Medical marijuana for veterans suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) has finally been given the go-ahead by the U.S. federal
government.
Before full legalization, the federal government has
allocated money to researchers to begin testing marijuana for treating military
veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Far from a hypothetical move, the study parameters have
already been approved by the Department of Health and Human Services as of
March 2014. These proposed studies had been opposed by the National Institute
of Drug Abuse, until last Wednesday when they finally signed off on the
government supplying drug for clinical trials.
The United States government reports that 20% of Iraq and
Afghanistan War veterans have experience PTSD. This is a significant rise from
the 12% suffering from PTSD after the first Gulf War, according to the
Department of Veteran Affairs.
To put that in perspective, 15% of Vietnam vets have been
diagnosed as suffering with PTSD at one time or another.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the suicide rate of those
returning returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is 50% higher than non-military
sufferers.
Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Dana Rohrabacher
(R-Calif.) have co-sponsoring the relevant bill for these studies and the
legalizationthat is expected to result, called the Veterans Equal Access Act.
That bill will allow physicians at VA hospitals to prescribe medical
marijuanafor veterans suffering from PTSD. .
“Our antiquated drug laws must catch up with the real
suffering of so many of our veterans,” Rohrabacher explained during a joint
news conference related to the introduction of the bill. “This is now a moral
cause and a matter of supreme urgency.”
Do you agree ?
(Article by Jackson Marciana) via :
countercurrentnews.com