It was in the summer of 2009 when my "old" life came to an abrupt end overnight due to a paragliding accident. I broke several cervical vertebrae in the accident and have been paralyzed from the neck down ever since. I can still move my head, and thanks to special control sticks, I can operate my electric wheelchair, my mobile phone, and my computer with my chin or nose. Apart from that, I am dependent on assistance around the clock – without it, I would die of thirst or hunger.
In the time after the accident, I struggled greatly with my fate. Anger, endless sadness, and the question of "why" tormented me. I am a life-affirming person, but at that time I wished I had died in the accident.
Pervasive pain
As if the sudden disability and the inner struggles weren't bad enough, the first severe spastic cramps began about two months after the accident. Six months later, excruciating neuropathic pain set in. In my case, this means that while I can no longer move my body, I experience tingling, stabbing pain when touched—especially in my hands and arms. It feels as if my hands and arms are constantly immersed in boiling water—pure torture. The pain arises because my nerves in my spine were compressed and are now scarred.
Life-threatening side effects
At first, I was optimistic and thought there were medications for my pain. As is typical with neuropathic pain, I was prescribed a combination of different medications: painkillers—including opiates, which didn't help at all, so I stopped taking them immediately. I was also on a mix of muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and strong tranquilizers. The problem was that these medications are highly addictive. Over time, my health deteriorated. I had a thrombosis, a pulmonary embolism, and three bouts of pneumonia. All of this could have been fatal. Furthermore, the "chemical cocktail" severely damaged my stomach and gut flora. I vomited after every meal. I was losing weight rapidly. I couldn't go on like this. I started to wean myself off the medications.
Cannabis replaces medication
I discovered that cannabis helped with my pain while still in the trauma center. Many patients there were smoking it. However, I hadn't used it systematically as therapy. When a friend told me that cannabis could also help with spasticity, I decided to try it on my own. And I was thrilled: my muscles relaxed, the pain wasn't as intense, and my mood improved. With the help of cannabis, I gradually stopped taking the various medications I was on. Only then did I realize how dependent I had become on them. After stopping, I struggled with severe withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, vomiting, depression, and increased pain. Smoking cannabis helped with that too.
Legal cannabis medications are too expensive
A doctor friend of mine applied for a special permit from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) . This allowed me to obtain cannabis medication in drop form . Cannabis flowers, which I smoke during the day to alleviate my spastic cramps, are not legally available. However, the cannabis drops from the pharmacy are far too weak for me, since I have stopped taking all other medications, and they are also far too expensive. A 50 ml bottle of cannabis tincture from the pharmacy costs 550 Swiss francs; legally, at these prices, I would be spending well over 30,000 Swiss francs a month on cannabis medication at the dosage I need.
Because I could never afford it, I have to obtain cannabis illegally for smoking and oral use. For me, this means "procurement stress." On the one hand, because I depend on the help of others: they have to act illegally so that I can experience less pain. On the other hand, because the costs are still high – sometimes I prefer to take a little less, even though the pain is almost unbearable. Because I'm always aware of how expensive my therapy is. I also take vitamins, trace elements, and supplements to maintain my current level of well-being, and those are expensive too.
Exemplary Spanish model
Since 2016, I've been able to avoid the "procurement stress" for a few months each year. Because my pain worsens in the cold, I spend the winter in the Canary Islands. The warmth does me good, and I can afford intensive physiotherapy – which also has a positive effect on my body and mind. And I can obtain cannabis legally and without stress at any time.
In Spain, there are so-called "Cannabis Social Clubs." Membership costs 50 euros per year. I receive very competent support there and can now order my medication by phone at any time, correctly dosed and in capsule form. The monthly cost is around 1200 euros – part of which is even covered by my accident insurance. I can also try different cannabis strains to find out which one works best for my pain. I wish there was a similar system in Switzerland.
Cannabis improves quality of life
In retrospect, I can say that cannabis probably saved my life. And it even gave me back a certain quality of life. My gastrointestinal problems are a thing of the past – I even have my appetite back. Furthermore, cannabis alleviates my spasticity and neuropathic pain. And since I was able to stop taking antidepressants thanks to cannabis, I can escape the pain to some extent through targeted meditation. That wasn't possible with the medication, because it made me feel foggy-headed.
My assignment at MEDCAN
I joined the Medical Cannabis Association in 2015 and assumed the presidency following the death of our founding member, Bruno Hiltebrandt, later that same year. My work with the Association is very important to me for personal reasons, as well as for other reasons. On the one hand, I was able to exchange experiences with other patients at patient meetings and thus improve my own therapy. On the other hand, it means a great deal to me to use the Association work to inform people about the possibilities of cannabis therapy, to protect them from medication dependency, and at the same time to gain more and more supporters for our cause in the public sphere and in politics.
