In November 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis. (Many) politics and (some) physicians promised us breakthroughs in better health. Thirty years later, how are we really doing? Men’s Health decided to find out in this special report package.
Three dramatically different mental health conditions. Here’s how a weed card works for them. THE GUY: TJ, a 47-year-old data insights professional THE CONDITION: Multiple sclerosis, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system THE EXPERIENCE: TJ was diagnosed with MS at the age of 25.
Doctors prescribed him Rebif, a drug that helped his symptoms but made him depressed. Years before medical marijuana was legalized in his state, a friend suggested pot. TJ was desperate, tried weed, and says he felt immediate relief.
In 2022, he obtained his medical card. Today, TJ struggles with nerve pain and migraines but says cannabis helps him play volleyball, travel, and stay active. Depending on the location, granulomas can result in fatigue, joint pain, nausea, and swelling.
CJ has a rare form located in his brain stem. THE EXPERIENCE: CJ’s symptoms began in his early 20s, starting with skin issues and leading, eventually, to debilitating nausea. After doctors diagnosed him with sarcoidosis in 2021, he went from using cannabis occasionally to using it daily for nausea control.
Through self-experimentation, he learned the combination of cannabinoids that worked the best. Because the ratios were harder to find in OTC products, CJ got his medical card in 2023. Along with an off-label Crohn’s disease medication, medical marijuana has brought him back to 90 percent of his old self, he says.
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