Military Vets, PTSD, and Cannabis

How Cannabis can help vets who suffer from PTSD

PTSD, or Posttraumatic stress disorder, can affect anyone who has witnessed or experienced a traumatic event. The symptoms of PTSD can cause personality changes, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and many other life-altering symptoms.

Military Veterans are at high risk for PTSD. The horrors of war, along with the stress and strains of their jobs, make them particularly susceptible. Studies have shown that between 11-30% of military war veterans have PTSD.

There have been many recent studies on how cannabis affects those afflicted with PTSD. Cannabis research, in general, is still quite limited, but there are hopeful studies that show how cannabis can not only treat PTSD symptoms but also potentially even cure PTSD for good. Some of these recent findings show how PTSD can be healed by cannabis, and numerous anecdotes on how marijuana can lessen the symptoms of PTSD including reducing anxiety, helping sleep, and calming the nerves.

NOBO takes the care of our Vets seriously and we are here to provide the needed education and advocacy in making cannabis accessible to these brave people.

Marijuana as Self-medication or Actual Healing?

Marijuana is known for greatly reducing many PTSD symptoms including anxiety and depression, irritability, and insomnia. Easing symptoms is wonderful but even better news is the new research shows how marijuana may heal PTSD instead of just temporarily easing symptoms. A recent study found that people who used cannabis and had PTSD were 2.5 times more likely to recover from PTSD than those who were not using cannabis.

Current VA Policies

This is all great news. But the current Veteran Affair’s policies still prohibit Veteran Physcisian’s from prescribing (where it is legal in the state) or even discussing cannabis treatment with their patients because it is still illegal on the federal level. This is limiting access to potentially healing those suffering from damages that occurred while protecting their country at war.

Current Bill Propositions

This extremely outdated modality is preventing many Vets in need from accessing the care that could save them. Thankfully, there is currently a bipartisan sponsored bill that would allow veterans to be allowed to possesses cannabis under federal law, in accordance with state law. This would let VA physicians issue cannabis recommendations to their patients.

Veterans are heroes who have made the ultimate and they deserve the right to use cannabis to treat any pains or symptoms they may have incurred from their service. With PTSD being a particularly hard disorder to treat, cannabis could be the key we have been waiting for to help these brave men and women. Access should be granted to them under any cause, as soon as possible.