Below is a thread about why I'm voting to legalise cannabis. You're welcome to share it.

Cannabis legalisation is something I care deeply about because it would have a profoundly positive impact on my health.

This should not be taken as medical advice. 1/11

Last year, I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from a serious of traumatic events I experienced. PTSD used to have an overwhelming effect on me. At its worst, I didn't get out of bed for months at a time and felt paralysed around men I didn't know. 2/11

Since I was diagnosed, I've been lucky enough to get funded therapy through ACC. This, alongside meditation, has helped me to work through a lot trauma in a safe way. I've used pharmaceutical meds in the past, but they usually made me feel worse. 3/11

Although I've used cannabis occassionally for a couple of years, I started using cannabis as medication about 6 months ago.

It has transformed my life. 4/11

This is its effects on me:

Usually, I operate at very fast pace. I think fast. I talk way too fast. I do everything quickly. I now understand that this was a way for me to avoid slowing down enough to reflect on my trauma. Medicinal cannabis has slowed me down. 5/11

For me, slowing down has been an essential part of my recovery. Cannabis has allowed me to become a lot more aware of my body (something I tried to avoid thinking about) and has allowed me to reflect on pain I would otherwise have avoided. 6/11

I'm not sure if this makes sense but, for me, cannabis has been an essential part of my recovery from PTSD alongside therapy and meditation.

I support cannabis legalisation because its the only way I can ensure that I can get the medication I need in a safe and reliable way 7/11

Currently, I'm dependent on people around me providing me with this medicine illegally. I'm so grateful to these people, but I don't want to continue to put the people around me at risk of criminal convictions because I need medication. 8/11

You may ask: but don't you qualify for medicinal cannabis under the current regime? No. The current regime is so restrictive that I don't qualify for it and it costs up to $10000/year. The only way for me to get this medication in a safe and reliable way is with legalisation 9/11

If you're unsure how you're going to vote, I'm asking you to vote for me. Legal cannabis will substantially improve my life and will help me to get the help I need.

The emerging science shows this could help other with PTSD too: https://theconversation.com/cannabis-shows-potential-for-treating-ptsd-new-study-125370
10/11

I also know that if my relationship to cannabis changed, and I was no longer using it in a healthy way, that I would want an official response that prioritised healthcare, not criminal justice. People who have issues with cannabis use should be supported, not punished. 11/11

Also, if you have (good faith) questions, my DMs are open and I’m happy to have a conversation. If anyone else wants to volunteer as someone who people can take cannabis qs, please reply to this tweet.

The numerous typos in this thread will haunt me for the rest of my days, but you all get what I mean.