The old ways aren’t bad. I believe in a happy middle ground where people can find something to get them through the day, to beat their pain or anxieties without having to necessarily resort to pharmaceuticals. That being said, I don’t think pharmaceuticals are a bad thing, it’s just we have an overreliance on them in today’s society and I think we could all do with a bit of a reeducation on the ways to alleviate symptoms. My name is Dylan Davis, I’m 23 years old I work as a telemarketer for some big faceless chain but I spent my days thinking of ways to help people.

My first introductory towards cannabis use was back in high school, we were bombarded over the head with how terrible it was for you and that if you do pot once you’ll end up on the streets begging for money for your next heroin fix – somehow they didn’t really fully explain it, slippery slope and all that. I, of course, was fearful of the substance like any good teenager should be until I caught my parents using it in my senior year when I unexpectedly came back from a friend’s house early.

Needless to say, I was confused at first. I asked my parents why they are using drugs, and we had a long talk about it. They said, it’s not as bad as you’ve been led to believe and that we use to wind down from the day and relax our achy backs. My parents gave me my first hit of Cannabis was I was 17, and I have not looked back. I used to have extreme terrifying anxiety and panic attacks, but just a small hit of Cannabis was enough to help me see past these primitive fears and use parts of my rational brain that seemed inactive for so long. There are so many benefits to this substance, and it has never harmed me physically or even financially in the sense that I’ve wasted money on it.

I use daily still, just small amounts for my anxiety and to help me relax at night. I was prescribed benzos back in high school to deal with social anxiety, and they seemed to work but it felt more like being drunk and I would forget things. Now, I’m here with my cannabis clear-headed as I can be and I’d like to help spread the word to anyone suffering from a litany of medical issues that there are other options available.

I do not wish to give medical advice, but I do wish to help spread that seed of knowledge throughout the world and give people a chance to see another perspective on medical Cannabis. Perhaps help that dialogue that’s been on its way for so long, longer than I’ve been alive, finally get upfront to the public. Hopefully this can do some good for some people like it did for me, and help people push past their initial biases and see Cannabis for what it is. A good thing.