Former National Hockey League star and four-time champion Darren McCarty has revealed that marijuana saved his life. McCarty says he struggled with alcohol addiction for several years and was in and out of rehab and facing various court battles. His health was waning and he had seen two marriages end.
None of that mattered. All he cared about was his next drink. That all changed in 2015 when he was given medical marijuana to try.
"I was in a coma and when I woke up after seven days, I didn't have a physical addiction," McCarty said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "I dropped to my knees and said, 'Thank God.'"
The Stanley Cup winner and former Detroit Red Wing said pot saved his life and now he hopes to share his story and create awareness by teaming up with cannabis company Pincanna, which is developing a medical marijuana processing operation in Michigan.
Since recovering from his addiction McCarty has become one of the leading voices on marijuana. He has spoken openly about his struggles, and of how he came to use pot, which he also smokes.
"For me, growing up, you were either a jock or stoner, so I never smoked pot growing up, but I’ve been drinking since I was 12 or 13 years old," he said. "That was acceptable in the hockey circles, it's just culturally what was accepted."
After undergoing surgery in 1999, the 47-year-old said he was struggling with insomnia and prescription medication, which "had a lot to do with all the drinking."
By November, his liver was taking strain, his blood pressure was through the roof and he had isolated friends and family. That was when he tried the marijuana concentrate. Since then he has not touched a drop of alcohol, he has quit most of his prescription medication and even kicked his smoking habit.
"If you've seen my progress over the past 10 years, you've seen me go through different stages from the alcoholism, which led me to this plant saving my life," said McCarty. "I feel like I’m 35. I’m not lying. I feel like Benjamin Button."
The former hockey player said a person should be able to decide which medication they want to take to get better and overcome illness. For him it is marijuana.
"Through my journey, a lot of stuff that I've taken from that I apply to my life today," he said, according to WJBK. "Everybody's different - you gotta find out what your program is. ... My program involves medical marijuana because that's what keeps me off alcohol."
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