Are Vets Helping Medical Marijuana Issue

Ron Strider

Well-Known Member
You shouldn't underestimate the importance of the American veteran in the debate over how to treat chronic pain.

Our vets–many of whom are suffering from chronic pain–are easily the most sympathetic subset of chronic pain patients.

And the vets are driving an important issue–that medical marijuana is an important remedy for PTSD.

The large and influential 2.2-million-member American Legion has pressured the federal government to allow Department of Veterans Affairs doctors recommend medical marijuana where it's legal. Right now, 29 states have approved marijuana for medical use. The Legion started advocating last year for easing federal constraints on medical pot research, a departure into drug policy for the nearly century-old organization.

"When veterans come to us and say a particular treatment is working for them, we owe it to them to listen and to do scientific research required," Executive Director Verna Jones told CNBC.

Medical marijuana first became legal in 1996 in California for a wide range of conditions; New Mexico in 2009 became the first state specifically to include PTSD patients. States have signed on in growing numbers particularly since 2014.

A federally approved clinical trial of marijuana as a PTSD treatment for veterans is now underway in Phoenix. It might be two years before the results are known, which creates more debate about whether medical marijuana helps.

Does it help PTSD and chronic pain?

"The current studies highlight the real and urgent need for high-quality clinical trials in both of these areas," said Dr. Sachin Patel, a psychiatry researcher at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee told BusinessInsider.com last summer.

When you think about marijuana's potentially positive impact, it doesn't mean you smoke a joint. The research was focused on what's known as nabiximols, or oral mixtures sprayed into the mouth.

More study is needed—and it's needed now.

Pardon the editorial comment, but it's time that the federal government gets its head out of you know where and conducts some serious research into the impact that marijuana can have on people with chronic pain and PTSD.

Medical_Marijuana_for_PTSD_-_Shutterstock.jpg


News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Are Vets Helping Medical Marijuana Issue? – National Pain Report
Author: Ed Coghlan
Contact: Contact Us – National Pain Report
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Website: National Pain Report – What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
 
Dear Ed Coghlan: the federal government owns an unknown quantity of patents that address this issue. they do not need more research. their pals in israel have been researching and providing products for a long, long time. too badd 420 mag authors do not know about this before writing articles. please research ahead of time, before calling for more fake research. the plant has been used for thousands of years, the evidence is overwhelming. stop lying to us and spreading propaganda. thankyou.
 
How about this for research, I'm a veteran of the USAR and a 4 1/2 yr pancreatic cancer survivor with a 10 inch cut up my belly(Whipple surgery),6 mos Chemo, 2 mos radiation. Two years prior to my diagnosis I fractured 3 vertebrae in my cervical spine and dislocated a shoulder in a mountain biking accident. This is in addition to several other orthopedic injuries and surgeries. Registered in NJ's MMP I've been using various strains to manage the stomach cramps, occasional nausea & vomiting, lack of appetite and the chronic pain associated with my injuries. Retired I'm able to manage my pain most of the time to a daily level that still allows me to be very functional and productive. As a volunteer for the Red Cross I drove veterans to their VA appointments, I don't need any research to support the effectiveness that MM has had for me in managing my issues, there is no doubt that it can be a safe and effective alternative for some health challenges.
 
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