Herbalist from the West

Greetings fellows,

I am new to both using marijuana, and growing as well. I finished a successful growing season last year, but I was unable to give it another go for several reasons. I started the indoor organic grow from clones, not seeds. I was growing Pineapple Kush and Cenex (some spell it other ways but it's pronounced the same.) Let me tell you a little bit about myself and how I came into this wonderful new world without giving too many personal details out. For a long time, about 18 years I staunchly refused to take any drugs or drink alcohol. I believe all of the propaganda that I heard about pot, and because my school studies were very important to me at the time I never bothered to give it a try even though many of my friends did. While much fun was picked at me for not drinking, I can't recall anyone ever ridiculing me for not trying marijuana. It was more like "Hey, wanna hit?" "No thanks." And they just shrugged and said "Ok."

After several soccer injuries, I developed a wracking joint pain. It was so unbearable at times I could barely move save to shudder. I was given painkillers temporarily and joint supplements. It seemed to work for a few months, but I found myself running through my painkiller supply faster and faster. Eventually I told my doctor I was tired of taking them and I wanted something else. He told me to keep taking the joint supplements and see if I even had pain. I didn't for a few weeks, but it came back and even though it wasn't worse, it sure felt it without the pills. Also, at the same time, my mother was dying from cancer, or the radiation as I believe it. I quit school at the beginning of my senior year, and moved from the East coast to live with my father, on the west coast. I found work, and suffered through the pain for two months. I flew back across at the end of September, and my mother died on the first of October. Heartbroken, I returned to my father and ceased to speak with the rest of my family.

A week or so later, when I returned I had the worst pain yet. I sat immobile on the back deck for hours. I felt the pain all through my spine, up in my neck, and in my hips, and legs. Almost everyone had left me alone probably assuming I was mourning, which in truth I had been. Everyone except my younger brother. He was a freshman in High School. I had told him about my pain before, but we didn't talk about it for very long. He produced a joint, and handed it to me. "For you." He said. Now, I still don't approve of youths in puberty smoking anything, because it can have a detrimental effect on the Hippocampus in retrieving data. That said, I am eternally grateful for him doing that. I was at my lowest of lows, and I was willing to try anything. After lighting up, I felt the pain dissipate immediately. Not in 15-20minutes, not an hour, but after my second hit. I felt a sense of betrayal from everyone who had told me what an evil thing weed was. I knew at that moment that there were more people like me. People who were hurting in more ways than one, people who needed marijuana, and people who also hated it because they didn't truly know it.

I went to a doctor immediately and had another x-ray done. Of course they still couldn't tell me anything, but I took a copy of the x-ray and went to a doctor. I asked him what he thought about medical marijuana, and he initially tried to dissuade me. It would be to no effect, because I had already experienced the truth. Eventually he told me that he didn't feel it very professional of him to give me a medical marijuana recommendation, but he referred me to someone who could. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to him. My father was losing his house, and needed to move somewhere smaller. Even more unfortunately, there was no room for me. By this point, I was ready for anything. I had been working hard, and had a little money saved up. I went on craigslist and found a lot of people wanting to rent to me, but I felt like I was paying a fortune for a closet everywhere I went. Eventually, I found a house with a room for modest rent with all utilities included, and high speed internet. It seemed too good to be true, and truer still when I smelled fresh marijuana hanging in the air. I knew it was a blessing. Even though I am not religious I recognize the silver lining when I see it.

I moved my things in and began to talk to the roommates about marijuana. One was a recreational smoker (I'll call him Tom to protect his identity), and really intelligent about marijuana laws. I learned quite a bit about the legality of it from him. The other, was in fact a medical patient (I will call him Dave.) Dave, Tom, and I became good friends in a short time. While I saved my money back up, they offered me to smoke with them after they heard about my story. It wasn't long until Dave told me that it was paramount that I get my medical recommendation soon. He gave me the name of where he got his from: Choice Wellness Center. I went up there that weekend and told a very intelligent and kind lady my story, and gave her my medical information. It took quite a while for me to get, because she explained a lot of important things to me. At the time it felt tedious, but I fully appreciate everything she had to say. It was also her who first introduced the idea of growing my own weed for the first time. I was so excited to use a dispensary that I didn't even think about growing it myself. After everything was over, I bought my first bag of weed ever. It was an eighth of God's Bud. I also bought some creme to put on topically. Both products worked wonderfully and I was pain free, and I didn't even have to smoke everyday.

I was fired from my job for a really silly reason, but regardless I was out of a job, and didn't have much left in the bank. My friend Dave got me a job at the restaurant he worked at, but I wasn't making enough money. Even after I got food stamps it still was not enough. I was going to be broke soon, and unable to make rent. Dave and I had been talking at length about growing weed. We both agreed to run a distribution service from another place of residency that was supplied to us legally, I just don't want to give away details that might compromise anyone's identity. I helped him move and pack up and off we went. It was hard at first, with neither of us having jobs but we made things work with the help of some more really great friends. I had done much research on indoor growing, and helped set everything up.

Something felt wrong though, and I couldn't place my finger on it. I felt like I was being watched everywhere I went. To a girls house, to the corner store, to the pool, and at the house. I grew increasingly agitated after the people on the corner lot were raided and arrested, then the next day the person next to them were raided and arrested. I was soon seeing unmarked police cars with blacked out windows follow me everywhere. I was still very young, and scared. Dave did his best to put my suspicions to rest, but he too was getting a little worried. When the helicopters came, I told him I wanted out. He understood, but didn't want me to leave because work was still to be done preparing for the next crop. I told him to keep my investment for the crop, and moved back to my family on the east coast. I am currently furthering my education. I fully intend to return to growing, but not as a poor man. The poor man has no justice in court. He is an inmate before he is put in chains. No, I intend to fund a larger and more respectable organization. I greatly admire the humanitarian Rick Simpson. There are too few men with a heart like him. I know it won't make me as much money, but I want to spread the cure around. I may not be able to change the laws, or the government, or the police, but I don't want people hurting anymore.

So, now you know a little bit about me without truly knowing me. Be safe this weekend as you celebrate my brothers and sisters, not in blood, but in mind.

All the Best,
The Herbalist from the West

impressive

For sure!