Down With Dope. Up In Smoke.

October 2012 I left my heroin addiction in Colorado for the warm embrace of California’s Emerald Triangle. Dope sickness washed over me the moment I arrived at the medical marijuana plantation in Willits where, unbeknownst to me at the time, I’d be spending the next six months of my life getting well.

For those unfamiliar or inexperienced with opiate detox the symptoms are very similar to the flu ranging from cold sweats, fever, nausea, diarrhea, skin crawling joint paint, unrelenting fatigue and muscle aches coupled with severe depression and self loathing.

Solace came in the form of Girl Scout Cookies, an OG Kush – Durban Poison hybrid cross. This particular strain single handedly alleviated a majority of the physical ailments associated with detox within 20 minutes time. Those that were not crushed in their entirety were taken down to a manageable level where I was able to work comfortably and efficiently hand trimming the very strain that was saving me – mind, body and spirit.

The idea of utilizing methadone or Suboxone as the tool to ween off of an opiate addiction seemed counterproductive so having a viable natural option to break the physical dependency from heroin was a blessing. I truly believe marijuana can be utilized as a tool in not only opiate detox but successful management of routinized drug addiction if implemented under the care of a physician.

With the upcoming election for governor November 4th and the presidential campaign just around the corner it’s imperative that we educate ourselves on the platform our candidates are running on. With 23 states legally recognizing the medicinal properties of marijuana, now more than ever we need to insure that the appropriate people are getting into office to further the cause and facilitate legal research, development and distribution of this gift of nature. One.

photo credit: Kevin Gilper

 

Rachel Raydo aka Mighty Miss Rachel is a Hip Hop activist, writer, radio personality and promoter based out of Philadelphia.