Terry Tang of the Associated Press writes Arizona Judge Rules Pot Can Be Used for PTSD, which unless appealed by the States Department of Health Services Director,Will Humble, will be forced to add post-tramatic stress disorder to the list of conditions that can be used to qualify for the state's medical marijuana program.
Humble rejected a petition from the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association to add PTSD to the list of conditions marijuana could be used for claiming no evidence existed proving marijuana was useful fro treating PTSD, so the Nurses appealed
Judge Thomas Shedden, however, said in his opinion that there was substantial evidence that those with PTSD receive a "palliative benefit from marijuana use." Shedden said medical professionals often rely on patients' input for when making off-label prescriptions.
Ricardo Pereyda was among those who testified at the hearing on how marijuana can help with post-traumatic stress. The Iraq War veteran said prescription drugs for his anger, depression and other issues only gave him adverse side effects. It wasn't until he started using cannabis in 2010 that he felt happier and more focused.
Eleven states currently approve medicinal marijuana for treating PTSD.
In April, veterans lobbied lawmakers to pay for a clinical study at the University of Arizona that looks at the health benefits of medical marijuana. Advocates say that pot needs to be studied to learn how it might be able to remedy post-traumatic stress disorder. They say legislation that would have enabled the state to use part of the fund it receives from sales of medical-marijuana permits was unfairly killed in the legislature.
The University of Arizona has been working for two decades to get approval to conduct a long-term study of the effectiveness of marijuana for treating PTSD, and finally gained approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The DEA, under the "leadership" of right-wing ideologue Michele Leonhart hasso far refused to give the university the legal access it needs to obtain marijuana for the study, An internal appeals division granted permission for the University to seek alternative sources, however, Director Leonhart intervened and over-ruled that permission.
Yet another example of why A.G. Eric Holder and President Obama need to demand that DEA Director Michele Leonhart resign. Her obstruction of basic scientific research based on her ideological zeal is inappropriate for her position.
———