cannabisnews.com: Military Veterans Say Pot Eases PTSD

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  Military Veterans Say Pot Eases PTSD

Posted by CN Staff on June 05, 2012 at 08:38:04 PT
By Yvonne Wingett Sanchez 
Source: USA Today  

Phoenix, Ariz. -- Emanuel Herrera returned from war addicted to painkillers and barely able to tolerate his children's voices.The former staff sergeant had enlisted in the Arizona National Guard after 9/11, wanting to help his country. In 2006, while providing security for a convoy near Camp Anaconda in Iraq, his truck hit an improvised bomb. The blast turned the night into day, nearly destroyed his neck, damaged the discs in his back and left him with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress.
Last year, despite warnings from medical staff at the local veterans hospital, he began to smoke pot legally under the state's new medical-marijuana program to cope with the physical and mental pains of combat."My doctors shunned me and didn't approve of me doing it," said Herrera, a Purple Heart recipient. "One doctor said I could get some repercussions for doing it. But I did it legally. And I know for a fact — I'm a walking testimonial — that it works."No one collects data on the number of veterans participating in medical-marijuana programs in the 17 states where it is legal. But veterans and program advocates say those who have served are turning to cannabis more and more to deal with the disabling symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and chronic physical pain.In Arizona, veterans are leading the push for health officials to add PTSD as a qualifying condition for the medical-marijuana program. Currently, only individuals with diagnoses such as chronic pain, cancer and other debilitating conditions qualify. Two other states include PTSD as a qualifying condition.But the federal government has sent mixed messages about its stance on the issue, with law enforcement opposing states' programs and VA medical staff allowing participation. Medical experts disagree on whether the drug helps or hurts veterans.SnippedComplete Article: http://drugsense.org/url/SXpT6dCsSource: USA Today (US) Author: Yvonne Wingett SanchezPublished: June 5, 2012Copyright: 2012 USA Today, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.Contact: editor usatoday.comWebsite: http://www.usatoday.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 

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Comment #14 posted by runruff on June 06, 2012 at 19:49:23 PT
How many people die each year?
How many die from prescribed pills?I call this patient abuse. What's worse, someone hurting themselves with an organic drug or a doctor harming people with known harmful drugs?Oh the hypocrisy!
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on June 06, 2012 at 18:56:43 PT
Sam
Applause! 
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Comment #12 posted by Sam Adams on June 06, 2012 at 17:56:22 PT
Dr. Propaganda
>>>Dr. Edward Gogek, an addiction psychiatrist in private practice, believes people are pretending to use marijuana for treatment — including veterans. He said most veterans are substance abusers and should not be allowed to ingest marijuana.
"You're talking about giving an addictive drug to people with substance- abuse disorders," Gogek said. He said there are non-addictive approaches to treating sleep disorders, PTSD and other conditions.So most likely the bulk of this guy's practice is teenagers who are forced into "treatment" over marijuana use. I've got a suggestion! Since "Doctor" Gogek seems SO knowledgeable about combat, and the effects on real soldiers, let's get him out there! Let's reserve the good doctor a front seat on the next un-armored Humvee to cruise Pakistan!  Let's see how well he does with PTSD after a couple tours!In fact, wouldn't that be a good trip for ALL of the wonderful doctors who see fit to control which medicines these veterans are allowed to consume.
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Comment #11 posted by The GCW on June 05, 2012 at 12:28:47 PT
In another Colorado newspaper
US CO: Colo. vote on pot could affect Obama-Romney race Webpage: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20120605/NEWS/120609917/1078&ParentProfile=1055
Pubdate: Tues, 5 June 2012
Source: Summit Daily News (CO)“I'm for legalization over Obama,”Cont.
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Comment #10 posted by afterburner on June 05, 2012 at 12:11:08 PT
Abusers? Soldiers vs. Military Drug Policy 
Quote from the rest of the article:
{ Dr. Edward Gogek, an addiction psychiatrist in private practice, believes people are pretending to use marijuana for treatment — including veterans. He said most veterans are substance abusers and should not be allowed to ingest marijuana."You're talking about giving an addictive drug to people with substance- abuse disorders," Gogek said. He said there are non-addictive approaches to treating sleep disorders, PTSD and other conditions. }Where does Dr. Gogek think these so-called "substance- abuse disorders" originate? Does Dr. Gogek believe that cannabis is "addictive" because of his vocation or because of scientific studies?The U.S. Air Force gives pilots Go pills (a form of speed) and No-Go pills (a form of sedative) on a regular basis. Both are known to be very addictive. Field interns give morphine, a highly addictive narcotic pain-killer, to soldiers injured on the battlefield or in hospital after-care. Even the use of alcohol (another sedative) by soldiers on R&R, Rest and Relaxation, Leave has been permitted by the military for decades in numerous wars. Are we going to blame individual soldiers for the effects of standard wartime military drug use policies?
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 05, 2012 at 11:49:19 PT
Politics
I never thought much about politics before getting online and learning more. The Internet helps people look more into issues. What Party leans one way or the other should be important to us as individuals. I was so crushed when JFK was shot and murdered I just didn't care anymore. I was young and impressionable when that happened. I think many people went thru life not caring until they needed to care about something important to them.
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Comment #8 posted by schmeff on June 05, 2012 at 10:58:18 PT
runruff
When I see what damage these so-called "low information voters" can inflict on our republic...voting party-line (your mother-in-law probably thinks the party line she's voting for is the same line as it was in the '60s & '70s)...I'm so frustrated that getting choked out by the weed seems like the only sane alternative.
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on June 05, 2012 at 10:20:02 PT
My Mom-in-Law that is.
Yeah that is what I meant.Listen, I do not say you cannot vote party line if you agree with your party on the issues. I am saying My Mom-in-Law does not know the issues or how they arrived at them, who's who or who is funding them or how much their backers benefit from the legislation that is passed in their behalf?Participating in the governance of our country is a big responsibility and needs as much tending as any garden or else we become choked out by the weeds, if you will forgive me my simple metaphor?
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on June 05, 2012 at 09:56:48 PT
runruff
You mean your Mom only votes the party line right? I only vote for Democrats. I voted for Reagan and I will never make that mistake again.
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Comment #5 posted by runruff on June 05, 2012 at 09:47:25 PT
Thanx FoM
I meant to say " I only vote party line" I guess you knew that.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 05, 2012 at 09:27:28 PT
runruff
Just a hiccup. All fixed!
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Comment #3 posted by runruff on June 05, 2012 at 09:03:55 PT

Oops!
Either that was one dynamite bong hit or I am seeing double?
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on June 05, 2012 at 09:01:39 PT

My dear Mother-in-Law.
I asked her how she feels about W's presidency, is she happy with him still.
She said I only vote party live. I don't study the issues.I asked her how she feels about stopping the war in the middle east? Why doesn't she help us stop it.She said what can one person do? One person cannot fight city hall or the government. What about pot prohibition? If the government says it is bad then we should just obey the law. I love her but I can clearly see that as a voter [which she is] she is part of the problem and all too typical.
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