Robert Celt
New Member
A young man suffering from an extremely rare disease has found a solution which may save his life - medical marijuana - but knows every time he uses it he could be arrested.
Ben Oakley, 20, of Wollongong Sydney, suffers from 'Stiff Person Syndrome', which affects only 20 people in Australia, and 4500 worldwide, and has the potential to kill him every time he suffers a seizure which can last for hours - one of the symptoms.
However, he has found that Cannabis oil helps reduce pain, spasms and believes it is helping save his life - and is taking his fight to have it legalised to the New South Wales parliament.
He attended New South Wales parliament on Tuesday in a bid to push for medical marijuana approval, 7 News reported.
And a petition Mr Oakley started on Change.org for changing NSW's medical marijuana laws has reached nearly 5,000 votes.
He explained what life was like with the disease.
Every time I go into a spasm I don't know if I am going to live or not... and that's not something easy to think about,' he told 7 News.
He first fell victim to the disease in 2012, experiencing the symptoms for the first time after returning home from a bike ride when he collapsed on a neighbour's lawn, News.com.au reported.
'It felt like somebody had shoved a knife into my back and I could barely breathe ... my parents came rushing out of the house when they heard my screams,' he said.
Although he went to school the next day, his condition became progressively worse, but it took nearly a year for a diagnosis due to the rarity of Stiff Person Syndrome.
'I could be arrested for something which has changed my life. Which has saved my life. How stupid is that?'
The inspirational young man is campaigning for the legalisation of medical marijuana in a bid to help save people's lives - and his own.
He told News.com.au cannabis oil was like a 'magic remedy'.
'Initially I said 'no' but it was the best decision ever it's been a magic remedy that reduces my pain levels to the point where life is more bearable.'
'I can now leave my wheelchair with a stick and walk up to 900 metres a day when before I couldn't walk to my own bathroom without becoming breathless.'
His father, Matthew Oakley, supports his son's use of cannabis oil and his fight for legalisation.
There is no cure for the rare disease, which his son has fought for three years.
'Twelve months ago I was expecting to put my son in a box. The condition that he has should have killed him hundreds of times before now,' his father said.
It was cannabis oil that was helping keep his son alive and give him better quality of life.
A Facebook page documenting Ben's story called Roll On Ben Oakley shows he's not letting his condition slow him down.
Pictures show him attending car racing at the Bathurst 1000 and meeting V8 Supercar driver Craig Lowndes, taking helicopter flights over Sydney Harbour and other adventurous activities — he even got his driver's licence back late last year after suspension on medical grounds.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Sydney, Austraila Man With 'Stiff Person Syndrome' Pleads For MMJ Legalization
Author: Leith Huffadine
Contact: Daily Mail
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Daily Mail
Ben Oakley, 20, of Wollongong Sydney, suffers from 'Stiff Person Syndrome', which affects only 20 people in Australia, and 4500 worldwide, and has the potential to kill him every time he suffers a seizure which can last for hours - one of the symptoms.
However, he has found that Cannabis oil helps reduce pain, spasms and believes it is helping save his life - and is taking his fight to have it legalised to the New South Wales parliament.
He attended New South Wales parliament on Tuesday in a bid to push for medical marijuana approval, 7 News reported.
And a petition Mr Oakley started on Change.org for changing NSW's medical marijuana laws has reached nearly 5,000 votes.
He explained what life was like with the disease.
Every time I go into a spasm I don't know if I am going to live or not... and that's not something easy to think about,' he told 7 News.
He first fell victim to the disease in 2012, experiencing the symptoms for the first time after returning home from a bike ride when he collapsed on a neighbour's lawn, News.com.au reported.
'It felt like somebody had shoved a knife into my back and I could barely breathe ... my parents came rushing out of the house when they heard my screams,' he said.
Although he went to school the next day, his condition became progressively worse, but it took nearly a year for a diagnosis due to the rarity of Stiff Person Syndrome.
'I could be arrested for something which has changed my life. Which has saved my life. How stupid is that?'
The inspirational young man is campaigning for the legalisation of medical marijuana in a bid to help save people's lives - and his own.
He told News.com.au cannabis oil was like a 'magic remedy'.
'Initially I said 'no' but it was the best decision ever it's been a magic remedy that reduces my pain levels to the point where life is more bearable.'
'I can now leave my wheelchair with a stick and walk up to 900 metres a day when before I couldn't walk to my own bathroom without becoming breathless.'
His father, Matthew Oakley, supports his son's use of cannabis oil and his fight for legalisation.
There is no cure for the rare disease, which his son has fought for three years.
'Twelve months ago I was expecting to put my son in a box. The condition that he has should have killed him hundreds of times before now,' his father said.
It was cannabis oil that was helping keep his son alive and give him better quality of life.
A Facebook page documenting Ben's story called Roll On Ben Oakley shows he's not letting his condition slow him down.
Pictures show him attending car racing at the Bathurst 1000 and meeting V8 Supercar driver Craig Lowndes, taking helicopter flights over Sydney Harbour and other adventurous activities — he even got his driver's licence back late last year after suspension on medical grounds.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Sydney, Austraila Man With 'Stiff Person Syndrome' Pleads For MMJ Legalization
Author: Leith Huffadine
Contact: Daily Mail
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Daily Mail
