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My Testimony

My Testimony

A statement in his own words, about what the medicine did and what came after it.

Juan Armando AliceaVeteran and founder, Veterans Project

The opioid epidemic is taking a devastating toll on many patients, especially older adults. Many of these synthetic pills are sold to the public without even being tested, and combining medications can cause additional harm to other organs. I'm living proof of how dangerous this can be—these medications were literally killing me. I was taking 18 pills a day for diabetes, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure, along with sleeping pills. With little physical activity, I gained weight and went through life feeling like a zombie.

But I managed to turn things around. I started using medical cannabis, and the difference was clear: my conditions stabilized, I lost weight, and the Department of Veterans Affairs took me off my medications. I also believe veterans and older adults should not have to pay for medical cannabis identification cards and should receive discounts at dispensaries.

The two closing sentences are his own stated position, written under his name. They are his view, not a medical recommendation from this organization, and they are not repeated anywhere else on this site as a claim it makes.

Veterans Project publishes general education. Nothing here is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to start or stop any treatment, and nothing here replaces your own doctor, who knows your history and can examine you.

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