As voters consider whether to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma, state lawmakers are considering ways to regulate it.
Medical marijuana will be on the June 26 ballot.
In 2009, Tre York of Fort Supply was hit by a bomb blast while serving in the US Navy, searching for documents near Pakastan. Doctors said he would never walk again.
The pain was unbearable, even with the thousands of dollars of opioids the VA was giving York every month.
“I thought about killing myself,” said York. “I went to look for my gun and couldn’t find the bullets. Someone removed the bullets. I don’t know who but I’m glad they did.”
York made himself a deal. He said he would put off suicide for five years and look for a cure for his pain. If he couldn’t find a cure, he would take his life.
But he did find that cure. Cannabis.
Video shows York getting out of his wheelchair for the first time after weening himself off the pain meds that he had become addicted to.
Today, he walks, runs, and tosses his kids in the air.
“And I started taking it and that changed my body. And I healed. And I don’t know how to explain it. I’m not a doctor or a scientist. I don’t know why or how things changed, but it changed me forever,” said York.
Now, York is pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana in Oklahoma.
Legislative leaders are discussing regulations should the measure pass, but say they will not over-regulate medical marijuana.
“It’s not the job of the legislature to go change the fundamentals of what’s happened. What is anticipated is that people would know an orderly process to go get their cards. An orderly process to go get their licenses. Those are the types of things that you’ll see the legislature working on,” said Representative Jon Echols (R) House Majority Floor Leader.
York hopes so.
“I truly believe in cannabis and what it can do for patients and what it has done for us,” York said.
