Opinion: The man who experienced cannabis and death

New Zealanders won't be able to choose to smoke or grow cannabis, but they can choose when to die. Photo / Getty Images

My father died in the arms of his family.

It sounds kind of romantic, but it wasn't really.

We knew his death was coming.

Non-operable, non-treatable cancer tends to put up a few red flags.

In his last few days what we didn't know, was when his moment of death would occur.

Now, with the option legally available for individuals to choose the way in which they die, I'm not sure whether it was something he would have chosen himself.

Possibly, because while he died in the arms of his family, as we moved him on his bed, it was as he suffered what he viewed as a gross indignity.

He could no longer perform the basic act of going to the toilet. So we took care of that for him in this last few days.

And before he slipped into a coma, and we medicated him with heavy drugs, he managed to communicate that he hated the idea.

It was hard to assess his pain though.

He was on serious drugs for those last days, and cannabis in the months before.

Toward the end, the cancer meant he was beyond communicating, and even had he wanted to say something, the drugs would have rendered him mute.

We pumped him with a cocktail that had a base opioid of morphine, that we were entrusted to administer via a line inserted in his arm.

We knew we couldn't accidentally - or deliberately as the case may be - overdose him.
We asked about the former. The latter was never discussed.

The cannabis had provided him with pain relief and mildly pleasant side effects. He was barely eating, so may not have had any desire to put food in his mouth if it wasn't for the 'munchies' from the special fudge delivered by his Green Fairy.

At his funeral, we thanked the Green Fairy. More than one person in the crowd turned toward the well known toker in their midst, assuming it was him.

It wasn't - Green Fairies don't always follow stereotypes, I doubt you would pick Dad's out of a criminal line-up.

Which was what the Green Fairy and Dad were - criminals for making and consuming his fudge.

Dad used it 'medicinally' but it was still illegal. Apparently, we aren't far away from medicinal cannabis being made available. The time it is taking is criminal, by the way.

And as we now know, we are some way from cannabis being legalised.

Why? Probably because we are a generation or two away from accepting cannabis in the manner proposed.

There are still many of us that have concerns about drug education, and the impact of use on our kids, and those with mental health challenges. Cannabis isn't harmless.

Decriminalising possession or use of small amounts couldn't come soon enough though, it's a weed clogging up the criminal system that needs a dose of Roundup.

As for euthanasia - it's about individual choice, and respect.

If my Dad had chosen when he was going to die, his family would have respected that.

At least now, people have the choice.