Honorably discharged after three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, retired Marine Kristoffer Lewandowski’s PTSD was so bad he was 100% medically disabled. But his heavy SSRI prescription seemed to be doing more harm than good:
After realizing that the meds were killing his liver, Lewandowski decided that it would be a good idea try marijuana as a treatment. He began growing 6 plants for his personal use.
In June of 2014, Lewandowski had a PTSD episode. His wife grabbed the kids and took them to the neighbors house where she called the police to get her husband some help.
However, as is the case in so many countless other incidents, police did anything but help.
After police showed up, they searched the Lewandowski’s home and found 6 tiny marijuana plants. Police then weighed all of the plant matter together and it did not total to a single ounce. However, because of Oklahoma’s draconian laws against growing a plant, Lewandowski was charged with felony marijuana cultivation.
Felony marijuana cultivation in Oklahoma carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to Whitney Lewandowski, Kristoffer’s wife, the police also pulled up their tomato plants and included them in the photo for the media.
Of course they did — the Drug War thrives on misleading propaganda.
The science on medical marijuana is mixed — and that’s when it isn’t verging on fraudulent from both sides of the debate. (There’s compelling evidence that MDMA, aka Ecstasy, has tremendous potentially in the treatment of PTSD, but that isn’t germane to today’s story.) But people like Lewandowski could be used as case studies to help determine if marijuana might have some benefit for PTSD suffers, apart from and more serious than an increase in their Cheetohs consumption.
Instead, thanks to Oklahoma’s draconian take on the Drug War, Lewandowski faces up to life in prison. His wife was also arrested, charged with a felony, and worst of all their children were taken away and placed with Child Protective Services.
From there the Lewandowskis’ story gets even more convoluted, and I suggest you read the whole thing.
