Article submitted by Darren Darvill
For many years Rick Macl had been fighting major back problems, having surgery left him with nothing but more pain and fear that he may end up in a wheelchair sooner rather than later. Rick had searched for a doctor that “knew what he was talking about” unfortunately for him, he didn’t find a doctor that could help any more than they already had. However, living with chronic back pain wasn’t on his agenda, so Rick and his wife Chantelle started doing research on their own and CHRONIC is where they found Rick’s saviour.
5 years ago Macl finally found a doctor that was going to award him with a prescription for medical marijuana, as easy as it sounds; it wasn’t, it was probably one of the most difficult things Rick ever had to do. He went through numerous doctors to try and get the prescription but every doctor said the same thing “it doesn’t work” but with determination Rick and his loving wife were able to find a doctor that would at least refer him to a doctor that would consider it, I mean it’s the least he could do, Rick found the doctor and did all the research himself even supplied the doctor with the necessary paperwork. Unfortunately a little while later the doctor who had issued his prescription had passed away, so Rick was back on the search for a prescription renewal. Desperate to find a doctor who could renew his prescription he went to outside agencies and was successful to not only find a doctor who believed in the purpose of medical marijuana but also taught Rick a thing or 2 about it.
In the past months Rick had learned a lot; OxyContin’s were not for him, they made him drowsy, they made him irritable, they made him feel like a zombie and last of all he felt drugged. He realized that street marijuana was not the same as prescription marijuana supplied by licensed producers because with street marijuana you never know what you’re going to get in it, where marijuana from licensed producers are regulated THC levels, CBG levels, CBC Levels, ETC. These are the levels that effect different parts of your mind and body much like prescribed pills. For each diagnosis such as PTSD, Back Pain, Spinal Pain, Depression, Crohns, Cancer Care, ADD/ADHD and even HIV/Aids there is a different strain for it.
After discovering all this Rick was up to a new challenge. When he left the doctor’s office he was legally allowed to not only possess Marijuana but was also allowed to grow for his own supply… however, we didn’t learn this stuff in school; in fact Rick recently spoke with a Grad student who just finished his masters in medical and he asked him what he learned about medical marijuana and the new grads answer was simple “nothing, they group it on the same scale as cocaine, meth and other major narcotics”.. but that’s a story you’ll have to ask Rick yourself. So after Rick was granted the marijuana prescription he didn’t know how to grow his own plants and even often asked himself “what if I don’t want to smoke it, what if I want to use it in cooking or maybe Vape?” As anything today he learned a lot by research and internet, he made a lot of errors, probably more errors than anticipated but he has become a connoisseur of the product and in this, after a lot of thought and a recent trip to Mexico where he didn’t take any medication for his back and dealt with spasm after spasm simply confirming that medical marijuana works.. Not that he had any doubt. He decided to start Growers n’ Smokers here in Brandon. Growers n’ Smokers won’t be your typical hydroponics/pot shop, Rick is only aiming to sell items that pertain to the medical marijuana field and educate people looking to get a prescription for medical marijuana or help people who already have it.
At Growers n’ Smokers located at 223 18th Street North you can expect to see a newly renovated suite with earthy tones, a big guy with a happy smile and loud friendly voice, glass cabinets filled with a variety of glass and silicone pipes and bongs (Trailer Park Boyz and Cheech & Chong), rolling papers and machines, Grinders, Items to make edibles, butter makers, hydroponic grow tools and food and LOTS more. You can also expect to see educational posters up from Lefly.com which is a great source to find additional information.
In my time spent with Rick while he renovates this location for his GRAND OPENING weekend (and Birthday) March 17th and 18th, I learned A LOT that I didn’t know and have become a strong believer of the purposes behind medical marijuana. I enjoyed hanging out with Rick listening to his stories of the journey’s he embarked while trying to make his life a little more comfortable living with back pain. I heard some stories a time or two but they never got old and I seemed to take a little more from them each and every time. I would encourage everyone smoker or non-smoker to visit with Rick at his new shop this weekend and listen or take in as much as possible from someone who truly understands. Don’t forget to wish him a happy birthday.
GROWERS n’ SMOKERS is located at 223 18th Street North
By phone at 204-717-WEED
Visit the Facebook page at Growers n’ Smokers.
Good luck to the Macl Family on their new journey.
Darren Darvill
