First medical marijuana sale happens in Butler
The first Pennsylvanian to buy medical marijuana on Thursday morning wept as she considered the possibilities for her son and family.
Diana Briggs of Westmoreland County bought medical marijuana oil and capsules for her son, whose seizure disorder caused him to suffer more than 400 seizures per day.
She and other parents have fought for several years to convince state legislators that medical marijuana is a valuable tool for those suffering from a plethora of difficult diseases.
“I cried all the way here today,” Briggs said as reporters from as far away as Philadelphia crowded around her upon her exit from CY+ on Pillow Street. “We just wanted a quality of life for my son.”
About a dozen people on Thursday morning lined up outside the door at CY+, which dispensed its first medical marijuana products to those who held a medical marijuana card.
CY+ employees passed out clipboards with patient intake forms for people to fill out before entering the building, which was under tight security.
Only four people were admitted at a time, in 20-minute increments, before four more patients were allowed to enter.
A 61-year-old Vietnam War veteran who lives in Butler declined to be named because of a fear of repercussions.
The man has suffered seizures since a 1987 accident in which he was electrocuted and suffered a severe head injury. The accident resulted in seizures, an inability to work or drive, and anxiety and depression in anticipation of a seizure.
It took Veterans Affairs doctors 20 years to find medication that helped the seizures subside. The side effects from those medications cause a stumbling gait, shaking, slurred speech and slow cognition.
“I lay around and don't know what to do with myself,” the man said in a slow, deliberate manner. “I hope medical marijuana creates motivation for me and relaxes me too, so I'm not so paranoid about having seizures.”
He has cut down from the 22 daily medications prescribed by doctors and hopes to replace all conventional medication with medical marijuana.
Neil Simons, 53, of Armstrong County suffered a spinal injury in October that resulted in constant nerve pain in his leg.
He called the opioid pain medication he was prescribed “a nightmare.”
“I had hallucinations, periods of paranoia, and I've woken in the middle of the night thankful I've got a wife to bring me back down to Earth,” Simons said.
He said the misfiring nerves sometimes cause him to feel like he has an ice cube on his leg, but most times it feels like “a knife is in my leg pulling it apart.”
“The only thing worse than the opioids is the pain,” Simons said. “Medical marijuana was scientifically studied to relieve this type of nerve pain and I'm hoping I'll get the relief those studies promise.”
Craig Lawrence of Butler Township came to CY+ on Thursday morning hoping to get some relief for his painful spinal stenosis, but the medical marijuana card he got with the help of Compassionate Certification Centers of East Cunningham Street isn't effective until Feb. 20.
“I was pretty excited about it because I have tried everything,” Lawrence said, referring to traditional pain medications, chiropractic care and injections at a pain-management clinic.
He decided against the risk of spinal surgery after consulting with a surgeon in Pittsburgh.Lawrence said the opioid medications that have been his only option for the past eight years affect his stomach and make him feel woozy.Based on what he learned at Compassionate Certification Centers, Lawrence is considering medical marijuana in the form of tablets that dissolve under the tongue. He will also consult with the staff at CY+ regarding what product he should use.“I'm hoping it's going to relieve the constant pain I have without side effects,” Lawrence said.Heather Shuker of Middlesex Township uses cannabidiol for her daughter Hannah, 14, who once suffered more than 100 seizures per day.Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a form of cannabis that — unlike medical marijuana — does not contain THC and is available without a medical marijuana card.She uses a product containing THC when Hannah has a major seizure.Shuker, who, like Briggs, fought in Harrisburg for the passage of medical marijuana for several years, said taking Hannah off her traditional seizure medications and introducing medical marijuana will be a painfully slow process.“We can't do an abrupt change,” she said. “These seizure meds are heavy duty.”Shuker said as of Thursday, Hannah has been seizure free for 10 consecutive days.“Because of several changes to Hannah's lifestyle and the consistent use of medical cannabis, we are experiencing seizure control,” she said. “She hasn't laughed or smiled in three-and-a-half years, and in December, she started laughing again.”Charlie Bachtell, CY+ co-founder, said it was stories like Shuker's and Briggs' that affected him the most profoundly on Thursday.“There hasn't been a patient yet that doesn't have a compelling story,” Bachtell said.He said in addition to seizure disorders, pain management and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder were the most frequent complaints on CY+'s first day of dispensing products.“We couldn't be happier,” Bachtell said of opening day. “The response has been overwhelming. The reactions of the patients when they walk in and the personal stories I've been hearing all day, you can't prepare for.”Jason Erkes, CY+ spokesman, said while the dispensary takes appointments, walk-ins are welcome.He said about 40 people were lined up at CY+'s doors by the lunch hour on Thursday.Cost for the products, which come in capsules, tablets, tinctures, patches, lotions, vaporizer cartridges and other forms, is $30 to $90.Briggs said she brought much too much cash, as prices for the products for her son were much lower than she expected.She said her son's normal 400-plus seizures per day have been reduced to less than 50 in the past two days, thanks to medical marijuana.Briggs was also able to take her son off the strict diet he endured.“I never thought I'd be standing here today,” Briggs said through tears. “Talk to me next year and see how happy I will be.”
