(IRN)-Jim Champion served in the Army's 101st Airborne from 1985 to 1989. He contracted Multiple Sclerosis in 1989 and had to come home rather than go off to war with his buddies.
"I had a lot of problems with that, depression and stuff, because I should have been on the ship with them instead of on the ship home," said Champion. "But my MS had other plans for me."
"I was good at what I did, a qualified expert. I considered myself a good soldier. I never got in any disciplinary trouble. I was a killing machine. And now here I am," he said. "I feel like a criminal."
For the last week, Champion, who's from Somonauk, has been in Springfield working with State Representative Lou Lang (D-Skokie) as they tried to gather support for the medical marijuana bill that failed in the Illinois House Thursday. He says during that time he's had to sleep in his wheelchair, which has leg rests and allows him to lean back.
"I'm in pain right now," he said. Champion's legs often stiffen up, making it difficult for him to function. He says he's tried dozens of prescriptions to help with the pain and the grinding of his legs, including botox shots into his legs and methadone for pain.
"I currently take about 23 pills a day," he said. "But I can't get off methadone until I can get a reliable source that has medical grade cannabis.
Champion first tried smoking cannabis for relief about four years ago when his cousin offered him some.
"He asked me if I wanted to try some. I said, 'I don't really want to try it.' But I did and I was shocked," said Champion. "I could not believe it, my legs all of a sudden stopped shaking. I felt normal again."
"It wasn't, 'oh, I have MS. I want cannabis.' No, you try other pills, and then if it doesn't work, then cannabis," he said.
Champion says none of the other treatments give him consistent relief like the one "cannabis stick" he smokes each day. He says he wants to start getting that relief legally.
"It's just very hard. I could move to another state, but I have family here," he said.
Champion watched the Illinois House of Representatives debate the measure Thursday afternoon from the gallery. Lang pointed to Champion as he addressed his colleagues and asked them to pass the bill. Despite the bill's failure, Champion says he's not giving up.
"Oh yeah, you have to remain hopeful. Right now, I'm down," he said. "But…I'm sure in about a week I'll be calling Lou and we'll be making phone calls to (representatives) and bothering them once again asking them to support our bill."
"If they want to make it strict, I was telling Lou, 'make it as strict as you want.' I mean I'm all for it. Let's be a model," said Champion, who has worked with Lang on other failed attempts at passing the measure. "I thought we had it this time. I really thought we had it this time."
A parliamentary maneuver will allow the bill, HB30, to be voted on again before the end of the legislative session.
(Source: Illinois Radio Network) |
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