Karen M

I am 55-year old adult with several medical conditions, including progressing fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and bursitis, that continue to progress with debilitating chronic pain that exacerbates a decades-long bout of clinical depression.

I have been on permanent disability for a few years. Some of the FDA approved chemical prescription medications I should be taking are contraindicated with other meds and still others have such horrible toxic side effects that I won't even fill the prescriptions, let alone attempt to take them.

My husband also suffers from degenerative disc disease and rheumatoid arthritis in his back and is in constant pain. He also has restless leg syndrome as a result of the back issues. And again, the medications he has to take have terrible side effects if taken long term. So, he's actually putting his health at risk by taking FDA approved, man-made toxic chemicals to help with the pain.

My 33-year old son, from Chester County, was diagnosed with idiopathic temporal and focal seizures. He did not outgrow this and now, after so many years on the only FDA approved TOXIC seizure medicine he can take, he's at risk of a type of blood cancer.

He has four children and is being forced to take TOXIC POISON in attempt to control his seizures. Since these poisons are no longer doing their job and he's unable to take anything else, he's now on medical leave with his job as a class III welder.

I used to be dead-set against the use of marijuana for anything. But in doing more research and becoming better informed, I now realize that the cannabis plant is much more beneficial in treating not only seizure disorders, but many other conditions without the toxic and literally life-threatening side effects of toxic chemicals.

I believe this state needs to listen to its constituents – the 85% of residents who are in favor of legalizing cannabis for medical use.

Beyond that, I'm also in favor of the full legalization of cannabis and/or decriminalizing the possession and use of the plant for the benefit anyone who may not be able to find a medical doctor to "prescribe" it based on their outdated and uninformed beliefs of this plant.

Karen S Musselman