Social media users were left dumbfounded after watching a Parkinson’s disease sufferer take a medical marijuana and have a shocking reaction.
People have often advocated for the benefits of marijuana despite it not being legal everywhere in the states.
Others have taken very firm anti-marijuana stances meaning a debate is constantly raging over it on social media.
This has remained true on a viral Twitter clip that has done the rounds showing footage of a man with Parkinson’s disease, Larry, from a documentary entitled Ride With Larry.
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Larry Smith, who previously served 26 years in law enforcement had been battling Parkinson’s disease for 20 years.
The documentary detailed his ongoing struggle with the condition as well as his determination to bicycle across South Dakota.
As marijuana was illegal in his home state, Smith and his wife Elizabeth travelled to San Diego to try it.
The video showed how pronounced Larry's symptoms were as he has trouble walking and difficulty speaking as well as constant hand movements.
After taking one drop of cannabis oil under his tongue within a few minutes, Smith’s body completely relaxes and he appears to not be in pain. Smith even remarked at how quickly the change happened.
His wife said: “He used just a single drop and his hands afterwards were rock steady and the dyskinesia left."
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation website: “Dyskinesias are involuntary, erratic, writhing movements of the face, arms, legs or trunk. They are often fluid and dance-like, but they may also cause rapid jerking or slow and extended muscle spasms.”
In the video clip, Smith even begins singing to show how much better his voice is feeling now.
While many proclaimed this was clear evidence that medical marijuana should be used to treat Parkinson’s, this topic is still hotly debated in the medical community.
“My aunt who had ALS started smoking marijuana. It helped her a great deal. It still took her life, but it made things easier until the end. Hard to understand why it’s not federally legalized yet,” one user commented.
“I started taking marijuana-derived cannabidiol (CBD) this year. From the moment I started taking it, my anxiety was reduced by a considerable amount,” another user wrote.
“Medical cannabis is an absolute game changer for me/my disability as well. Full spectrum oils absolutely work!” another X user commented.
Larry Smith has since died and passed away at the age of 71, on the exact day of his 9 year anniversary of his South Dakota bike ride.
What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of Parkinson's disease can affect a person's motor and can include:
- Slowed movements
- Tremor while muscles are at rest
- Rigidity or stiffness
- Unstable posture or walking gait
Some other motor symptoms can also include:
- Blinking less often than usual
- Cramped or small handwriting
- Drooling
- Mask-like facial expression
- Trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
- Unusually soft speaking voice (hypophonia)
However, sufferers of Parkinson's disease can also have some non-motor symptoms:
- Autonomic nervous system symptoms
- Depression
- Loss of sense of smell (anosmia)
- Sleep problems
- Trouble thinking and focusing
Gerrard Kaonga