In 2005, my USMC Veteran brother went for his morning run while visiting our house. He ended up running into a busy highway thinking he was running straight on the sidewalk. Following a series of tests, it was discovered that he has Multiple Sclerosis. His left side soon became paralyzed (including his throat) and the medications that he started on were like chemotherapy. The meds in combination with the paralysis caused him to lose weight... rapidly. People continuously said that he resembled photos of a holocaust victim. We were heartbroken and hopeless until he was introduced to MMJ (Medical Marijuana). Within days of beginning treatment he began to gain weight and was able to swallow.

What that means for our family is that he is forced to live on the West Coast away from his support system and those that he loves and love him. Our family's story is one of hundreds like it here in TN. People are uprooted each week and sent to live on the other side of the country. Not because they want to, but because they are being forced to, in order to get the treatment they deserve. My brother was given a huge bottle of pain pills from the VA with sixty refills... SIXTY! But because he chooses MMJ instead, he is being punished. In your mind's eye, when you imagine a MMJ advocate or user you may think of someone who is unmotivated and knee-deep in illegal activity and that is not true. We are a family of faith and strong moral and ethical beliefs who misses their Veteran brother, uncle, and son very much.

I want MMJ to be legalized so that I can take care of my brother on his days where he needs some assistance. I want to be able to hug him, make meals for him, and just be there for him when he needs us instead of calling the police when he is too sick to answer the phone. By denying the legalization of Medical Marijuana in Tennessee, you are punishing Veterans, Retirees, Children, and ENTIRE FAMILIES. You are driving revenue out to other states and making us feel like you do not care. As a Tennessee Volunteer, I and everyone who has signed this petition, knows that that is not what Tennessee is about.

We urge you to make a decision based on what you would want if your little brother, a USMC Veteran, had Multiple Sclerosis and was being forced to live thousands of miles away.

Thank you