True Stories From True Texans
"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."
"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. The plates were molded from me not wanting wash them. 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 minuets 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 hurt me knowing it had become this bad. 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."
"I wake daily between 2am and 4am due to back pain. A caramel with THC takes the pain away."
Willie T.
"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. About ten years ago, I was being treated for the same condition at a pain clinic here in Killeen and was going through all of their hoops and even paying them a lot of money for urine analysis once a month in order to continue with my opioids.
I went on a vacation to Jamaica and while there I reintroduced myself to marijuana and felt true relief for the first time in may 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.
At first, I didn’t know where to buy any but found a couple of people who sold weed but it felt scary and risky. So, I bought grow equipment and started growing my own. No shady dealers, no unknown chemicals in my medicine, and much cheaper. I had previous experience growing in California and had even been certified as a Master Grower by Oaksterdam University in California many years before but hadn’t been involved with marijuana for at least 20 years when I started again. Then came devastating news...Bladder cancer!!! Surgery to remove the bladder, prostate, and some lymph nodes. Chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy. Nephrostomy tubes running from my kidneys out my back and draining into bags strapped to my legs...all of this time growing the finest buds in Texas for my own medicine.
Went to a couple of Texas NORML events and met some like-minded people my own age and taught some of them to grow their own medicine and formed a “Seniors Co-Op” where we help others in need of medicine at no cost to them. 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."
"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."
Adam
"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. For example, I work in the hospitality industry now. I work in every department at the hotel from reservations to front desk/guest issues to housekeeping to maintenance. When it hits me all at once, I cannot think or focus therefore the anxiety overflows in ways which can be overwhelming. I take the cannabis products either by gummy or vape, then it relaxes my mind and I'm able to focus on any situation. Yes, that's it. Cannabis eases the mind through tough situations by relaxing your mind."
"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."
"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 and really didn’t want to as we try to live a more holistic lifestyle in my family.
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. It really is. I’m still able to focus and get the things I need to get done and enjoy my life on a day to day basis without pain! It’s a huge blessing."
"I'm 55. It helps with my neuropathy I get from Parkinson’s. A good indica calms my shaking to nothing."
"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."
"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 chemestry 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.
One of the stores I worked at was very research heavy. I studied the cannabinoids, their effects, and uses and we stocked product based upon Georgetown's demographics. I loved counseling veterans and seniors.
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."
"I'm a 46 yr old female. I use it to help cope with my PTSD and anxiety."
"I’ve used cannabis more in my adult life than I did in my teens and early adulthood, but with very different intentions. Over time, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for plant medicine and have fully integrated it into my lifestyle. Cannabis is just one of many plants I incorporate into my wellness routine, and I lead my family with a health-first mindset rooted in natural remedies.
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.
When I got married, I took a break from cannabis. About halfway into our now 11-year marriage, my partner and I both returned to it—this time with intention, education, and a deeper respect for the plant. We each use it for different reasons, which speaks to its versatility and complexity.
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.
The beauty of cannabis lies in its many cannabinoids and its ability to support individuals in different ways. It meets people where they are, offering a wide range of benefits depending on their needs.
I believe strongly in plant medicine. In my home, our medicine cabinet is filled with herbs, teas, tinctures, and natural remedies. Cannabis is part of that broader, intentional approach to wellness.
We need more education, research, and open conversation around this plant. It’s time to break the stigma—for mothers, for women, for hardworking individuals, for veterans, and for entire communities. And we cannot ignore those who are still incarcerated because of it. It’s time for change."
"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. My shop is at risk of being shut down with these new illegal laws being pushed by DSHS. I’d love to help out any way I can."
"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. Just wish the company I work for would feel the same."
"I am currently 57 years old and I live in a small Texas Hill Country town called Ingram. Before that, I lived in Portland, Oregon. I was diagnosed with severe epilepsy at 4 and 1/2 years old. My parents were tired of seeing me ZOMBIFIED out on all the medications. They had back in those days (60s & 70s) introduced cannabis (in baked goods) as a way to help manage my seizures during the course of the next 17 years. I remained pretty much seizure free without the use of anticonvulsants.
In 1997, I chose to move my family to Texas. As most of you know, Texas is an illegal state for cannabis. I am now on 14 different anticonvulsants, and my seizures are not well managed. They are not well controlled. I just wish that we could free the cannabis plant totally and completely!
People with a medical condition condition like mine treasure each and every day that we are seizure-free. Along the way, I have lost family to SUDEP, which is sudden unexplained death in epilepsy. I have witnessed first hand how beneficial cannabis can be for not only epilepsy, but a lot of other conditions as well. I hope that I will be here to see the day that cannabis is completely legal and accessible to anyone and everyone that needs it."
"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."
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.
"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."