I was sitting in class six years ago when a sharp pain ran through my back and stomach. I was shaking. I was cold, but sweating. I felt like I was being stabbed again and again.

As the day went on, the pain swelled to the point where I couldn’t walk or even speak. I was taken to the hospital and injected with something strong that relieved my pain. That day was one of the worst of my life. I was told I had kidney stones, and it was the first of many days of suffering.

I am 18 years old, originally from Casablanca, Morocco, but now study at the School Without Walls in Foggy Bottom. I have struggled with chronic pain syndrome for the past six years – and have watched both my parents suffer from it too.

Chronic pain is a debilitating illness, and for people like us, medical marijuana is the answer to our prayers. D.C. lawmakers made it legal to sell medical marijuana here in 2011, but people like me are still suffering.

Chronic pain is not yet on the list of medical conditions for which people are legally qualified to use this drug. Right now, illnesses that qualify for medical marijuana prescriptions are HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Both my parents have suffered through chronic pain. My father has a severe case of psoriatic arthritis. My mother has suffered through chemotherapy, surgery and radiation after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Chronic pain affects people from all generations and all walks of life. And while there are familiar treatment options – like prescription medication and physical therapy – medical marijuana has emerged as one of the most helpful option for some chronic pain sufferers.

In the past, I have taken medication – gabapentin three times a day at one point, and tramadol when the pain was especially strong – for years. The side effects are severe.

I very rarely feel normal and clear-minded, my vision is always foggy and my thoughts are often scrambled. Medical marijuana wouldn’t have these same negative effects.

Medical marijuana presents the best of both worlds: It won’t knock people out or make them dizzy like other strong drugs, but it will help them get through the day by minimizing their pain.

So why haven’t we seen movement on this issue and an expansion of the list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana treatment?

Often, chronic pain isn’t considered a legitimate issue. Although it is real, pain is invisible and sometimes others find it hard to believe we are actually suffering. Some skeptics are worried that people will instead use marijuana for recreational reasons instead.

But the reality is that we are only searching for pain relief. We are desperate to get rid of this unpleasant and seemingly permanent sensation. And we’re looking for a healthy way to do it. There are so many forms of consuming marijuana that the health risks of smoking can be completely avoided.

I’ve spoken with another chronic pain sufferer who alleviates her pain by consuming a teaspoon of marijuana oil. Other healthy options for those in pain include using a vaporizer, rubbing a soothing cream on their skin or even baking marijuana into their food.

None of these easy and healthy solutions are legal in the District for those with chronic pain.

I understand that not all doctors have been exposed to evidence-based research that shows the positive effects of this drug. I also understand that many physicians are afraid to put their careers at risk.

What I don’t understand is the irrational stigma around and fear of marijuana. There hasn’t been a single reported death linked to the use of marijuana. On the other hand, there are thousands of Americans dying each year from prescribed medication overdoses – it’s far too easy to get hooked. But marijuana puts users at much lower risk of becoming dependent.

The District is ahead of the pack by legalizing medical marijuana. Only 20 states have allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and a fraction of these have also allowed it for recreational purposes. There’s still a long way to go before we can really change people’s lives for the better.

Through a treatment plan that includes physical therapy, my chronic pain has been downgraded to acute. But I am one of the lucky few: There are still too many people suffering while the District ignores pleas to expand medical marijuana laws.

Miriam Berrada is a senior at the School Without Walls.