Editorial
On Monday, January 30, a state Senate committee gathered to vote on a bill that seeks to include PTSD as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana here in Colorado.
The committee voted 5-0 to advance SB 17-017. This is a huge win for the MMJ industry, but most importantly a tremendous victory for Vets. Access to medical marijuana is perfect for those seeking relief from their PTSD. It also presents solutions to those who are done with the plethora of negative side effects caused by the medications they are prescribed.
“I probably wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for cannabis." This was a statement by Veteran Curtis Bean. He was among dozens of individuals sharing their support of the bill before the state Senate. According to The Cannabist, Bean said he has lost at least one friend a year due to the ongoing struggle of PTSD, coupled with the side-effects caused by drug cocktails prescribed to treat their symptoms.
According to the National Center for PTSD drugs identified as having “the most evidence for treating PTSD” are SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). Some of the more recognizable names for these types of drugs are Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac and Effexor (among others).
If you have TV and have the patience to sit through commercials, you’re likely to have heard of these treatments before. You’ve probably also heard the slew of side-effects they quickly run through during these commercials. For the sake of brevity, and because this is about cannabis being a treatment - not the horrors of drug cocktails- here’s simply an actual screenshot from the home page of Zoloft’s website. Note what the #1 warning is for the antidepressant:
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*we only used Zoloft, because they were the only ones with clear information on their website.[/caption]
This by no means implies that these antidepressants don’t work for some, but there is a large chunk of people who would rather have other options to combat PTSD and trauma induced anxiety. Options that don't involve taking several other medications, or have the risk of suicidal thoughts.
Senate Bill 17 - 017, was co-sponsored by Sen. Irene Aguilar, D-Denver, and Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont. The bill will add PTSD and acute stress disorder as “disabling medical conditions” under Colorado’s medical marijuana law.
The decision to prescribe MMJ to those suffering from PTSD is still up to the physicians. Following the hearing this was made clear. It was noted that use of cannabis furthers the options for treatment physicians may suggest for their patients.
At the hearing, Aguilar, who is also a medical doctor, admitted she has never recommended MMJ in her practice before. She noted she “felt scammed” when CO put medical regulations after voter-approved initiatives in 2000. She then stated that she became more open to cannabis upon hearing story after story from voters and patients.
If there’s another tool that a doctor can use for the betterment of a patient, they should have the option to use it.” - Irene Aguilar
Those who came to the hearing showed majority support for the addition of PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions.
Among the crowd and those who gave testimonies were veterans as well as survivors of abuse and trauma. The point that was consistently brought up was the counterproductive side effects of the pharmaceuticals prescribed to patients. Needless to say, suicide should not be the main side effect of an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication. Unfortunately, it is.
Bean continued to push that there are other means and methods to combat PTSD rather than popping pills. After seeing a number of his brothers take their own lives while on these medications, he aimed to find alternative methods such as art, yoga, meditation and yes - cannabis.
As of now, 20 states have already made PTSD a qualifying condition for medical marijuana prescriptions. Though Colorado is a pioneer in medical and recreational marijuana sales, it has yet to add PTSD to our state’s list.
Thanks to the push for SB 17-017, Colorado is on its way to having PTSD added as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana. Not only will Vets and others struggling with trauma-induced anxieties and depression have an alternative means of treatment, it will also be less expensive for them to obtain.
Hopefully, the continued push for MMJ and the wide range of disorders it can treat will expand. With more progression in the filed, the medical community will find more reason to continue researching the effectiveness (and more) of cannabis.
