“I was an opioid addict until I listened to friends who suggested cannabis to help me stop destroying my health. Cannabis planted a seed in me and helped me follow a path to a healthy lifestyle.”

Trenice, age 29, is an inspiring DJ, who goes by the handle, TriggaTre. She is in demand for her talent to spring dance floors into action in Maryland. The demand to keep up her  energy and work late nights drove her seek drugs like Lean, a combination of  prescription-strength codeine cough syrup, an opioid, and flavored soda. She was also smoking at least a pack a day of cigarettes and her diet was far from any definition of healthy.

In three months, she was able to wean herself off the opioids with cannabis, but she found it surprising the other positive changes she was motivated to make in her life beyond this. By the end of those 3 months, she went from one pack a day to zero cravings for nicotine and she started to really care where her food was coming from. She started following the guidance of holistic doctors online to eat an alkaline, plant-based diet.

Trenice had a history of aggressive behavior because of her opioid addiction and frequently was involved in physical conflicts. She remembers being shocked by her own ability now for self-control when she was being provoked to fight one night. She says she didn’t have the same need to react like she did in previous incidents and calmly diffused the situation.

Trenice felt cannabis was what started this positive shift in her life and she was looking forward to successes in her DJ career until one day when she was helping a friend move and drive his belongings from Oregon to Maryland.

Their car was stopped in Maryland after a motorcycle helmet had come loose on the trailer attached. Law enforcement were alerted to an outstanding warrant for the driver, and everything needed to be searched.

Trenice was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. She  spent 3 months in the Montgomery County Jail including a 23 hour lockdown in solitary confinement.

In 2017, there were 1,985 overdose deaths involving opioids in Maryland – twice the rate of the national average. There were 0 overdose deaths caused by cannabis in Maryland…ever…or anywhere.

 

© 2021 Cruel Consequences