After being prescribed Oxycodone for a neck injury, David Overholt became addicted.
"I was taking two 40's and a tenth so I had 90 milligrams a day" Overholt said.
The Gulf War veteran never thought he had a problem until doctors told him his kidney's were failing.
"I took them for over 7 years not really understanding the principles of them and what was going on with my body," he said. "Then my doctors started telling me my kidney and liver were starting to have bad numbers."
That day on he promised himself to find a better alternative to ease his pain.
He turned to marijuana.
"I weaned myself off of them and I started growing when it was legal on my farm, making my oil" said Overholt.
Since he started using he became an advocate for other patients. Overholt started meeting with lawmakers and trying to educate them on medical marijuana.
So when senate delayed voting on three medical marijuana bills Thursday, before summer recess, he wasn't surprised.
"Pretty much expected it. I think if the Congressman and Senators wanted to help the sick people of Michigan they would have done it several years ago" Overholt said.
After seven years of talking with lawmakers and trying to better inform them on medical marijuana. He thought Thursday was the day.
"We've run into a lot of difficulty" Overholt told FOX 47 News.
If senate passed the bills they would have regulated dispensaries, allowed patients to have edible forms of marijuana, and create a way of tracking growth and sales.
"I think it's very important, if we're gonna have medical marijuana that it's a safe product" said Senator Rick Jones.
Senator Jones believes legislators aren't voting because of the stigma associated with marijuana.
"This has taken so long because many legislators don't want to vote for anything that says marijuana on it," Sen. Jones said. "I'm a former police officer and I'm gonna vote for it, if it does the right thing."
David Overholt says the stigma and delayed vote is just another hurdle patients have to overcome.
