because of its legal status, and she
knows that jail would be devastating to my health.

My doctor also knows all too well about the high cost of prescription
drugs. I am on medical assistance, so my monthly prescription cost is
"only" around $300. If I were to lose my assistance, that cost would
skyrocket to over $2,500. So not only does marijuana improve my health, it
also helps to reduce my dependence on expensive prescription drugs.

Marijuana has provided me with hope and inspiration that I can lead a
normal life. Though I am on disability and don't have to work, I choose to
work because I want to contribute to society.

For the past three years, I've cleared tables at a restaurant. As you can
imagine, this work requires a lot of endurance and muscle control, so I
don't drop a dish on a patron or the floor.

Since I've been using marijuana, my boss has witnessed a significant
improvement in my stamina and my overall job performance. She knows
marijuana is to thank.

Going public about my medical marijuana use puts me at risk. In early
April, I testified in favor of medical marijuana bill S.B. 710 in the Rhode
Island Senate Judiciary Committee. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous
about "outing" myself as a medical marijuana user. But I would not be a
functioning member of society if it were not for marijuana, and it's
essential that people like me make their voices heard.

Rhode Island lawmakers need to pass a medical marijuana law this year to
protect people like me. Doctors and patients should be able to select the
treatment options that best suit the patients' needs. It should not be a
crime to find traditional pharmaceuticals ineffective.

So for my sake, and for the countless others who are not brave enough to
speak out publicly, please support the medical marijuana legislation
pending in the Rhode Island legislature.

It's wrong to make me live in fear of arrest for using a doctor-approved
medicine that works.