Patient Q & A: Mike Besing
30 years ago, Mike Besing had a motorcycle accident that changed his life — and has caused him to live with immense pain. He’s found that medical marijuana is an effective tool for managing his pain and remaining functional on a day to day basis.
After winning our THC2 Medical Marijuana Certification Giveaway back in March 2020, we reached out to Besing to learn more about his story.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about what medical condition you use marijuana to treat?
A: The medical conditions that I use marijuana for stems from a motorcycle accident in 1989. I got broadsided by a Ford ranger pickup on my motorcycle. I had a compound fracture of right femur broken right tibia and many abdominal injuries. They guessed incorrectly on my bone loss so now my right leg is 3/4 of an inch shorter than my left.
Q: Why do you choose to use medical marijuana? How does it improve your well-being?
A: I choose to use medical marijuana because it is more effective than anything currently available through pharmaceutical or over the counter medicines. I am more able to function day to day activities using marijuana than pharmaceuticals.
Q: What kind of experience are you looking for when you use marijuana?
A: The experience I’m looking for is pain relief, plain and simple.
Q: In what forms/ways do you use medical marijuana to achieve that experience?
A: Currently I’m only able to use smokables because it is the only way I can get it. I lived in Colorado for many years and I have experienced all methods of use. With edibles it’s hit or miss if they work, and I’ve used transdermal patches that worked pretty well.
Q: Are you open about the medicine you use with your family, friends, and colleagues?
A: Everyone I know is aware that I use medicinal marijuana and when I was working my employers knew I was using it as well.
Q: Do you ever experience judgment about your medicine? How does that judgment affect you?
A: The only judgement I receive is from my reefer madness father who is 83.
Q: What would you tell someone who is thinking about trying medical marijuana for the first time?
A: I would recommend gaining the knowledge about which type works for which conditions they are treating. Knowledge is powerful!