Nonspecific Abdominal Cramps by Molly Thomas

I've been smoking marijuana consistently for about 2 years.  When I first tried it in high school I wasn't interested.  It wasn't until I met my current boyfriend, who is very into the medicinal properties and legalization of the plant, that I realized how beneficial it is to all aspects of my life.  I suffer from stomach muscle spasms. I forget what the exact medical term for it is, but numerous times when I have had an attack I've been crippled on the floor in so much pain that I can't even call for help. I was prescribed Hyoscyamine, which works most of the time but leaves me with a strange taste in my mouth and a weird feeling throughout my body, which I have found to be a common side effect among other people who are in the same position as myself. My boyfriend suggested smoking pot whenever I feel an attack coming on, and although at first I cringed at the thought of smoking pot to easy my stomach, it helps me every time, without the side effects.  My parents, a conservative doctor and nurse who wouldn't let me even talk to people they suspected of smoking pot because of its negative stigma of being a "drug" and one that's rated in a class with heroin, now see that the drug is an invaluable aid in my every day life and less threatening socially than the consumption of alcohol.

There are other reasons that I smoke, other than enjoyment, such as to gain peace of mind. If I'm angry or worked up over something it helps me to calm down, examine the situation from another perspective, and pull me out of the mental rut.

It seems as if marijuana is pretty much a cure-all for physical and mental ailments, making it difficult to regulate and profit from, but making the world a healthier, natural, more peaceful place to live.