I was a marijuana researcher in 1972-1975. I previously was an organic synthesis chemist before I went to medical school in 1965. I was married in 1972 and my wife began studying to be accepted into medical school which she was. I became a daily pot smoker from 1972-1982. In 1974 my wife became ill with a very deadly form of multiple sclerosis and died 10 years later. Nothing could be done to reverse the disabling pain, muscle spasms and finally speech, hearing, muscle function and hearing. She was still very much alive internally and read and studied all of her remaining days but she was confined to the couch and could not care for herself in any way. The doctors refused to Diagnose her condition until 1981 (7ears after the onset of the illness. One Doctor said she had used too many drugs and that was what was wrong with her. My father a good man who was a minister sent religious tracts. Her mother said it was just her nerves. Being a doctor I knew better but could not get any Doctor to agree. I thought I was going crazy. I took her to the mayo clinic in 1981 and finally got the diagnosis .Even though the outlook was grim and hopeless we at least felt acknowledged and we began to heal emotionally. During that whole ordeal No one gave her anything to help her until she was almost dead. I had repeatedly been told that tis medicine should be saved for later. This greatly prolonged her death and was too little too late. No real or treatment was available. The only medicine which made her muscle spasms better, relieved her pain and promoted her appetite and mood and sense of wellbeing was Marijuana. It was illegal and I ran a great risk of losing my medical License by getting it and giving it to her. Actually, I had a Marijuana Tax stamp in 1970 and was able to prescribe it if I needed to.. President Nixon changed all that when The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs was formed and Marijuana became illegal to prescribe but could be obtained from the government pot farm in Oxford Mississippi with an investigational new drug permit. It was a schedule 1 drug along with LSD, mescaline, peyote, heroin, and a whole series of hallucinogens and stimulants. I had applied for my research on Marijuana and Driving under a DOT grant program. The primary researcher was Dr. Joseph Pearl. The other associate researcher was Dr. Milton Rhoades. I Iwas the only one who could legally obtain the drug. The work is published and is a follow up on a previous paper by author(s) Crancer et al. In summary: 1) the Drug was of exceptional benefit to my wife. 2) The study of its effect on driving ability (under the influence). In a randomized double blinded placebo- controlled study showed it was deleterious in its effects. 3) In my personal life it slowly destroyed me, my ambition, my (Drive), sexuality and ability to use my higher faculties. So why did I continue to smoke it daily? It was simply the fact that I was addicted and could not live without it. There were many good time and laughs but it nearly destroyed me and I got to witness all this. I had to go to a treatment center at the end of my wife’s life. And happily have continued this (sic) Recovery. The addictive effects of Marijauna are now well documented as well as its effect on pulmonary function in the long term.
I’ve written this that others may see the importance of continuing to investigate this wonderful (if not extremely dangerous) drug with rigorous, scientific, double blinded, randomized placebo controlled studies so that we me see it in an objective, un-biased clear headed light. There is a great bit of fear and ignorance behind the public discussions on this subject. There also is a vast dishonest, intolerant, greedy self-serving quality to the debate on all sides of this issue. “Fear and Ignorance are the only enemies one has in this life.” Why not step into the light?
Tim Baldwin MD, ABAM FACEP says
ReplyDeleteFebruary 20, 2015 at 7:37 pm
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I was a marijuana researcher in 1972-1975. I previously was an organic synthesis chemist before I went to medical school in 1965. I was married in 1972 and my wife began studying to be accepted into medical school which she was. I became a daily pot smoker from 1972-1982. In 1974 my wife became ill with a very deadly form of multiple sclerosis and died 10 years later. Nothing could be done to reverse the disabling pain, muscle spasms and finally speech, hearing, muscle function and hearing. She was still very much alive internally and read and studied all of her remaining days but she was confined to the couch and could not care for herself in any way. The doctors refused to Diagnose her condition until 1981 (7ears after the onset of the illness. One Doctor said she had used too many drugs and that was what was wrong with her. My father a good man who was a minister sent religious tracts. Her mother said it was just her nerves. Being a doctor I knew better but could not get any Doctor to agree. I thought I was going crazy. I took her to the mayo clinic in 1981 and finally got the diagnosis .Even though the outlook was grim and hopeless we at least felt acknowledged and we began to heal emotionally.
During that whole ordeal No one gave her anything to help her until she was almost dead. I had repeatedly been told that tis medicine should be saved for later. This greatly prolonged her death and was too little too late. No real or treatment was available.
The only medicine which made her muscle spasms better, relieved her pain and promoted her appetite and mood and sense of wellbeing was Marijuana. It was illegal and I ran a great risk of losing my medical License by getting it and giving it to her.
Actually, I had a Marijuana Tax stamp in 1970 and was able to prescribe it if I needed to.. President Nixon changed all that when The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs was formed and Marijuana became illegal to prescribe but could be obtained from the government pot farm in Oxford Mississippi with an investigational new drug permit. It was a schedule 1 drug along with LSD, mescaline, peyote, heroin, and a whole series of hallucinogens and stimulants.
I had applied for my research on Marijuana and Driving under a DOT grant program. The primary researcher was Dr. Joseph Pearl. The other associate researcher was Dr. Milton Rhoades. I
Iwas the only one who could legally obtain the drug. The work is published and is a follow up on a previous paper by author(s) Crancer et al.
In summary: 1) the Drug was of exceptional benefit to my wife.
2) The study of its effect on driving ability (under the influence). In a randomized double blinded placebo- controlled study showed it was deleterious in its effects.
3) In my personal life it slowly destroyed me, my ambition, my
(Drive), sexuality and ability to use my higher faculties. So why did I continue to smoke it daily? It was simply the fact that I was addicted and could not live without it. There were many good time and laughs but it nearly destroyed me and I got to witness all this. I had to go to a treatment center at the end of my wife’s life. And happily have continued this (sic) Recovery. The addictive effects of Marijauna are now well documented as well as its effect on pulmonary function in the long term.
I’ve written this that others may see the importance of continuing to investigate this wonderful (if not extremely dangerous) drug with rigorous, scientific, double blinded, randomized placebo controlled studies so that we me see it in an objective, un-biased clear headed light. There is a great bit of fear and ignorance behind the public discussions on this subject. There also is a vast dishonest, intolerant, greedy self-serving quality to the debate on all sides of this issue. “Fear and Ignorance are the only enemies one has in this life.” Why not step into the light?