Pain pills left me like zombie but cannabis miracle drug gave me my life back

Ex-sportsman tells how medication ended 23-year ordeal caused by basketball injury

- BY JILLY BEATTIE

A MAN who became a “zombie” on prescription painkillers after a sports injury has told how his life was saved by cannabis-based drugs.

David Wright, of Clydebank, suffered a serious back injury playing basketball aged 16 but his life spiralled after he was put on opioid painkillers by his doctor.

He discovered medicinal cannabis, which gave him his life back, only for the choice to be snatched away by the soaring price of the private prescriptions.

Now he's backing calls for cheap medical cannabis to be made widely available.

David, now 49, said: "My diagnosis is degenerative disc disease and curvature of the spine caused by long-term damage to the lumbar discs at the base of the spine.

"I suffer trapped nerves that cause sharp shooting pains and severe muscle spasms and stiffness, episodes of debilitating pain that can leave me unable to stand, sit or lie down comfortably.

"When it's bad, my back locks completely and the nerves trap.

It's like being electrocuted from the inside out.