Glad to see another one of us survived meth. I had started on marijuana first, but my true gateway to meth was a drummer in a band I was in who was into meth. Spent nine months on the stuff until emergency you’re-gonna-die hospitalization was required.

On the other hand, I’ve smoked weed since July 4, 1990, and since then the worst incident I’ve had is once when I smoked a roach down too far, Up In Smoke-style, right into the back of my throat, then spent twenty minutes hacking so hard I thought I was going to die.

My name is Jacob Koopmann and I live in Arizona which we all know is an ineffective medical marijuana state because of the word prescribed being used instead of recommend. I am diagnosed with manic depression also known as “bipolar” meaning-two poles. I spend most of my time on the lower pole, miserably depressed and anti-social. However, it is not a rare occasion to see my bouncing off the walls in a manic state of mind. When I am depressed I am the most negative person you’ll ever meet. You could tell me I’ve won the lottery tax-free but I’ll still tell you that the government will take over half in taxes. I obsess over suicide. Not that I think of ways to kill my self, I just think dieing would be easier than this life and my condition. When I am manic everything is moving to slow. I am always ten steps ahead and my mind is racing. My dad has trouble understanding what it feels like, but he understands when I tell him “It’s like smoking meth for free.” Yes, I used meth from 12-17. I have been meth free for over three years now and I am only 20 years old. In my opinion meth DID play a permanent role in the chemical make up in my brain. I still occasionally wake in the night with an urge to stick a needle in my arm. Meth was my “gateway” drug. Marijuana came next.(take that D.A.R.E.) I used marijuana regularly from 13 or so on but never responsibly untill I turned 18. It wasn’t until then that I discovered that cannabis was truly working as a medicine for me. I have used anti-depressants for many years and suffered insane stomach problems, head aches, and emabarassing loss of my sex drive. I stopped using my medicine about 2 months ago. I do not have head aches at all, I still have morning nausea(but not through out the day like before) but I still do not have my sex drive back. Is this permanent? This is very frustrating. I use marijuana everyday about 2-4 times per day. I smoke joints and I smoke out of a bubbler. My mania has reduced phenomenally. Good old Mary Jane will also usually snap me out of a deep depression faster then you can click your mouse. And I am far less irritable, although I am more irritable with the people I care most about and whom are close to me. You know, the people who are around me everyday. I guess my point is, I NEED to see a doctor. Sometimes, in some situations, not even marijuana works. I believe I need to try a new medicine in conjunction with marijuana. I am a nationally certified Emergency Medical Technician and they teach you to give oxygen no matter what situation. “But didn’t she just twist her ancle?” Everyone gets oxygen because it can only help, not hurt! I say the same for cannabis. Cannabis has only helped me in life, I will never stop using it and I will never stop fighting for the right for Arizonans and Americans to consume it.

Thanks for your time, Jake-AZ4NORML
jake.az4norml@hotmail.com
Myspace.com/TucsonNorml