‘That stigma can be broken’: Ohio veteran touts medical marijuana as bill aims to expand program

Robert Kowalski used to take 22 pills a day to combat pain, post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions stemming from years of military service.

The U.S. Air Force veteran had trouble sleeping and struggled with depression after two combat tours in Iraq. Veterans Affairs diagnosed him with agoraphobia, he said – the fear of certain situations that make people feel trapped or helpless.

But the medication hurt more than it helped. Kowalski said he either slept too much or too little and experienced vivid dreams. He lost his energy and felt like a zombie, as if he was just existing.

“I didn’t like the way that stuff was making me feel or the problems it was causing in my career,” said Kowalski, a 33-year-old living in Boardman.

Kowalski turned to marijuana for his sleep troubles and eventually began taking it in place of his other medications. The decision came at a cost – the military discharged him for using an illegal substance – but he said marijuana improved his work ethic and eventually led him to start a nonprofit helping other veterans.

Kowalski qualified for Ohio’s medical marijuana program because of his PTSD, but he and other advocates believe the specific list of conditions bars people who could benefit from the drug.

That’s where a new bill from doctor and state Sen. Stephen Huffman comes in. [Read more at The Columbus Dispatch]