Marijuana Dispensary Hopes To Raise $100,000 For MS Society
DENVER (CBS4) - Growing up, Jay Price witnessed the worst of what multiple sclerosis can do to a person. His father, James, suffered from the disease which would ultimately take his life.
"I spent a lot of time taking care of my father during my very formative years," said Price, who 20 years after his father's death seized an opportunity to help fight MS.
He was able to persuade his coworkers and customers at The Clinic dispensary chain to join his family's efforts to raise money for the National MS Society.
"There were a lot of patients coming in with MS that we were working with," he said. "It was an easy transition to get the company on board with it."
For the past few years, The Clinic has been a top fundraiser in the annual Walk MS event. This year, The Clinic hopes to raise $100,000 for MS research.
"Every dollar we raise is one more shot at us finding a cure to this disease," he said.
Some of that research underway is trying to determine if marijuana can be beneficial to MS patients. Price thinks the new studies being conducted will help validate the benefits he's seen for years.
PHOTO GALLERY: Walk MS 2015
"I'm very excited to see that going on in Colorado and the state is using some of our tax money to help fund that research," he said.
Members of the Parker Pals, a self-help group for people living with MS, aren't waiting for new research before they try marijuana to treat their symptoms. At a recent monthly meeting, roughly a third of the attendees said they had tried various forms of marijuana for help sleeping, spasticity and pain management.
Laurie Johanson, 69, has been living with MS for more than 20 years. She says the disease makes her feet feel like she's "walking on nails." She's tried dozens of prescriptions, but the treatment that works best for her comes over the counter at a recreational dispensary.
"I put this cream on my feet, I feel better right away," she explained. "You don't get high from it. You don't ingest it, only apply it topically."
Johanson says she's notified all of her doctors that she's taking marijuana for pain and "they are okay with it," but won't write her a recommendation for a medical marijuana card.
Both Johanson and Price say they hope new research will help mainstream doctors become more accepting of marijuana as a treatment.
Both the Parker Pals and The Clinic will be participating in this year's Walk MS Saturday at 9 a.m. Walk MS Denver is the largest Walk MS event in the country and CBS4 is a proud sponsor.
LINKS: Walk MS Denver | Together We Are Stronger
