True Stories From True Texans

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Andrea Wimberley

Founder of Texas Cannabis Coalition — Houston, Texas

"I was diagnosed with intractable epilepsy at the onset of puberty. Over the years, I tried multiple prescription medications, but none provided real relief, and many came with difficult side effects. As a teenager, I discovered that using cannabis after a seizure helped clear the brain fog almost immediately. What would normally take a full day to recover from could improve within minutes. It didn't make me feel "high", it simply helped me feel like myself again. For a long time, I used cannabis just to manage the after-effects, assuming seizures would always be part of my life. Later, my husband and I learned that cannabis might also work as a preventative. When I started using it that way, the results were life-changing. I began experiencing longer stretches without seizures—better results than I had ever seen with prescription medications. Once I realized how much cannabis was helping me, I joined the fight for legalization in Texas and worked alongside others advocating for medical access. After the medical cannabis law was passed, I became one of the first adults registered in the Texas Compassionate Use Program in 2018. Since then, I've remained committed to advocating for expanded access, because I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the kind of relief that changed my life."

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Anonymous

Texas

"I joined the United States Army at 17 and did 8 years and got out with honorable service. I suffered heavy injuries and was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Towards the end of my service, I suffered from alcohol abuse and depression to where I couldn't eat because the anxiety was making me nauseous. I had no energy to do anything. I would get the news my friends were KIA and I would feel nothing. I was taken over. 12 VA pills a day...I would forget everything. Slowed speech, with no more hope left in me and PTSD having a choke hold on my life. I was fully ready to try one more time to exit this life and not tell anyone. But then I had some people invite me to the beach to smoke cannabis and since I was in Puerto Rico it was legal so I said why not? After only a few puffs and 3 minutes I felt ALL the tension leave my shoulders, the voices in my head stopped, I stopped shaking. For the first time in years, I felt JOY and that broke me inside. It literally felt like taking a first breath after almost drowning. The plant allowed me the first breath of air after being submerged in the dirtiest sea of depression. I sat on the beach crying for a while in disbelief and just thanked god for the plant. I finally mourned my dead friends and loved ones. I could actually laugh now and then I had Popeyes (ate it with my eyes closed) tasted amazing! I'm now a manager at a wellness shop and help other veterans like me daily. This plant saved my life."

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Willie T.

Texas

"I wake daily between 2am and 4am due to back pain. A caramel with THC takes the pain away."

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Terry

Killeen, Texas

"I have benefitted from cannabis in two major ways and there have been countless other benefits, too. For over twenty years, I was taking 4 to 8 Vicodin a day that were prescribed by the Veterans Administration, for two crushed discs that are impinging on my sciatic nerve. I went on a vacation to Jamaica and while there I reintroduced myself to marijuana and felt true relief for the first time in many years. When I came back to Texas the Pain Clinic tested me and I came up hot for marijuana. I had to have a heart to heart with the doctor and he told me that his hands were tied by the state and that I had to choose between his pills and the marijuana. I chose the marijuana. Then came devastating news...Bladder cancer!!! Surgery to remove the bladder, prostate, and some lymph nodes. Chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy. All of this time growing the finest buds in Texas for my own medicine. Since COVID, Texas NORML seems to be non-existent and there are a whole bunch of people that want to get involved in getting Texas legalized for medical, recreational, and for grower's rights."

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Adam Justin

Texas

"Weed has helped me stay sober from Xanax and alcohol for around 5 years, and has aided in severe depression and anxiety for close to 16 years. Texans want legal marijuana."

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Adam Polance

Texas

"I am a retiree from UT Austin who suffers from PTSD from job and environmental anxiety issues. I'm 61 years old that has a problem with my emotions when in stressful circumstances. The way cannabis works through me is like a faucet left on too long and I can't stop the water from flooding my brain. It feels like drowning with anxiety and depression. Cannabis eases the flow and helps me focus on the actual problem at the moment. I take the cannabis products either by gummy or vape, then it relaxes my mind and I'm able to focus on any situation. Cannabis eases the mind through tough situations by relaxing your mind."

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Josh Stark

Texas

"I was diagnosed with epilepsy in my late teens. No matter which meds the docs prescribed, I still had seizures. I took myself off the prescription meds and use cannabis. Cannabis is more effective than the meds EVER were."

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Megan

Tomball, Texas

"Cannabis, specifically the CBD/CBG cannabinoids, has helped me tremendously. I am personally very sensitive to any medication, so it simply wasn't an option to go that route. I have chronic back pain from being an athlete most my life and work on my feet constantly. My back was so bad I could barely get out of bed, just wasn't able to function. I was desperate. A friend told me about cannabis so I went to a hemp store and I got myself a topical CBD product and a CBD/CBG Tincture. Within 15min it took my pain away and lowered my inflammation levels almost immediately. Unbelievable. This plant is life changing."

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John

Texas

"I'm 55. It helps with my neuropathy I get from Parkinson's. A good indica calms my shaking to nothing."

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Berenice

Texas

"My son, Eduardo, is a leukemia survivor but after all the chemo and his stem cell transplant, cannabis helped him gain his weight back. It helps him sleep and eat well! It helps him with the aches from all the treatments he went through. He's 29 and lost his hair but he's happy to be alive!! He smokes everyday the same as me. I cook for a living and cannabis is the only medicine at our home."

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Emily Velin

Georgetown, Texas

"Senior citizen here. In 2019, my daughter suggested I try CBD to help with anxieties after relocating from Nevada to Texas. My mom had died and my brain chemistry was off the charts with panic and PTSD. Worked so quickly, so effectively, that I ended up working in two stores in the Georgetown area for 5 years until retirement. Gave me my life back. To date: I am off my BP meds as CBD/THC keep under 140/80. THCv lowered my blood sugar from 92 to 86. Flower stops my restless legs in a heartbeat. Last but not least, I can sleep 7 hours without needing to urinate at night. Oh, and my IBS is a thing of the past."

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Leah

Texas

"I'm a 46 yr old female. I use it to help cope with my PTSD and anxiety."

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Janet Allen

San Antonio, Texas

"I've used cannabis more in my adult life than I did in my teens and early adulthood, but with very different intentions. As a young adult, I was prescribed Ritalin for ADHD, but it had the opposite effect on me. I felt heavy, disconnected, and unlike myself. Eventually, I began using cannabis in place of pharmaceuticals. During that time, my GPA improved, my lifestyle became healthier, and my mental state felt more grounded and balanced. For me, cannabis helps me stay grounded and aligned with my goals. It enhances my creativity and supports a natural sense of flow in both my personal life and my work. It also provides relief from chronic pain I experience daily from four childbirths, including one failed epidural. It's time to break the stigma—for mothers, for women, for hardworking individuals, for veterans, and for entire communities."

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Jim Richardson

Texas

"Retired 25 year law enforcement officer here. Back in 2001, I was run over by a suspect and have fusion from c3-c4, c6-c7 and four herniated discs in my lower back. I retired from law enforcement in 2021 to open my own shop, Verde Boutique, in Stephenville, Texas. I use CBD/THC daily to help with my back and neck pain and also my knee pain from the US Army."

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Esco

Liberty Hill, Texas

"When I was in the military, I saw and went through some horrible things I don't think I'll ever forget. When I got out, I felt afraid and alone. I still do to this day, except I have a wonderful wife and kids that realize that marijuana actually helps me through the dark times. It's great. Sometimes it even pushes my PTSD aside for a while so I can hang with family and friends."

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Michelle

Ingram, Texas

"I am currently 57 years old and I live in a small Texas Hill Country town called Ingram. I was diagnosed with severe epilepsy at 4 and 1/2 years old. My parents introduced cannabis (in baked goods) as a way to help manage my seizures. I remained pretty much seizure free without the use of anticonvulsants. In 1997, I chose to move my family to Texas. I am now on 14 different anticonvulsants, and my seizures are not well managed. I just wish that we could free the cannabis plant totally and completely! People with a medical condition like mine treasure each and every day that we are seizure-free."

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Kathryn

Texas

"After a car accident, I was prescribed narcotic medications that led to serious health issues, including kidney problems. Switching to cannabis allowed me to manage my pain without those side effects. It gave me my health, stability, and quality of life back—and I believe it saved my life."

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Emily Thompson

Houston, Texas

"Joining the Texas Cannabis Coalition was a transformative experience for me. As someone dealing with chronic pain, I struggled to find the right resources until I connected with this community. The knowledge and support I received not only helped me navigate my medical cannabis options but also empowered me to share my story and advocate for others. The workshops and events have been invaluable, providing insights that have made a noticeable difference in my quality of life."

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Kirk

Texas

"I've had neck and shoulder pain for years. My arms would jerk uncontrollably while I tried to sleep at night. I've tried acupuncture, cupping, even changed my diet. I'm not one that goes to a doctor just to be a guinea pig for different meds. My wife suggested to try cannabis. I've been smoking now for 2 years. Even the oils and lotions have worked but I prefer to smoke. The dispensary that I have found has helped a lot. I know what I'm getting is safe. I would like to see it legalized."

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Berry Jones

Marshall, Texas

"PTSD here. Lost my son to homicide in 2017. While in Oregon, a Vet who was a bud tender embraced me and showed me strains that he was taking. It changed my life! Now, I'm in Texas suffering in silence. I choose flower because my body metabolizes it better. The fees are too high and there's no flower allowed in the TCUP. My doctors get mad at me when I tell them my journey. I have isolated myself and am waiting for the change."

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Lucia Krause

San Antonio, Texas

"It helped me with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). I used to experience Syncope (passing out), so often I was permanently in a wheelchair. Small doses were enough to get me out of the chair. I feel it should be legal federally and taxed like alcohol."

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Chase Morris

Texas

"I was in the Army and got hurt twice. The first time was worse of the two. I was 17 and was in a coma for a total of 6 days due to an infection that wrecked the right side of my body. Now, at almost 40 my life is punctuated by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a functional neurological disorder from the nerve damage the infection caused all those years ago. The VA gives me medications (gabapentin being the main) whole health therapies and whatever, but it just isn't enough. I have fought to balance my pain and the desire to not be on opioid based meds. Cannabis has gotten me to here. It has helped to fight the pain, insomnia, lack of appetite, and everything that comes with constant pain. It has kept me alive. I'm grateful for cannabis and all its qualities."

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Tim C.

Gonzales, TX

"I am 62 years old and utilize cannabis for my arthritis. It has been the only thing that has helped me so far. Without it I could not live a normal life. I am thankful for this plant and everything it does to help me live pain free."

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Sherry W.

Pasadena, TX

"Living with PTSD can be really hard. Some days my mind won't slow down, I have trouble sleeping, and I can feel anxious or on edge for no real reason. Cannabis has helped me manage some of those feelings. It helps me relax, calm my mind, and sometimes get the sleep I need. It doesn't make my PTSD go away, but it can make the difficult days a little easier to handle. For me, cannabis isn't about getting high. It's about finding some relief and being able to feel a little more like myself. I know cannabis doesn't work the same way for everyone, but it has made a real difference in my life. I believe people with PTSD should have the freedom to learn about cannabis and decide for themselves if it could help them."