Illinois Needs to Legalize Medical Marijuana

THIS IS A SAMPLE OF THE LETTER I SENT.  PLEASE CREATE YOUR OWN LETTER  AND FEEL FREE TO USE PARTS OF MY LETTER AS DESIRED.

Dear Representative Cole (Schmitz, and Bellock also received this),

I am writing you to beg you to reconsider your views on the medical marijuana bill (HB2514). I understand your concern that if this bill becomes law people could misuse marijuana, they already are. What I am asking of you is to legalize it for people like me who have no other choice for our pain medication except for highly addictive opioids. I have RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) which is also known as CRPS (Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome). This is a chronic, life-long pain sentence with no cure. It can start from something as small as a sprained ankle and it effects children as well as adults. No one is immune from getting this. I have had it for 2 years and have had a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) implanted (after undergoing numerous sympathetic nerve blocks, Bier blocks, a trial pain pump which made me terribly ill, and several other treatments). Even with the SCS the best I could hope for was a 50% reduction in pain. I have been on opioid medications for two years. I would love to try medical marijuana to see if it would help me without being dependent. But I can't in Illinois.

I had a friend in California with AIDS several years ago. Medical marijuana is legal there. The doctors felt his use of medical marijuana extended his life for at least an extra six months. He had lost so much weight and had so many sores in his mouth he could not continue to eat. The marijuana gave him pain relief that opioids could not and gave him his appetite back.

Something you may not understand, when someone in great pain takes a pain medication, we do not feel a high or buzz. All we feel is some pain relief. The reason we take high doses of pain medications is because our pain levels are so high. I do not wish to be high. You have probably been prescribed a pain medication at some time in your life from a minor surgery, etc. You may have felt a "buzz". You were taking more medication than your body needed. I only take what my doctor prescribes and take the smallest doses to start with and increase to prescribed amounts only as needed. When I have taken what my doctor has prescribed and my pain does not subside, I have to tough it out which many days means crying and literally writhing in pain. I wish to have pain relief that I currently am unable to achieve without taking an addictive medication.

Please do not look at legalization of MEDICAL marijuana as opening up of floodgates. It most certainly isn't. Look into the 13 states that currently allow this pain relieving drug. There is not an increase in social illegal use. I am begging you to please reconsider your stance. I am a 45 year old wife and mother. I used to work full time. I have lost so much of my life because I am in constant pain. I am permanently disabled. I would like to get a little of my life back. If medical marijuana could do that, please do not deny me this chance. I miss my former life passionately. I would never buy marijuana illegally like so many of the law abiding citizens of this state. Those who would buy it illegally are already and are trying to skirt the laws. I am asking that you let the law abiding citizens of this state who are suffering daily, and know this is the course for the rest of their lives, a chance to have a medication that may ease their suffering and help us get back to our families and friends.

Please look at the websites I have listed below to learn more about RSD/CRPS. I appreciate your taking the time to read this message more than you can know. Please contact me if you wish to discuss this with someone who could benefit from this bill being signed into law.

Sincerely,


Sheryl Donnell

I vote in EVERY election