I broke my neck in a car accident in 1998 when I was in my early 30s. The car flipped over seven times. I’m incredibly lucky that I wasn’t paralyzed, but my life was completely changed because of constant pain. My doctor prescribed me hydrocodone and over the next couple years I ‘graduated’ to oxycodone and oxycontin.

After taking oxycontin for four years, it wasn’t doing much for the pain because I’d built up a tolerance. I couldn’t stop taking it or I would have severe withdrawals. I went to a recovery program for addicts but quitting seemed impossible. Quitting for just two days led to muscle spasms in my back and neck and severe pain.

Next they gave me Fentanyl, a stronger opiate, as well as several other medications to deal with its side effects, but it created a whole new set of problems. I was drowsy all the time. When it wore off I became irritable towards my wife and children. It was a vicious cycle.

Then my son told me about full spectrum hemp oil. After trying several other brands, I decided on a couple pain creams and a tincture from Jenny’s Baked at Home.