Polycystic Kidney Disease by Anonymous

I am a 48 year old male with polycystic kidney disease. I had been using marijuana for the pain associated with the cysts. I found it to work better than any of the narcotics any of my doctors have prescribed. There are no side effects that I cannot handle, as I used to smoke marijuana as a young man. I am used to the effect. It allows me to manage my pain while at the same time I am able to function more normally. This is something that NONE of the narcotics can equal. I had been growing my own but got busted in the autumn of 2003. I live in upstate NY and therefore have a short growing season. So I grew enough to last me a year, and that was enough for the police to see me as a dealer. This judge was sympathetic, dropped the felony charges, and only fined me and my wife. I now do not dare to grow it because if I’m caught again, they will take all of my possessions and put us in jail. NY state has the most draconian laws when it comes to marijuana.  I simply suffer now because the narcotics make me sick in other ways. The doctor has yet to find something I can take and not make me sick or incapacitate me. I pray people will help change the laws.