My name is Marla James. I am a medical marijuana patient and activist. In December 1999 I got Necrotizing Fasciitis, (flesh eating bacteria). The only way the doctors could cure it was by cutting it out. This left me with a great deal of pain. My doctors gave me Oxycontin and Hydrocodone for the pain. Needless to say, I got addicted. They kept upping my doses. I was on 180 mg of Oxycontin and all the Hydrocodone in between. I was basically catatonic. I could not function. When I told my doctor I wanted to get off the pills, he asked me why I would want to be in pain.  I fired my pain doctor and found another. I had to come off the medication 15 mg per month.  It was the most horrible thing that I ever went through. You get up, your throw up, your body hurts all over. My husband, who is a long time medical marijuana activist, suggested that I try medical marijuana. It really helped with the nausea and also helped with the pain.  It took a long time to get off the narcotics. I can now use medical marijuana on those occasions when I am in pain; it works quickly and allows me to function in the world and live my life.