We spend a lot of time discussing the latest in scientific research when it comes to all healing plants, and of late the natural health world has had a lot to say about cannabis. New studies are indicating the plant and its constituents are useful in treating a myriad of conditions, all without the side effects of conventional medicines. But these studies only go so far in bringing home the true power of the plant. Real-life stories, where marijuana was used to treat someone who had no other hope, are testaments to just how important it is that we keep marijuana reform momentum moving.

While there are numerous real-life stories out there—many of which that will tug at your heart strings—here are just 4 of our favorites:

• Cashy Hyde - Cashy Hyde was only two years old when he was diagnosed with a deadly stage 4 brain tumor. Going through conventional chemotherapy treatment and stem cell therapy, he began wasting away. He stopped eating, would vomit throughout the day, and his parents were told he would die. It was only after they began adding cannabis oil to his feeding tube that he began eating again and restored some quality to his short life. While Cashy ultimately died from the invasive brain tumor, his parents credit cannabis with keeping him alive as long as he was and for giving him a reason to smile in his final days.

• Cheryl Shuman - Celebrity Cheryl Shuman was a cancer patient taking 27 different pharmaceutical drugs each day. She used a morphine pump and, at her worst, a colostomy bag. She described herself as a “vegetable” in those days. After only 90 days of cannabis use, she was healed and back to work full time. Now, Shuman operates the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club and has been featured on the talk show circuit, spreading the word about the healing powers of marijuana.

• Charlotte Figi - We first featured Charlotte earlier this year when her name became synonymous with the miraculous powers of cannabis. Suffering from a seizure disorder that could not be cured, doctors wanted to put her in a medical coma. Many of the hundreds of seizures she experienced each week of her little life nearly killed her. At age 5, she was given the opportunity to use cannabis oil under Colorado’s medical marijuana laws. Her seizures stopped immediately. Now, she is a completely different child.
• Kristen Courtney - With numerous diagnoses including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, Kristen Courtney was on a cocktail of 40 different medications. She was bedridden for four years for her various medical problems, and her family believed she would certainly die. After a little over a month of juicing raw cannabis, her pain disappeared and she began to heal.

There are countless other stories like this out there, stories where the vilified marijuana has worked to preserve people’s quality of life and even save their lives. As long as the plant remains illegal, we are depriving the sickest among us from a chance at life.

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