Episode 471: Breaking Free: How Cannabis Helped Him Escape Opioid Addiction

Key PointsRod describes his transformation from opioid addiction as "night and day" explaining that he now has hope, a house, and family whereas previously he had nothing.Medical complications began in 2015 when Rod developed gallstones stuck in his pancreatic duct, leading to gallbladder removal surgery followed by seven months of hospitalization with fentanyl, lauded, or morphine administered every four hours.Hospital discharge resulted in doctors prescribing 250-500 pills at a time with instructions to return for more if needed, leading Rod to take twice the recommended dosage without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.Rod died on the operating table during April 2015 surgery with doctors calling his children to say goodbye, but he survived and spent another seven months in the hospital bed receiving intravenous drugs every four hours.Five years of cycling between hospital admissions and discharges followed, with Rod spending 15 months out of two years hospitalized, yet no doctor ever suggested he might be addicted to the medications being administered.Recognition of addiction never occurred to Rod during this period, as he genuinely believed he was sick and had no awareness of his dependency on opioids.A friend's suggestion to try marijuana came after Rod's girlfriend left and he had deteriorated to 150 pounds, appearing gaunt and pale, despite his initial 35-year abstinence from cannabis due to anti-drug beliefs.Cannabis immediately eliminated the nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that characterized Rod's opioid withdrawal symptoms, which doctors had been misdiagnosing as pancreatitis and treating with more opioids.Additional health improvements from cannabis use included elimination of atrial fibrillation, cessation of cigarette smoking, and complete sobriety from alcohol since 2014.Rod's lowest point involved suicidal ideation until his two-year-old granddaughter sat on his lap and fell asleep, making him realize he couldn't leave her to deal with his death.Multiple family members and friends have died from opioid-related overdoses, including his best friend's son from heroin in 2015, a cousin from fentanyl-laced cocaine on Christmas morning, and two nieces currently struggling with methadone or heroin addiction.Transition from opioids to cannabis occurred overnight without difficulty, and Rod has not required hospitalization since beginning cannabis use, contrasting sharply with his previous constant medical interventions.Rod argues that cannabis serves as a "gateway drug" away from harmful substances toward better health, citing his own experience and noting that marijuana withdrawal causes only temporary irritability without life-threatening complications.All of Rod's current doctors are aware of his cannabis use and none have advised him to stop, though they have recommended against alcohol consumption, suggesting medical professionals recognize cannabis benefits despite legal restrictions. Visit our website: CannabisHealthRadio.comDiscover products and get expert advice from Swan ApothecaryFollow us on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram.Find us on Rumble.Keep your privacy! Buy NixT420 Odor Remover Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.