[420 Girl]

As if the long, painful road to recovery from a debilitating medical condition wasn't enough, a Burnaby woman says she's being persecuted for using marijuana to cope.

Two years ago, Olga Eredics finally gave in to her doctor's suggestion to try medical marijuana after a bout with multiple sclerosis left her in a wheelchair in 2002.

Although she still deals with tremendous pain every day, Eredics is able to walk and exercise with the help of cannabis.

"I was against the idea at first because I had never smoked anything in my life and it made no sense to me," she said. "But I wouldn't be able to do my exercises without using it to get me through the pain."

Eredics credits prescribed cannabis for her livelihood, but it's also been a source of abuse and emotional pain since she started using it.

"There is a lot of negative scrutiny," she claims. "People look at me with hate and scoff. People look at me like I'm a criminal."

The glares and comments have had an unfair psychological effect on Eredics, who only feels comfortable lighting up in areas where people recognize her.

The situation was made worse two weeks ago during an altercation with security guards near the Metrotown area, which is part of Eredics' daily walking route.

"They saw the marijuana and approached me and a friend," she recalls. "They told me to get lost. When I told them I had my Health Canada licence one of them called me scum. I couldn't believe it."

The situation was ultimately resolved, but Eredics says it's just the latest example of society's ignorance.

"There is another side to what people see. I wouldn't be able to walk without it," she pleads. "I just want to be seen as part of the community."

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