A California Congressman and former surfer came out of the proverbial green closet on Capitol HIll this week.
During a gathering of cannabis activists in Washington, republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) admitted that he uses medical marijuana to treat his physical pain. A long time surfer, Rohrabacher explained that he had been a surfer for over three decades and that the sport took a toll on his body.
“I haven’t been able to go surfing for a year-and-a-half and I’ve been in severe pain,” Rohrabacher explained, while trying to demonstrate the paddling motion surfers use to get out into a wave, “because I spent all this time doing that, which I can barely do now.”
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Representing the National Organization of Marijuana Laws (NORML) Rohrabacher is one of five to speak on the federal issues concerning marijuana legalization nationwide. Rohrabacher later explained that he doesn’t regret the toll surfing took on his body, especially if we can do something about it.
“I went to one of these hempfests in San Bernardino,” he continued, explaining a vendor who showed him a cannabis-infused topical preparation to rub onto his aching shoulder. “And you know what? I tried it about two weeks ago, and it’s the first time… in a year-and-a-half that I’ve had a decent night’s sleep, because the arthritis pain was gone.”
The audience seemed stunned by his admission, but he was showered with applause shortly after. With this republican’s admission of medical marijuana use we can hope more will come out and not be afraid of using the green plant.
“Now don’t tell anybody I broke the law,” Rohrabacher sarcastically confided, “They’ll bust down my door and, you know, and take whatever’s inside and use it for evidence against me. The bottom line is that… there’s definitely cannabis in there, and it makes sure that I can sleep now.”
