Mr.

Ken Wolski RN MPA

Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey Inc.
Dear Mr. Wolski,

August 6, 2016

I am writing in support of expanding the eligible medical marijuana law to include

osteoarthritis as a permissible condition for its use.
I am a 69 year old male who has been most fortunate in having had the opportunity
to live a most active life; I graduated from Rider University in 1970 with a degree in
Business and Rutgers University with a Masters in Social Work Administration. I
retired some years ago from state service where I held a position in middle
management. I am a family man with two daughters (both I am proud to say
PhDs). My wife Lynn is a retired teacher; we have been married 37 years.
I have been active in sports all my life. In high school I was an all-state pitcher in
NJ my junior and senior years and had numerous professional teams and colleges
expressing interest. I attended Rider under a baseball scholarship and spent a
summer in the basin league for professional prospects. Unfortunately an injury to
my arm ended my professional aspirations. I picked up tennis with my other arm
and soon became a USTA4.5 to 5 playing 7 days a week. I lived on an estate with a
nationally ranked senior tennis player who had a tennis court in his back yard. I
also played in the Parkview Tennis Club at Rider College after which I would play 2
hours of basketball on the Rider courts. Mondays I played golf in a work league
where I shot in the low 80s/ high 70s. On weekends after tennis Id bike or kayak
the Delaware. I was a jock. This all took place up until my 40s then Osteoarthritis
(OA) struck. Actually it began earlier; at first little pains, as a jock you play in pain
thats what you do because its second nature, you play hurt. Hell, take an aspirin,
lets go. But slowly, ever so slowly, and all over, the joints let you know. The
orthopedic doctor visits get more frequent, the anti-inflammatory medications
change and they get more potent, the stomach gets more upset, the joints get more
painful, the limbs get more stiff. It becomes more difficult to walk, to lift your arms,
and harder to sleep. Youre becoming less active, no more tennis, no more golf, no
more basketball, no more kayaking no more biking. You become more irritable, your
life begins to unravel and all of this is replaced by pain and surgeries. My first
surgery was a hip 9 years ago, knee debridements 6, and 7 years ago, synvis shots,
then knee replacement 5 years ago, right shoulder shots and then, replacement 2
years ago. Left shoulder replacement will be scheduled any day now and left hip
could go any time. Cervical spine upper and lower fusion is now on the horizon,
L5s1 fusion on deck. Im a mess inside. I have constant pain 24/7, I take nonsteroidal and muscle relaxants daily which result in stomach ulcers, chronic
diarrhea, and liver kidney issues. Ive had to turn to getting pot illegally so I get
relief from the pain of OA and medication side effects and Im scared to death of
having to take the opiates that have been prescribed. So far pot has helped

greatly. It is as effective as the anti-inflammatory and the only side effects of pot
are Twinkies, and Tasty Cakes.
Good Luck,
Scott Gordon