If you’re a veteran from any era and have some time to answer questions about your experiences, your input could be a huge help.
A survey from Dr. Mitch Earleywine, a member of the NORML Advisory Board, addresses cannabis, military experiences, and a whole lot more. Responses are completely anonymous and there’s a chance to win gift certificates from Amazon.com.
Check out the survey here.
just filled this out. good survey. hit a lot of good points!
i was in air force.went to alaska in 1981.when i got there everyone smoked pot.there was 2 plants growing outside the door to our shop on base.you could smell it walking down hallways in dorms.then reagans policys took effect and everyone starting narcing on eachother to stay out of jail.I was one of the ones that someone narced on then i was sent for pee test.6weeks later came back pos.i was a buck sargent so they booted me out .
A note about the forgotten veterans from Desert Storm…no big programs, no thanks, no special concerns or benefits. They just followed orders and are a missing component of those who deserve honor and recognition. Just sayin’.
I have just taken the survey, and best of luck to making this pass. I, as a vetran, need to have this due to damage and mental issues the MILITARY will not help out with. Thank you for what you do and good luck…
Hey guys, help us out by voting for ‘Legalize Recreational Use of Marijuana’ in change.org’s 2nd annual ideas competition. Let’s have this idea win every year until the day that it’s finally LEGALIZED!
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/legalize_recreational_use_of_marijuana
may your minds be free
Lies Even in the Instructions!
Seems the Gov. Lies Even in the Instructions!
I was looking just curious about the questions.
They say you don’t have to answer a question if you don’t want too but it won’t let you to the third page of questions if you don’t answer.
How amped up you are right now? UGH should have known!
The US Gov Lies and ALL sub branches of the Gov. Are For Profit Corporations!
http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/Independent.shtml
My military career was ended for cannabis use. Sucked. Seems like if it should of been ended for anything it shoulda been alcohol…
High, Thanks for the opportunity to participate.
i love that pic
hoorah-ahcoughcoughcough
I took the Scientific Survey: Ever Been In the Military? Ever Used Cannabis?
I can’t use in my state, Florida and I used rearly in the military in fear of being drug tested. However, throughout my life when I did use marijuana it greatly assisted my bipolar, PTSD, ADHD and anexity / panic disorders. Thank you.
I sure wish my father was alive to take this. I know what it iwas like to live with a Veteran. He did not smoke until he got to Nam.
I really hope California does pass legalization maybe more states will follow, or go BROKE
I had just gotten back from Iraq 31 of Dec 09′ My mother passed away from Cancer end of Feb. was left out to dry in another ‘thing’ that my plt sgt fucked me on, on purpose, so started to toke up again. I helped with all that was going on in my life, then the army had a great plan to kick out first offenders for drug use. let’s keep all the rapists, drunks and overweight people in and hire another 40,000 people that dont want to be here. FTA
I just took the survey. One night while I was on watch in the engine-room (1973 off the coast of Vietnam) we took an unofficial count of who smoked weed on our ship. We had a crew of 250 sailors. We could personally account for 217 of them( ones we had smoked with). There were several more we suspected of smoking but we had not personally smoked with them as most were officers or high ranking career enlisted. Most of the Vietnam Vets I know smoked back then. Oh yea we are still smoking! Did it help? Hell yes it helped all of us maintain our sanity in a very crazy place.
I hope this survey helps explain how cannabis helps people with all kinds of stress related illnesses.
I for one was a drunken Alcoholic under several medications to combat high blood pressure , obesity , high tryclycerides , near diabetes ,
knee & back pain from being overweight . I now take NO madications since i substituted Alcoholic beverages with a more sensible , healthier alternative to Alcohol known as Marijuana . ( true story ) When i was in the U.S. Navy you didn’t dare even mention
Marijuana .
The war on drugs has been waged long enough, and more lives have been destroyed and families torn apart by the prison system than by marijuana itself. Legalization of marijuana would save countless time and money from being wasted by law enforcement and by our courts. It would save national and state governments an estimated $7.7 billion on law enforcement and generate an additional $2.2 billion in tax revenue, according to a report by Professor Jeffrey A. Miron and endorsed by 500 economists. This doesn’t include all the economic benefits of industrial hemp. Legalization also would have a “substitution” effect; some consumers would substitute marijuana for the more harmful legal drugs tobacco and alcohol, saving us money in health care costs. Drugs should be a public health issue, not a criminal justice issue. America demands action on this important issue NOW! No more lies and propaganda, let’s base our policies on reality and scientific findings.
My father was in Desert Storm but he’s waaaaay against it he believes the Gov. We clash about the marijuana subject all the time.
The husband took the survey for you.
Would be wonderful to find out what the results are.
Any possibility of that happening?
Not me, but a friend of mine who is a veteran of the first Gulf war got discharged because they did a urine test on him and busted him. At the time he just made it to lieutenant in the army. The war was all over and he was back on US soil when this all happened.
At least we know that one way to not get drafted to the military is to say you’re gay and/or smoke cannabis…
As a veteran, I apprehensively took the survey (my career still at stake for use). I’d just like to make a comment here to the rest of our readers and posters. We represent progressive change and anti-prohibition, with that said, comments from posters like “LiesEvenInTheInstructions!” are counterproductive to our cause. I’m not trying to single one person out, but these types of comments are littered throughout nearly every comment section of every blog post. It provides first time readers who might take us seriously an easy out in thinking the worst of us…that we are conspiracy nuts, anti-government, or just plain uneducated boobs. Please, for the sake of the rest of us, keep your comments positive and intelligent.
The millitary has always mistreated my family. Myself and my brother being the latest generation. As far back as I have been able to research, my grandfather on my mothers side was killed by radiation during nuclear tests. They had him standing outside with a breathing mask affixed to a tube. Needless to say they denied that all the cancer he developed not to long after was not because of the test. In my case, I was abused in every way imaginable. From hazing to career destruction. Needless to say I use pot to keep myself in check from rages, depression, and fear. I was happy to fill this out. Even if they were to find out who I am I would shout it in their faces that they are WRONG WRONG WRONG and always will be. Some of us need this just to get by, but can’t afford a shrink to get it medically. So much for vet. benefits right?
yes, i was also discriminated against by the air force for being a cannabis user instead of alcohol… they couldn’t tax my only way of relaxing (spent 3 years at RAF Mildenhall in england) and i refused to by alcohol after a point… soo…. even with over 100 hours of volunteer work (more than all of the other airmen combined,) the only one in my shop with an associate’s degree and earned airman of the quarter with “5” only EPR’s… etc… etc… they ruined my life over it, lol… for what??? and guess what air force? FU!!!! I STILL SMOKE EVERYDAY!!!
yes, i was also discriminated against by the air force for being a cannabis user instead of alcohol… they couldn’t tax my only way of relaxing (spent 3 years at RAF Mildenhall in england) and i refused to buy alcohol after a point… soo…. even with over 100 hours of volunteer work (more than all of the other airmen in my shop combined,) the only one in my shop with an associate’s degree and earned airman of the quarter with “5? only EPR’s… etc… etc… they ruined my life over it, lol… for what??? and guess what air force? FU!!!! I STILL SMOKE EVERYDAY!!! and guess what AF, i do it becuse i HAVE TO…
I did the survey yesterday. USAF 1970 – 1977
When I arrived for basic training with a bunch of other draftees in 1969, we were given the chance to dump any illegal substances in a barrel before our first shake-down inspection. The barrel quickly filled as a bunch of young guys dumped their weed, papers, pipes and various pills and powders to avoid military punishment.
Later I discovered that contents of the barrel were divided up among the permanent enlisted men on the post.
The U.S. military pushes alcohol consumption and prohibits cannabis consumption. Alcohol makes you not think. Cannabis makes you think. Get it?
we are all disabled veterans. mine was total catastrophic body damage, and then no medical recognition, and 32 years of bureaucracy for lawyers playing bureaucracy. i learned by helping other veterans with their claims, which gave me a deeper understanding of the claims process, and just how much it contributes to the ptsd and suffering of veterans. then “they” take all that veterans suffer, and set the standard for disability retirement of the average citizens. never thought of that did you? where the standards for social security and workers comp come from? when they say “we are the most productive nation in the world” what we really are, is the most productive slaves in the world. the nazification of america, it has already been in place for years, the slow erosion of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, has been replaced by slaves to government, and the will of big alcohol, big pharma, big tobacco, big oil, and even bigger government. the recent supreme court ruling of unlimited amounts of political contributions to any candidate just ended the one man (or woman) vote. candidates, or a flooding of candidates to fill any political office, for the benefit of the cause with the most cash to buy the office just began. and where does the veteran end up? the 22 cases i’ve worked on in a small geographical, rural area of west virginia tells me to extrapolate those same 22 lives across the U.S. it’s a sorry commentary on what the Dept. of Veterans Affairs really represents, and all the lawyers that clamour to represent those veterans, who spend years pursuing benefits for severe injuries medically documented, just to end up at the great COVA, where upon reaching, the veteran is bombarded by mailings from lawyers, they all used to work at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, now they represent veterans. i can assure you, no one has ever represented me, or the 22 veterans claims i’ve worked on. it’s quite apparent from the postings on the “net” no one is representing the majority of Americans, much less veterans.
Iraqi “freedom” vet here…Glad to see this survey! I used rarely for fear of the pee tests until I got back from overseas at which point I didn’t give a crap anymore…They get drunk at drill and piss and crap themselves and it is all good…We all know how it goes with that massive double standard. MJ has been the best (gentle, no grogginess, natural)sleep aid by far and I wont give it up…Everyone should be free to do what is best for them without some ass miles away dictating what adults can and cannot do! Frustrating!
do you blame then for using it.i don’t. the poor young ladies and gentlemen that were sent into a place that they should have never had to go to. it’s just like today’s wars either here at home with marijuana illegal or Iraq. pot is a waste time and money, legalize it and make money. Iraq is the last president that said before florida gave him the presidency said before he got into office ” it’s not for the u.s. to go around and police the world”.
HELL YEAH!!!! after reading these blogs this is how we need to stand up to the Gov. and not giv one f**kin inch
P.S I thought this was America
I find myself grasping at straws as to how this survey could be used to make the military accept medical cannabis or somehow stop piss testing for cannabis. X percentage of veterans want cannabis legalized?
#28 dave: It has always been in my mind, not sure if anyone else has thought the same, “its not for the u.s. to go around and police the world” … .
Iraq did do us a favor, ordinary American citizens, when the said the military couldn’t come into their country and run shotgun over them.
It was at that point in time when many minds changed in America, whether people realize it consciously or not.
I spent four years in the USAF back in the late Seventies, all of it on a base in California. I was stoned daily, and not alone. Where did it come from? Military planes did not need to be checked by Customs…if you knew a pilot or loadmaster, you had a connection.
Them was the days…
#3 thats all my pops got, hell he didnt even get a pat on the back.
I spent two years in Viet Nam, 1969 and 1970-1971. Smoking pot, and using the other drugs available to us, but especially smoking pot, allowed me to come home with fewer scars than a lot of others. Pot use has been proven to be a benefit to those of us suffering PTSD and depressive/anxiety disorders. As state laws regarding the use of medical marijuana continue to progress, the federal government has no choice but to follow the will of the people. If Congress approves the use of medical marijuana in Washington, D.C., a precedent is set. If the V.A. were to approve pot as a course of treatment, a precedent is established. Change is before us, I’ve seen progress in the law…
Boy from the looks of it it’s not like the commercials would lead you to believe it is in the military. I thought I had regrets about some of my life choices and feeling cheated and exploited, but it sounds like a lot of you feel the same only ten times more.
My hat off to all of you for your service! I don’t agree with all the decisions to go to war that have happened, but I admire anyone who can survive a tour of duty, heck even basic training!
And #26, I hear ya about big pharma and big government and big oil. Add to that big business with big employers. My personal goal is to go it alone in business for myself so I never again have to be subjected to drug testing. I don’t understand how this is not a violation of our civil rights.
But for God’s sake, why is smoking pot so bad when drinking alcohol and eating fast fried white foods and smoking cigarettes are all okay?
Like another poster said, I reserve the right to make choices for myself and my body that I feel are in my best interests, and smoked or not, I say marijuana is good for me, dammit.
Hey Norml I was thinking of maybe a new slogan ( How Can You Go Green If U don’t Go Hemp)? Let me know if already thought of,or good slogan
if any body thinks they can trust the goverment they have anther thing coming. there the biggest crooks unless your rich around. look at the last what ever you want to call him that was in the white house. rules what’s that i’ll do what i want to do. even if it’s againest the laws that the ganeva conention has in place. he didn’t put us in a recation, i rember the reaction of the 80’s and it was not this bad.
Disabled Veteran here. Wish the VA would allow medical cannabis for my back injuries which I obtained while on active duty. Not just the costs, but the legality of obtaining it. Also for those with PTSD, marijuana has been promising in recent studies. Really wish the federal government would wake up and extend the program they opened in 1978 to EVERY AMERICAN or VETERAN, instead of just the currently enrolled 4 persons. Yes, there is a federal program for medical marijuana where it is grown at the University of Mississippi, however its still a Schedule I drug? Do you not see the hypocrisy in their current policy? I served my country for 5 years, incurred injuries, and am DENIED the only medicine that works effectively without getting me addicted (prescription drugs). Its time to wake up and have a federal medical marijuana program for all, and especially us veterans who benefit from its medicinal value.
Good day.
Some of those questions felt like ringers, to call all of us vets. gun amped pot heads!!! hope i don’t get a visit from uncle sam lol
I’m an active duty Air Force officer and licensed clinical psychologist (Ph.D.). Personally, I’ve always preferred weed over booze and have never understood why marijuana is not regulated like alcohol. I’ve recently “come out of the closet” about my support for ending marijuana prohibition (a risky move for an AF officer). Thank you Mitch Earleywine for looking into the issue of veterans. I hope this is just the beginning of a line of research that could potentially benefit all servicemen and women, but especially our wounded warriors and veterans. If there’s any way I can help, I’m on board!
http://rawstory.com/2010/02/obama-grows-the-drug-war/
The budget places America’s drug war spending at $15.5 billion for fiscal year 2011; an increase of 3.5 percent over FY 2010. That figure reflects a 5.2 percent increase in overall enforcement funding, growing from $9.7 billion in FY 2010 to $9.9 billion in FY 2011. Addiction treatment and preventative measures, however, are budgeted at $5.6 billion for FY 2011, an increase from $5.2 billion in FY 2010.
I just heard on the evening news out of San Francisco that the State of California is now ” asking ” all growers to start paying sales tax . Tee Hee He . That’s a good one !
It’ll never happen until the Federal Government says OK otherwise what grower is gonna risk being thrown in the tank for an growing an illegal substance according to the Federal Government / !!!?? ( change is coming )
Reading all these comments just makes me want to get out of the military even more. Maybe if they rescheduled marijuana, vets would have access to it medically. Getting it down to a schedule III (even schedule II) would give the legalization movement a much-needed push.
off topic here but i had an ephinny.
would a class action lawsuit against the federal govt on denial of civil liberties grounds pertaining to legal recreational use be totaly out of the question? Or is there some merit to that arguement?
[Editor’s note: Indeed class action lawsuits have been attempted by reformers, and the courts fail to certify them.]
who saw the nat geographic channel taboo its was a new drug episode with a first segment about cannabis
i was in the air force from 1973 to 1977. i was stationed in fla and alaska and smoked pot everyday. when i got out i still smoked pot atleast 5 days a week due to back problems and doctors said i was fakeing. in 2002 i found out i had 3 crushed disc in back.now the doctors wont give me meds if i smoke pot and if i dont i cant sleep at night, i have found that a joint before bed is better than ambiat.
I smoked pot when i was in nam in 1970-71. a buddy told me to smoke it when I couldnt stop shaking after a rocket and morter attack at our base camp. i had only been in country for 1 week! it helped me keep my sanity in an insain army. I smoked pot until I was discharged.This year is my 40th year I have been smoking pot.I have lost a new truck,all my guns, my drivers license,my hunting rights etc.for not having a tax stamp that I can`t get. If I`m not mistaken it was the same people that trained me to kill people that have ruined my life! thanks uncle sam
HEY PLEASE HELP ME ANYONE IM BEGGING i got busted what are some convincing arguments to tel my father an ex cop my reasons for smoking if it helps i have epalepsy add undignosed despression and im underweight im 16 like 5 10 and maybe 120 if im lucky so ive been trying to look healthy people please im begging for your help please anything help me out i threw away my bongs and giving my stuff to a friend any way i can lower the thc before my dad makes me take a test i only have 7 hours please help me and much thanks
hey#40,get out of the air force and put your license to good use helping vets like myself and others unlock the psychological benefits of pot.Your experience and knowlege could be a driving force for our cause Hurry time is wasting!
your 16 stop smoking pot and keep your ass in school get smart get older then start makeing changes from the inside help me pls lol underweight eat fast food when yr older and have a brain then smoke up peace
HERE IT IS –
San Francisco — A California lawmaker is proposing to require all marijuana growers and sellers to be licensed by the state as a way to increase sales tax revenue.
Democratic state Sen. Ron Calderon said Wednesday he plans to introduce a bill requiring all legal and illegal marijuana businesses to register with the Board of Equalization, the state agency that collects sales tax. The bill would not legalize marijuana beyond current state law.
Supporters say the measure is intended mainly to provide a system of regulation for medical marijuana dispensaries. Such dispensaries already are required to pay sales tax like other businesses, but board vice chair Jerome Horton says many don’t comply.
“There is a clear indication that many dispensaries are intentionally evading their taxes, distributing illegal products and may be laundering illegally acquired money,” Horton said in a statement.
Licensees would have to pay a fee, prepay part of the sales tax and pay an excise tax similar to manufacturers, distributors and retailers of tobacco products in the state.
Calderon spokesman Rocky Rushing said the lawmaker estimates full compliance from legal medical marijuana sellers could generate $168 million in revenue.
The Board of Equalization estimates that $1.3 billion worth of marijuana is sold legally in the state every year but only $8 million in sales tax are collected
I wonder how many times NORML gets letters and emails like the one from #48? The father has been properly brain washed into thinking cannabis is a horrible drug that will ruin his son’s life. I wonder if he would react the same if he found his son consuming alcohol or tobacco? Both are much more dangerous and addictive. Look at what our government has done to it’s citizens. Will the current rulers CHANGE the propaganda or will they keep the line of the “War On Drugs”. We need to help everyone understand the truth about cannabis. Thanks NORML for spreading the word. We will change America even if it takes a lifetime to do it!
Bill Introduced To Legalize Marijuana In Kansas
http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/83554557.html
(HELP ME PLEASE)If you read this, I wish I saw your post earlier today because I’d be happy to assist in your unfortunate problem with your dad. I’ll be on again in the morning about 4 a.m. cst.
Holy Smokes. WARNING- The Oregon National Guard is warning that 100% of soldiers will be drug tested if they have their way. Test positive lose all your benefits for being in the guard. Wow! With the number of PTSS patients looking for relief with MJ it looks like the man has another control to make you behave as they see fit.
Rev.sLeezy
Holy Smokes!
God Bless all of you who have served in the armed forces.
The Rev.sLeezy
TULCOTHS
CAMP
Don’t forget to add Big Alcohol in the toxic pool with Big Government and Big Pharma. Anheuser-Busch is in no hurry to compete with home grown pot
Completed the form and to all you other pot smokin’ vets – “Hoorah! and Semper Fi”
Did the survey, Desert Storm vet, yeah there was plenty of good herb in the Guard then. Isreal is prescribing it to their vets for PTSD already, when we wake up and free the weed, that has so much to offer humanity.
There are some interesting statistics out right now on how pot offenders in the military are not getting the boot at nearly as high of a rate as in the past. Do not mistake this as the military, “going easy” on anyone however. I am currently serving on active duty and am stationed overseas I have seen a few people i know pop on a piss tests, they get reduction of rank and pay, but they still ship them to Iraq or Afghanistan. The subject of legalization comes up at whatever shop I have ever worked at and it is safe to say that 90% of enlisted members are for legalization, even those who do not smoke and never have are for it. Some might think it is odd that a vastly conservative base would be so for legalization but the reason is because all of us see and take place in alcohol abuse on a very regular basis. We understand the negative effects and live with them, as do the local populations of the foreign countries we get stationed at. Also based on what I have seen the military only catches 8 – 10% of those who do smoke while enlisted. The truth is they do not want to catch anymore than that for many reasons such as public image, manning issues, as well as the fact that it is expensive to discharge someone who has already been trained and invested in just to do it all over again ….. well anyways i could go on all day but i will get off of my soapbox now. ~peace~
when i was in the army reserves 1981 to 1985 we never heard of a pee test.i never stopped
Hi, I am a former marine, I am a eyewitness to the pentagon attack on 9/11, I was stationed at Marine Barracks 8th & I in Washington D.C. My angish comes from the fact that I know for a fact that a 757 did NOT hit the pentagon, something much smaller did. I didn’t see what hit it, but from the damage, it was not a 757. This is what causes my PTSD. I go to the VA once every two weeks, and I’ve tried talking about this to the counselor, but he doesn’t really seem to care. I started smoking sometimes after 9/11, I smoked it in my room, in my apartment that I shared with another marine. I popped on a piss test a few months later. I recieved an bad conduct discharge. There was other shit to that went down, that also makes me really wonder about how fucked our government really is. Stuff that took place at my duty station. I am proud of being a former marine, but the federal government is NOT HONORABLE. I hope one day all armed forces are allowed to smoke, because alcohol and pissed off marines don’t mix well at all. Anyways, I”m glad that I got a chance to share, and I hope others can take some comfort for knowing that their not alone. Pot has kept me alive, I swear. Semper Fi!
@ #61 — i feel for you brother. they did the same thing to me because i made the responsible decision to NOT DRINK as i watched it destroy the lives of my friends and brethren.
i received a general (under honorable conditions) discharge but i still should have gotten full honorable.
our military is very, very corrupt and even though they have their stupid little “bold faces, face to faces before the weekend,” it is still very encouraged. very few airmen i was stationed with DIDN’T drink. it’s NOT acceptable in the military to be alcohol-free.
it’s very disappointing. i am sorry you had to go through that as i did…
To all of you facing issues with parents that are ‘brainwashed’ this is for you. I grew up in a family where I was the only person in the family who ever smoked pot. So when my parents found out I smoked I became homeless. They said I would remain homeless unless I quit smoking pot. I offered my father a proposition, and this is what I said. “Well, now that I don’t have a home I can live by my own rules. I chose to smoke pot. However, if you’ll humor me Id like to show you something, Id like you to watch me smoke a joint, and then hang out with me for a little while and if you STILL think marijuana is as bad as the government says it is- Ill NEVER smoke it again.”
To my surprise my father agreed and I proceeded to get high in front of him. After I finished my joint me and my father hung out and shot the shit for a while. My father was amazed at the fact that I could have a straight intelligent conversation with him because he was taught that pot turns you into a couch potato or worse a raving psychotic. He soon learned he had been lied to all his life and now, although he will NEVER smoke it, he understands why I do and his views on this blessing of a plant have indeed changed for life. Me on the other hand, im doing better managing my ADHD and my depression. I haven’t attempted suicide in the last 6 years Ive been smoking it. When I was on prescription medication I had attempted suicide twice. Which led to a barrage of drugs that I was forced to take under the threat of being thrown into a looney bin. (Because that’s where they put you if you suffer from severe depression.) The drugs ended up having a reverse effect and now I have 2 more mental illnesses, PTSD, and Anxiety disorder. Thanks Big Pharma! Thanks to cannabis im able to manage all of these disorders and Id just as soon die then quit smoking it. FUCK YOU UNCLE SAM. You’ll have allot to answer for when my real father Jesus Christ comes back to Earth.
@ #63 — Amen, brother… Herbert W. Armstrong couldn’t have said it better himself!
i am glad i now realize there are others like me and i am not alone anymore!
thank you guys and gals for your input and support!
I’ve been refused entry to the service due to the ritilan I was put on when I was 3 yrs old (I cant recall the first 8 years of my life thx to that, even tho I was taken off that particular pill when I was 7..) been thru 13 years total of doctor drugs and locked up with a bunch of psycho’s most of that time (I quit cold-turkey taking any of their meds as a 16th b-day preset to mysef) and never eventied pot till I was 18 and after 13 yrs of their drugs I’ve found cannibis is the only one that has actually helped my severe bipolar disorder, ADHD and other mental instabilities. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get my card but after reading ppls posts here I think there may be hope for this damnable situation yet…
I’m a veteran from Desert Storm and suffer from a head injury that has will now and forever cause me problems with migraines and vision issues. The VA does everything they can to try to get me to stop smoking even though I can’t take anything else for pain due to stomach issues with other types of medication. Though cannibis is illegal in my state,(NY) for now. I refuse to let the Gov stop me from using the one thing that is helping me. I’m hoping this year NY finally passes the medical use law so I can get some relieve from the anxiety I have from needing to use an illegal drug to make me fell better and help me to keep my anger in check.
I am an Army vet that has spina bifida and severe insomnia. I smoked the entire time I was in service. They found out and wanted to pump me full of tranquilizers and get me addicted to pills my whole life. If I did that, i probably wouldn’t have a liver. Needless to say, I was forced out because I wanted to take something natural rather than take a bunch of bad pills.
@ #65 i went through the same thing you did different drugs loonie bins ext due to my bipolar disorder add and mental instabilities. i will smoke pot the rest of my life because weed is the only real drug that helps my bipolar. i was also denied entry to service due to my medical past.
TO NORML
i think marijuana may also be applicable to treat people with bi polar. i have been off all medication for 4 years now thanks to marijuana. it levels me out. tell your buddies please so others such as myself might get the help they need so desperately
I am a 100% disabled Viet-Nam Veteran, I live on a fixed income in constant pain from back injuries and suffer extreme PTSD, severe anxiety attacks, and also have colon cancer and Sub-arachnoiditis from head trauma sustained while in the military
.
I was a user of Medical Marijuana because I received better pain relief and relaxation from it than most of the meds the physicians will give you.
In October last year, I had a generalized warrant served on my home . maybe it was wrong but The way I was arrested is insane. I answered my door completely unarmed with no intention of denying access or show aggression in any way. My wife was in Florida caring for her sisters children while they were on a vacation.
I was met by a 12 gauge shotgun in my face and after the initial shock noticed that there was 1. The Buffalo Trace Area Drug Development Task Force. 2. The Ky State Police 3. The Fleming County Sheriff’s Dept, 4. The Mason County Sheriff’s Dept, 5, A Swat team was on standby, 6. A helicopter was on standby for whatever reason.
I came to find out through my attorneys Petition for Discovery that this was supposedly an investigation into charges that I was trafficking Marijuana to Lexington, Ky. Selling Controlled substances, and possessed huge amounts of pills that were allegedly sold by me. This was all based on two anonymous tips from April to October and was told that my neighbors had all been interviewed and there was irrefutable evidence.
On the warrant, my name was spelled wrong and SSN was not correct, my wife’s Birthdate was wrong and the Petition for discovery showed that the only evidence that was found was that there was allegedly some Marijuana leaves in my trash can which is located 750-800 ft from my residence on a highly traveled public highway.
My contention is that if there was this many funds allocated and wasted by this investigation, why was not one neighbor I have spoken with interviewed, why was there not one person who could corroborate that I had sold anything of any type to anyone and why were the names on the warrant and other information wrong.. That pot could have been placed in my trash by anyone who drives on US68 which is a major highway.
My concern is that if they had truly investigated me, they would have known there was no traffic by anyone except my Pastor and friends locally I attend church with who visit rarely. 10 days later my wife was arrested on the same charges and we were both held on 10,000 dollar cash bonds each.
As a result, My Blood pressure medicine, my pain medicine, and my seizure medicines were withheld from me by the local authorities. They were in proper containers, recently dispensed by the VA Hospital and had the proper amounts in them. and I wound up spending four days in the local hospital being stabilized from seizures, dehydration and acute anxiety attacks.
I have still not fully recovered and will probably never be able to regain any sort of composure after this incident. thank God, my neighbors knew of my medical condition and when they heard the story, went voluntarily and got the money to get me out of that jail before I died. My wife had no sort of prior record and I did have prior convictions from when I was experiencing a severe case of PTSD in the time frame of 1975-1979. if this is not an utter waste of our tax dollars and an overkill attitude by these agencies, I would like to know why.
I sincerely believe that someone needs to look into why this incident occurred and why there was such shoddy information used to obtain a warrant when a simple phone call to the local Law enforcement would have netted the same results at a much greater savings in both money and my health. Plus the humiliation and way we were treated by this/these agencies was absurd and needless.
My wife was a substitute school teacher and was immediately relieved of her job which she loved, we are both active in the Church and local community affairs and I am a huge advocate in trying to help our kids stay away from drugs and also voluntarily try to help our returning veterans get the help they so badly need upon their return.
I am sure I will never see this on the news because it is dominated by those who have already become celebrities for whatever reasons. But I thought that someone should come and look into this matter.
I feel there is more to this than just what is being told in the local papers. I have at least voiced my thoughts on what I consider a travesty on someone who volunteered to serve their country and as a result am being persecuted for it.
Thank you for your time and I hope someone will read this and take an interest.
Sgt Robert E Silvey USAF/DOD 25 years (ret)
While I do not suffer from PTSD, I can tell you as a war vet that reflecting on my military experiences can send me into an emotional downward spiral comparable only to the release brought on by the burning of a joint. It is important to be able to be calm and composed with nothing but one’s own breath, inhaling and exhaling, but while I think it is dangerous for anyone to believe that they cannot be OK without a substance (any substance), I will admit that I for one did not know how to relax immediately after my honorable discharge from the military, coming immediately after a fifteen-month deployment to Afghanistan. Cannabis was instrumental in helping me learn how to chill out.
I didn’t dare smoke cannabis while in the military, and had had very limited experience prior as a minor. But somehow I knew towards the end of my deployment that it was something that I owed to myself; something that would do me a world of good; and something that I very possibly needed. I couldn’t have imagined how much I would smoke. Sorting out the emotions, trying to make peace with myself, I wound up smoking about an ounce per month for six consecutive months. However, I do not consider this amount–or any amount–too much for someone who desperately needs peace of mind and to rediscover some joy in being alive. It was just a lot more than I had anticipated wanting or needing.
I had been in a very stressful situation serving as an infantryman during my final deployment. I consider my entire last deployment one stressful situation: There was no end to stress, and there was no beginning to stress. The stress had built up since before we had arrived and would persist until long after we had left theater. There was no ebb, and there was no flow to the stress. There is no point in tallying the amount of times I was in danger or under fire; I was no more or less stressed bounding to the next position than I was waiting for the next mission. If I had just watched someone get killed or hadn’t been on a mission in days, I was on edge. Every minute felt the same: a year of stress and vigilance from beginning to end….
Cannabis helped me find peace of mind. Although I had never contemplated suicide, I would often wonder how long I could go on bearing the mental burden I had to bear. Although I did not want to die–on the contrary: because I did not want to die–I considered how that burden would ultimately break me. Cannabis helped in part to lift my burden off my shoulders.
I knew I was in trouble, and cannabis helped get me out of trouble. It helped me relax, plain and simple. Relax over a long enough time, and what you have is called healing. Cannabis helped to heal my mind. Thanks to cannabis I found peace after war, and I am grateful for it.
Much respect to those whose wounds cannot be healed by the mere smoking of a weed. I make no claims to your degree of sacrifice. I claim no sacrifice at all. I compare myself in no way to you. I can in no way compare what I have witnessed to what you have suffered. Much respect to all who suffer from PTSD. Americans cannot imagine what you have seen because you have shielded them from it. American troops serve neither policy nor politician; they serve the people of the United States of America. It’s up to the people to vote for the right politicians to pursue the right policies. Taking proper care of veterans must be one of them, and so must be marijuana law reform.
i want to instigate a lawsuit against indiana and the federal govt. for denying the right to medical marijuana as allowed in many other ststes.please advise me on what group or organization to contact. im declared disabled by the federal govt but denied the disability rights of many others in many other states.
On the marijuana to me its better than the hydrocodone and muscle relaxers the VA tries to keep me stoned on its acetaminophen is terrible for the liver. They could save money and not harm us as much with legal pot I would even pay for it myself think of the money the goverment could save. But i think they are trying to wipe us out quicker with the tons of meds they give us. I am off all my pain pills and mood elevators any way something to think about!
Hey, me again. I just want to say, how dare they treat us like this. I served my country, until I finally was losing it, a month after 9/11. I had a roommate who was nuts, and armed with a pistol. He hated me. As soon as I started smoking again, its like my backbone came back. I moved out from that apartment, and moved in with my friend. It was like, “NO, the only thing thats going to get me through this is cannabis.” I didn’t have anyone that I trusted to talk to in my unit. So I started using pot. I still went to work, and did my job. I only smoked right before I went to bed. This is insane. Alcohol is dangerous, especially in the hands of young service personel. The Marines especially is mostly made up of young people in their twenties. I remember when I started using, I could understand why Vietnam vets, and even George Washington! Used cannabis. It just totally relaxes you, and DOESN’T make you do stupid shit like alcohol does. I still feel like I’m a marine. I have no friends, because everyone else is a “civilian”…….. I have serious issues with trust. Its been like eight years since I got out, and nine since I officially got out………and I feel nuts, and my body is so messed up. I can’t go for runs anymore, I get the worse back pain. I can hardly do my four day of week work week because of the pain I am in. I don’t know if it is from doing honor guard stuff, or what, but I am in pain almost all the time. I have been stoned almost all the time since I’ve been out…….but in the last few years the pain has gotten worse. I feel so alone. I will always be proud of being a marine, but at the same time I feel so, so alone. I feel alone because I know 9/11 was a inside job ( please don’t take me for a nutjob, I was stationed by the pentagon, and also they took away all the armed guards from my duty station for a couple of months AFTER…..when before we always had armed guards, marine sentrys. Why the fuck would you downgrade the security after the WORSE terrorist attack in history? I wonder…….I wonder if they weren’t originally planning on a little “terror” at my duty station……..and then maybe later got cold feet and called it off) and because of my discharge, people automatically assume you were a shit bag marine……..Its so fusturating!!! I was in the honor guard, I did full honor funerals at Arlington National cemetry. I laid to rest war heroes, and former astronauts, Sentators, etc. That all had served in the Marines. I did so many that I can’t tell how many I did, but I was doing around three to four a week sometimes, plus other duty at the pentagon. It just fucks me up. Its not like I forgot everything I was taught in the marines, I still feel like one. I hate civilians……….and I especially hate the civilians who decided to create 9/11, and decide to invade countries on the OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE, and drain our treasury, and destroy and kill our people, and the victimes who’s only crime was to be born on the land our country wanted.
i got busted on a piss test in 1985.about 75 or 80 people and i were sent packing.they made it a little rough for me said that they were going to court mar. me and finally kicked me out with a oth discharge and i lost all my vet.ben. fuckers!!!!
i know for a fact that alcohol is a lot worse drug than pot from self experiences alcohol. Ive had black outs many times. pot only mellows me out my girl friend was paralyzed from a drunk driver 25 years ago at 18 years old and was never ever to have children or go to college as a defense lawyer to put bad people away like (o.j. simpson