Seventy-nine percent of veteran respondents and 92 percent of their family members said, “Veterans Administration doctors should be legally allowed to recommend marijuana to veterans if the doctor believes the patient could benefit from [it.]”
Tag: PTSD
“Individuals reported improvements in overall PTSD symptom severity 30 and 70 days after initiating MMJ [medical marijuana] … Moreover, they reported reductions in negative affect and improvements in overall well-being. These findings suggest that MMJ use may be associated with clinical benefits in people with PTSD.”
Recently conducted observational trials in Israel and the United Kingdom have documented improved symptoms following the use of cannabis products among patients with post-traumatic stress. These outcomes include statistically significant changes in sleep quality and in anxiety, fewer nightmares, and improved quality of life.
“This study provides evidence that the types of cannabis available in recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries might hold promise as an alternative treatment for PTSD. … This study’s primary outcome supports the theory that cannabis should be [tested in clinical trials] as a potential therapeutic for PTSD.”
Americans in 33 states and the District of Columbia have legal access to medical marijuana under a doctor’s authorization. But this same access is often lacking for many military veterans.
Military veterans who participate in a state’s medical marijuana access program frequently report substituting cannabis for alcohol and other controlled substances, according to data published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Nearly half of all respondents said that they use medical cannabis in place of other prescription medications.
Seventy-five percent of military veterans say that they would consider using either “cannabis or cannabinoid products as a treatment option,” according to member survey data compiled by the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).
United States Rep. Timothy Waltz (D-MN), along with over 30 bipartisan co-sponsors, has introduced legislation, HR 5520: The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018, to facilitate federally-sponsored clinical research into the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis among veterans.