Weed Cured my Phantom Limb Syndrome

Luciano Muscarella is currently drying his first crop of therapeutic Cannabis that he uses to treat his phantom limb syndrome. He lost his leg in a car accident and now treats himself with Cannabis. This is easy because the cultivation of up to four plants has now been legalised on the Mediterranean island. 

"For many people, it may seem absurd, but when you suffer the amputation of a limb, it is possible to feel severe and constant pains precisely at the missing limb," Muscarella explains. "In my case, for 25 years, my brain sent nerve impulses to my leg, ankle and toes. I experience uncontrollable spasms and sharp pains that I have finally managed to control by using Cannabis.

Luciano's arrival on the island is a path familiar to many young Italians who, driven by necessity and searching for a better job, decide to go abroad to try their luck. 

"I studied cooking, and before the accident I was a chef," Muscarella says. "After some very disappointing experiences in my home country, low salaries in particular, I decided to move to Malta 10 years ago where I knew there were excellent working conditions. In no time, I was working in five-star hotels and other top establishments."

But then, one day, an accident changed his life. "I was a victim in a bad scooter accident that led to amputating one of my limbs, my left leg," says Muscarella. "It was July 15, 2015, and my life as I knew it collapsed. The accident ended my dreams, and I also had to take a lot of medication.

His treatment plan included paracetamol, to which Muscarella is allergic, antibiotics, codeine for pain, and sleeping pills to get some rest at night. Luciano's despondency lasted until he discovered the beneficial effects of Cannabis.

He says: "One day, I had Cannabis brought to the hospital. I came down in a wheelchair and smoked after about a month and a half of abstinence. I remember very well the very first effect. All the muscles were relaxed; I no longer had any pain. Even my mood improved even though it was the darkest period of my life. 

In no time, Luciano stopped taking other medications. In Malta, buying medical Cannabis in pharmacies with a prescription is possible. "I luckily came across Dr. Andrew Agius from the Pain Clinic. He explained to me how to use Cannabis and now I have a prescription of about 1.5 grams a day, which I use to fight the chronic pain."

Recently Malta also passed a law that legalised the cultivation, allowing Luciano to experiment with self-production. "When I heard the news, I couldn't believe it," he explains triumphantly. "I spend about 450 euros [US $470] a month on Cannabis, and now I can independently produce my own medicine. It is not acceptable for countries to hinder the use of Cannabis. We need more research, and more fields of application so that what I have experienced can also help other patients. I have eliminated four or five drugs, and all my therapy is summed up in the medical use of Cannabis, a plant I grow in my apartment."

He adds: "It is a miraculous plant that has allowed me to continue to live. Today, after my career as a cook was interrupted, I run a corner shop with my partner. Thanks also to the prosthesis provided by the National Health Service, I again have good prospects for the future."