After seeing my last patient on Friday, a disabled veteran on every painkiller still suffering from severe and debilitating pain, I was extremely frustrated.

He could definitely be helped by medical marijuana. Nearly 90% of individuals with chronic pain report getting substantial relief from treatment.

But he told me something I hear too often, “I can’t afford it.”

Even though medical marijuana is one of the best treatments I have ever seen for chronic pain it isn’t covered by health insurance.

It’s frustrating. He’s not the first person (or the last) to tell me the steep price tag of $100 – $200+ a month makes getting treatment impossible. That’s more than the average person pays for phone service. It’s more than many people pay for all of their health care.

I see this every day.  Medical marijuana is a great treatment for those that can afford it. For those who can’t there isn’t a good alternative. It really isn’t fair.

People with ALS, Cancer, Epilepsy and Chronic Pain (among other conditions) who really could be helped but can’t afford the treatment should have some way to get financial assistance.

Which is why I set up the Compassionate Care Fund on Go Fund Me in association with the NY Medical Marijuana Association, a 501(c)3 charitable organization. When we reach our $10,000.00 goal, I will start helping  patients immediately. Our Campaign can be viewed below or on Doctormm.com/Fund.

I encourage anyone who has time to check out the campaign and share it with others.

Note: the photo above is not the patient that was seen or referred to in this article. I never share identifying patient details in any article without specific permission from a patient.