Joshua Cook lives in North Carolina, although he hails from South Carolina. In 2006 he enlisted with the Army National Guard and served as a military policeman in Iraq. It was during this time, while conducting room raids and providing convoy security, that he started to have seizures. Cook is quick to point out that he was never near any major explosions.
After receiving a medical discharge, Joshua was prescribed a slew of drugs that either made him sick, caused headaches or simply didn’t prevent his convulsions. As the seizures caused this National Guard veteran to hit the ground with hands clenched spastically into fists, torso contorted and shaking uncontrollably, it was vital that he find some sort of relief. That was when he tried marijuana.
We’ll let Joshua tell you the story in his own words
“Nothing had ever worked. At one point, I was having six or seven seizures per week. Once I started smoking weed, I didn’t have a seizure for seven months.
I can’t help that I have seizures; I can’t help that marijuana controls my seizures.”
I’d never done any (recreational) drugs before; I always looked down on people who did drugs because I thought it made them look stupid.”
Speaking of the thin marijuana cigarillo, or small ‘blunt’ he smokes when he wakes up each morning, Cook says, “Two to three times per day keeps me good.” Consequently, he smokes a second blunt in the late afternoon, and sometimes a third just before bed.
Cook is one of many North Carolina residents who hope their illegal use of marijuana might soon become acceptable in the eyes of the law. N.C. Reps. Kelly Alexander Jr. and Nick Mackey, two Mecklenburg County Democrats, are co-sponsoring legislation that would make North Carolina the 15th state in the nation to legalize the medical use of marijuana.
House Bill 1380 would legalize marijuana for people diagnosed with debilitating conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, who are prone to symptoms such as nausea, pain or epileptic seizures. Producers and dispensaries would be licensed to grow and distribute it.
When the General Assembly reconvenes for its short session in May, the bill’s sponsors hope to give it some traction. It is now in the House Committee on Health, whose membership includes three Gaston County Republicans: N.C. Reps. William Current, Pearl Burris-Floyd and Wil Neumann.
Supporters of the bill say medical marijuana use is becoming more prevalent in North Carolina and Mackey hosted a town hall meeting at UNC Charlotte last week where users described how the long debated drug has reduced their pain and suffering. Sadly, Joshua Cook wasn’t able to attend, but says he fully supported the spirit of the gathering.
Facing long odds
Fourteen states now allow the use of medical marijuana, though few deal with the supply. Under the proposed legislation, North Carolina would actually license growers.
Sponsors say the bill eventually would raise $60 million a year through taxes and licensing fees, which could come in handy in a bleak economy. Critics question how much of that revenue would be eaten up by higher law enforcement costs for preventing abuse of the system, such as what has been seen in California.
The three Gaston County representatives on the House Committee on Health say the bill will face long odds this year. When the bill emerged last summer, Burris-Floyd and Neumann both said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would have to approve marijuana for medical use before they would consider an exemption to the state’s cannabis ban. And their opinions haven’t changed.
“The FDA is the gold standard for approval of medications in this country,” said Burris-Floyd. “If they’re not going to stand behind it, it tells me there’s not really a sound, consistent basis for what some of these (medical marijuana) proponents are saying.”
The potential medical use of marijuana was discounted by the FDA in a 2006 review. That went against a 1999 study from the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine that found the drug “moderately well suited” for treating certain conditions.
Current said he doesn’t have enough facts to form a firm opinion yet. But the prospect of a windfall in revenue will have no influence on his stance, he said.
“What we need to do is ask if this will help people,” he said. “I would make my decision based on whether it’s good for the majority of the people to have this medicinal drug available.”
Neumann said most voters, and therefore legislators, are focused on improving the economy and creating jobs right now.
“I don’t get the feeling that there are a lot of legislators who want to deal with it right now,” he said. “They’re asking us to take an illegal product and modify it, and I really feel like that should be a medical issue.”
Desperate for legal treatment
Cook said he’s been honest with doctors about his alternative remedy. On another visit to the VA hospital last month, a physician prescribed him with Depacote. He said he began taking the prescription and cut off his marijuana usage, and within a day and a half suffered his first seizure in more than seven months.
His girlfriend held his head and comforted him during the painful, 10-minute ordeal.
“I can hear you talking to me and see you,” said Cook, describing what a seizure feels like. “I just can’t control myself.”
In January, on two separate occasions, Cook was charged with possession of up to a half-ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled to appear in court in March on the four misdemeanor charges.
Cook said he cannot get a driver’s license due to his history of seizures. He is unemployed and fears his job options may be limited if he continues to smoke marijuana, due to the prevalence of drug testing. He has begun to feel more depressed about his future options.
“It seems like when I came back (from the service), life became more of a hell for me,” he said.
But he said avoiding the pain of seizures is more important right now than abiding by the law.
“I’d rather keep smoking and be persecuted then to keep having seizures,” said Cook. “I’m tired of being discriminated against just because I need this medicine.”
I have to comment here!
In 2001 i sustained a near death injury(severe head and brain trama injury)when i was struck by a tree limb.
I have read the comments of those who say that people that use marijuana to help treat the pain and sickness and injuries they deal with daily, Losers, Lazy, Unmotivated, etc. etc. etc.
I have to say that you are the one’s that are Lazy, Unmotivated and Uneducated and simply lack the emotion of Compassion.
I challenge you to ride a bicycle across the United States,4000 plus miles.(Journey for Justice Seven-J4J7)
I have seen the wonderful side of an all natural, nerve pain reliever. I have Multiple sclerosis and when my boy flares or my nerves catch “fire” a few puffs and all is back to normal!!! Really and truly is a wonder medicine!!! Lets quit being stupid about this I see all positives!! Taxes, jobs, no dope sickness from powerful man made narcotics.
Alcohol has took so many lives and cannabis NONE I know of!! FDA doesn’t want it it because it would stop the need for massive pharmaceuticals and big pharma. doesn’t care about your or me and our need for relief just there money!!
And a lot of that money flows to politicians. What a crock, it’s time to wake up take charge and get this thing passed or people will just move out of state and the state will lose more revenue! No brainier!! Jerry!
My name is Duane and i’m new here, but not new to the pain I suffer with each and everyday. You see I have had 4 major back surgeries all due in part from being run over by a 2 1/2 ton truck while I was in the Marines (1973-1977). I also have nerve damage to my left arm from a job 9yrs ago. I live on pain meds as well as other meds I get from the VA to keep moving, or till I got popped in a drug test in Dec 2011.
I started smoking the green about 6 mos ago after being clean for 10yrs after my wife suggested I try and see if it would help ease my pain. I have been on pain meds for 9yrs and my body has gotten use to them to the point they help, but not as much as in the beginning. Smoking, just taking 1 or 2 hits made it so I could get up and do something again. The green didn’t kill the pain, but it make it so I could tolerate it better. I live in SC (red neck) state and don’t have a chance. Like I said the VA has cut me off of my meds and I have enough to last another week. Then I get to go through DT’s.
This goverment doesn’t give a damn about me. I am sure they hope I would just die and go away. But I am a Marine and I will fight for what is right till the day I die. This goverment has pissed this Marine off. I will fight for people like myself who need what God put on this earth for us all to us in the right way. Also I lost my mother this past Nov to cancer. I know if I could have got her to try a little green in her last year, it would have made it easier for her. I watched the pain she was in. I felt it. I hurt for her and wish no other to go through that kinda of pain. What do I have to do to help in getting Medical Marijuana legal in this country.
Sincerely,,, In need
I have 5 bad discs in my lower back and multiple sleep disorders. My back is in constant pain and I have woken up to my wife in the corner because I was having a night terror and started hitting her or choking her. I have also woken up outside of my house in nothing but my birthday suit. My conditions were all caused by my 16 month deployment. I have been on somewhere around 25 different medications, some that are used for heroin addicts, and none really totally help.
About 8 months ago I started smoking and haven’t had an issue in sleep since. My back pain is almost non-existent and I can go out and play with my kids without taking a break because my back hurts. I never thought I would be smoking, but it honestly is the only thing that truly helps me and my condition. If this were to get legalized I wouldn’t have to constantly be worried about getting caught and thrown into jail for trying to live as much of a normal life as I can.
https://www.facebook.com/events/276603272393498/
The Green Is Good is hosting an event in VB next month, and would love to have all the supporters on this thread there! You can contact me via the event webpage for more info!
Our page is still under construction, but you can also check out
http://www.TheGreenIsGood.com
We are a local advocacy group for Va and NC.
we users just need to coordinate and stick together. i have been preaching the miracle of this medicine that, the gov’t wants to keep from you so badly that, they will kill you over it.That part just doesn’t seem to connect with americans. That the gov’t will hunt you down,kill you and take all you left to your widow and orphans. Just flies right over.
I was hired on by a big construction company that has a name like a book in the Old Testament[starts with a "D"] and their prime logo color is green. They put me in asbestos clean up. I didn’t want it but, i was a freshly married 19 yr old kid with no education and a baby on the way. I needed a job with promise.
I cleaned pure asbestos powder off of the pipe systems in the bottom two floors of this factory. In 6 months i couldn’t breathe. I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with asbestosis of the lungs. He called me back within 2 weeks. [Has your doctor ever called you for an appointment?] Changed my diagnosis and the company laid me off the following friday. I saw that i was going against big money and i backed down.
I smoked weed for fun until I became a Christian. Years later i learned this stuff i smoked for fun might reduce any tumors that, may grow. I have a reason to live now. I’m a father.
I began to study sorcery and alcohol scriptures and concluded that, there was no sin in my use. I believe the bible when it says follow the laws but, not when the laws go against what God says. The bible is full of scripture on the goodness of incense and herbs in worship and in health. I started smoking again.
I wanted to cook instead of smoke but, the costs was prohibitive so, I began to grow.
I got caught by a perverted district attorney that, liked to jog at night and watch the neighborhood women shower and dress. He didn’t do anything though until I reported his activity. Then, he came after me with a vengeance.
Well, I had to quit growing and began to buy. Now for the last dozen years the sheriff has been sitting outside my house with k-9s sniffing every time I open my door or a window. I have had my pets beaten and killed and my property vandalized. The threats even destroyed my marriage.I also believe that, they interfered with my employment.
All of this only made me angrier. I just want to be free but, I live in a virtual prison because, I own a prime piece of property. Now I know how Larry Flynt of Hustler fame felt when he was alone fighting for the first amendment.
Those that, have good health or medicine that works just don’t understand. They buy every word of the ONDCP .
“You ppl just want to get high”.
Well there’s a ton of things out there that, will get me just high. There’s some that, the police don’t care about because, it doesn’t license them in real estate. Why would I risk my life ,freedom and property if, I just wanted to get high? This ain’t heroin.
I’m in a war.The law of the land says different than what the gov’t says. I’m fighting the powers because, freedom isn’t free and I have a right to my health just as if, someone was pointing a gun at me….and they are. I have been threatened with death and seizure of all i have worked for. There’s not one item in my possession that, was paid for by drug money but, that wouldn’t stop them because, justice isn’t their purpose. It’s control. They want me fit for service to the imperialists that have hijacked our nation. That’s not what the copy of the Constitution says that, I own. Maybe it’s a forgery.
@Matt Harmon I have scoliosis too and a disk bulge on my thoracic spine. I am trying to RELOCATE to a state that has these laws on the books already. I get treated like a crack head when I go to the doc asking for opiate pain meds, but hey a drug dealer won’t give me a hard time. My family is trying to be supportive, but we can’t just all pick up and move way far away just so I can procure my own medicine. That’s totally unrealistic! We have to be persistent, that is the key to getting the legislation out there. Our reps didn’t want a lottery either but eventually they bought into it. We just need to show the humane side of the coin. If I grew my own medicine, I would not SMOKE it! I have to smoke now due to the black market prices (cooking with cannabis requires greater quantities) and I do not like smoking..at all…
Having scoliosis is a constint pain an everyday activity’s.
I have also been convicted of the same crime for just trying to treat my illness, i used painkillers prescribed in the past but nothing takes the pain away like a joint…its not a good feeling to wake up every morning with pains of just standing up straight please help get our medicaine legal.
OK so what about us that have glaucoma, macular generation and nerve damage in both arms from just above the elbows to the finger tips?
I would much rather smoke than take pain killers and get addicted to them.
I beleive that had this individual sought competent medical services, he would have been given an alternative to pot.
I will dispute that it works for him, but I will dispute that alternative legal and licensed medication is available to him – were he to seek competent medical care.
This poor guy has so ruined his life he has nothing to lose and now attaches himself to this “casue” which we all know has an “EFFECT” which is destructive to both soceity and the individual – as he states, he is depressed (ha and he wonders why), he cannot work (probably something criminal in his work history or legal history).
Doesn’t want to work – well, there we have it, another constituent for the Democrat party.
I find it ineresting how people are soo willing to disregard and reject something that actually helps people. I happen to have chronic pain, insomnia, severe axiety, and nausea and have been going to doctors for 5 years now.
I have been perscribed many different medications and know how bad side effects can be, medications for my pain make me sick, and the anti-nausea medication makes me anxious.
Marijuana releaves the pain, nausea, and anxiety. So why would you not allow someone to releave all theire symptoms with one remedy?
People need to stop being ignorant and educate themselves on the issue by researching why marijuana was banned in the first place. Industrial hemp is a completely different species than marijuana and has no recreational value, yet it is also illegal, even though you could pay your federal taxes with it in the 1700′s.
And dont forget that alcohol and tobacco have no medical value at all and are both highly addictive, and kill thousands of people every year, but are both perfectly legal. Alcohol went through a prohibition and was relegalized, now its time to relegalize marijuana.
cant work having 7 seizures a week genius..