While many of us have gotten our lives back by using marijuana medicinally, we have also faced scrutiny and struggle in the face of cannabis prohibition. A recent high profile case involving a 24-year-old man by the name of Kristian Hidalgo serves as stark example of the roadblocks medical marijuana users face, even in legalized states.

Kristian has struggled with depression starting at a young age. As he grew older it worsened and he was eventually diagnosed with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome. He was prescribed medications with many debilitating side effects including sterility. Being a young man with plans to have a family, these medications were not an option for him. He tried over the counter pain medication which didn’t offer true relief to his symptoms and only poorly masked a bit of pain.

After dealing with symptoms his whole life, the actual chronic illness started to set in and Kristian made the decision to give medical marijuana a try. His whole life turned around. Marijuana was not only safe for him to use but it treated ALL of his symptoms. Soon after his recovery, he landed a management job at Green City Force. He informed his employers of his use of legal medical cannabis to treat his illness before starting the job. Although he was upfront upon hire and was legally consuming, three months later, Kristian was fired by his supervisors by using the medicinal plant.

Unfortunately, Kristian’s story is one we have heard over and over. Although
medicinal marijuana is legal, it is still a scheduled 1 narcotic at a federal level and leaves users at risk in any state. While there is an amendment to protect users from being prosecuted in legal states, it does not protect you from employment discrimination, travel restrictions or any other kind of prejudice you may face in this time of prohibition.

As a medicinal user myself, I am no stranger to these prejudices. I struggled with severe anxiety and anorexia for years with no relief. My illness caused crippling migraines and it became almost impossible to maintain self care, let alone work and add to society. Prescribed medications from my doctor only seemed to make the issues worse and I felt I had nowhere to turn. Like Kristian, I too got my life back with medicinal marijuana. It treated my illness and all of it symptoms without any harmful side effects.

I finally was able to go back to school, work and be myself. The only issue I kept running into was the fear of judgement from others and facing punishment for using my medicine. I do everything in my power to create awareness and support legalization, but in the mean time that doesn’t solve the issue of people like Kristian and I needing access to our medication without jeopardizing our livelihood. The good news is, I have found out a few secrets to help you medicate anywhere without leaving a trace!

My first secret weapon is a magical little device that turns me into an amazing fully medicated wizard! The Nimbus 9000 wax vapor pen by Kloud9 has me flying high no matter where I am. This small but powerful guy has the ability to smoke oil concentrates or hash without leaving the distinct smell of burning flower. I just load my chamber of choice up before I head out and puff away all day! No one is the wiser. I have tried a few pens before but the Nimbus 9000 was ultimately my favorite. It has three perfect heat settings and two chamber options which is a HUGE plus. This is the first pen I have owned that has allowed me to smoke hash which is a game changer. The small epens never seemed to be strong enough to get me high while I didn’t find it reasonable to be spending hundreds on something like Puff Co. The Nimbus keeps me powerfully medicated without breaking the bank at the baller price of €60.

If you insist on still smoking flower, I get it. There is nothing quite like the sweet relief of using the whole bud. But, if you are smoking top shelf quality like I am, you know it smells! I use an array of smell proof cases and bags to keep that beautiful smell well contained and away from those who may find it offensive. I like to double up and give myself added protection by using two special bags together. I keep my flowers in special baggies by Smoke-Box with a double layer seal. It keeps my buds safe and sound with a sleek design and fits perfectly into my Odor Absorbing Travel Kit by Kloud9. Their selection of Odor Absorbing cases have a layer of activated carbon which grab onto all of those great smells and keep them in your bag until you are ready to spark up in your safe and sound smoke spot.

While we are still waiting on legislation to back up medicinal users, companies like Kloud9 and Smoke-Box continue to make revolutionary products to support medicinal users everywhere. If you are struggling to medicate properly or feel anxiety due to prohibition prejudices, give these options a try and allow yourself the full freedom cannabis offers.