{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/ptsd/2","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2518-markdown","title":"Why Do Some Patients Dab Medical Marijuana?","slug":"why-do-some-patients-dab-medical-marijuana","content":"In the previous installment of our series geared towards folks new to cannabis, we broke down the [various types of cannabis concentrates](https://hellomd.com/articles/understanding-cannabis-concentrates-and-how-to-use-them) and the many ways to consume them. In this article, we put the spotlight on dabbing, perhaps the most controversial method of using cannabis concentrates. While many argue that dabbing bears no medicinal value, others say it’s the only method that truly helps ease their symptoms or conditions.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nWondering if dabbing might be right for you? To help you decide, we lay out some of the reasons why dabbing cannabis is so controversial and explore why patients choose to dab.\n\nRELATED: [IS DABBING GOOD FOR YOU?](https://hellomd.com/articles/is-dabbing-good-for-you)\n\n### The Potential Risks Associated With Dabbing\n\nDabbing is a method of consuming cannabis concentrates usually in higher doses than are possible when using other methods. Patients dab using a dab rig, which is similar in appearance to a bong. But instead of having a glass bowl where flower is burned, a dab rig has a metal or quartz “nail.” When dabbing, this nail is heated and a dab of concentrate is dropped onto or pressed against the nail. At low temperatures, the concentrate is vaporized on contact, while at higher temperatures it combusts and is turned into smoke. Either way, the patient inhales the smoke or vapor through the neck of the dab rig and is quickly given a large dose of cannabinoids.\n\nDabbing has garnered a fairly bad reputation over the last few years—and not without cause. Because it makes taking large doses of cannabinoids very easy, it’s also extremely easy to take in more cannabis than is manageable and comfortable for a given individual. When dabbing high THC extracts, many folks report having had overwhelming experiences. [Some even head to the emergency room, complaining of distorted vision, overwhelming panic or other uncomfortable side effects from THC](https://hellomd.com/articles/why-dabbing-has-no-place-in-medical-marijuana). While these effects subside after the high wears off, the effects of a large dose of psychoactive THC can be very frightening. \n\nAnother controversial aspect of dabbing is the way the nail is heated. To heat the nail, many dabbers use a mini blow torch, which can occasionally leak butane and poses a potential fire hazard. We recommend avoiding this practice if you dab and instead opt for an e-nail, which is heated electronically.\n\nUsing an e-nail reduces the potential risks that come with using a blow torch, and it also allows you to have more control over the temperature of your dabs. Keeping your temperature low will result in a safer dab, as certain elements of your concentrate—such as terpenes—can become carcinogenic when exposed to extreme heat. According to a recent study published in the American Chemical Society's ACS Omega, [to be on the safe side you should set your e-nail to temperatures lower than 611 degrees F](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.7b01130). \n\nDabbing is also controversial because most dabbers use concentrates that have been processed using butane. Butane not only poses health risks to humans when inhaled, but also carries risks for those making the extracts. Processing concentrates using this chemical can lead to explosions during manufacturing. To avoid the risks posed by the presence of this toxic and unstable chemical, we recommend using concentrates processed without chemical solvents. \n\n### Why Do Patients Dab Marijuana? \n\nGiven all of the risk factors that people face when dabbing, you may wonder why medical patients would ever choose to dab. There are so many cannabis options, you’d think that dabbing is really just something for recreational users. Still, many cannabis patients report that dabbing is the method that works best for them. And there are a number of reasons why some patients prefer it.  \n\nThe most obvious reason to dab is that each dose packs a major potency punch. Concentrates are rich with cannabinoids and terpenes, the medicinally active elements of the cannabis plant. While this can send novice users into an uncomfortable psychoactive trip, for patients with a high tolerance, the high potency level might be just what’s needed.\n\nAs a writer and a cannabis-use consultant, I frequently meet patients who tell me that the only method that works for them is dabbing. I hear this most often from patients who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Flashbacks to traumatic incidents can keep PTSD sufferers trapped in their memories for hours at a time, unable to function. That said, many report that the fast-acting, potent dose gained when dabbing is able to jolt them back into the present moment, shifting them out of their frightening memories and allowing them to function again.\n\nMeanwhile, other patients—such as those with severe chronic pain—report that dabbing is the best way to quickly and effectively relieve their painful symptoms. \n\nOther patients say they dab because they want a cleaner medicinal experience than smoking their cannabis. Because concentrates have less plant matter and more cannabinoids, patients can get the dose they need without as much smoke or vapor reaching their throat and lungs. If you need a higher level of potency, and you have to choose between smoking a joint and taking a single dab, keep in mind the joint requires inhaling a lot more smoke. Dabbing is an option that’s quicker and more efficient in terms of getting a higher dose without having to inhale as much of the non-medicinal elements of the plant. \n\n### How to Dab Marijuana Concentrates\n\nIf you’re interested in dabbing, there are a few [rules of thumb you can follow to ensure that you’re dabbing safely](https://hellomd.com/articles/how-to-dab-safely):\n\n* First, avoid cheap, low-quality dabbing nails. Low-quality titanium (below grade 2) or stainless steel nails can give off toxic chemicals when heated. Patients should stick to grade 2 titanium or quartz when purchasing a nail.\n* Second, look for high-quality concentrates that have been processed without chemical solvents.\n* Third, start by using a _very_ small amount with your dabs—until you get to know how they affect you. \n\nIf you think dabbing may be a good option for you, *check out our how-to video on dabbing with an e-nail*: \n\n`embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDYiH61QvzQ`\n\nIn our next installment of the Cannabis for Newbies series, we take a look at how and why folks consume edibles to address their medical needs.  \n  \nNeed a medical marijuana recommendation? [Consult with one of HelloMD’s knowledgeable doctors](https://hellomd.com/); it's easy, private and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAPABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGAAAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIEAQX/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAB66z1Jowf/8QAGxAAAgEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEBESEyH/2gAIAQEAAQUCGWNcslyn/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP/aAAgBAwEBPwE//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP/aAAgBAgEBPwE//8QAGRAAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhEAARAx/9oACAEBAAY/AtRIhirmf//EABsQAAMAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABETFBECGB/9oACAEBAAE/IeltUpJOWvXCvpORYSImBU//2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAEGjv/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBH/2gAIAQMBAT8Qp//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABD/2gAIAQIBAT8QP//EABsQAQEAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERAEEhYYGR/9oACAEBAAE/EG8QigsuWAQHLTvC9vjgGFi1/HT3k7QTlZkTWf/Z","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/14b42/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg","srcSet":"/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/f836f/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg 200w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/2244e/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg 400w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/14b42/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg 800w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/47498/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg 1200w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/0e329/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg 1600w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/123d9/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.jpg 2719w","srcWebp":"/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/58556/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/61e93/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp 200w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/1f5c5/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp 400w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/58556/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp 800w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/99238/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp 1200w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/7c22d/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp 1600w,\n/static/581fee9c5d3f019590ea0f32e04b0b9c/094f8/05f68c3c5a18d167fad865370f7d5fea.webp 2719w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2450-markdown","title":"3 Popular Questions About Marijuana & PTSD Answered","slug":"3-popular-questions-about-marijuana-and-ptsd-answered","content":"This past Veteran’s Day, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo allowed people in his state suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) access to legal medical marijuana. Anecdotally, people with PTSD say that medicinal cannabis helps ease insomnia, anxiety and other issues associated with the disorder—without the unwanted side effects that many pharmaceutical medications have.\n\nWe’ve gathered three of our top questions from our [Answers](https://www.hellomdcom/) platform about how marijuana can help with symptoms of PTSD. Answers were submitted by knowledgeable members of our community including doctors and cannabis-business owners. We hope this discussion clarifies how medical marijuana could help you or someone you know who suffers from PTSD. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Q: Does marijuana ever make PTSD worse?\n**_What has been your experience with vets in general? If it helps someone with PTSD, why?_**\n\nAnswer: @andrewvanmd Veterans and others dealing with PTSD often experience panic attacks, nightmares, pain, insomnia, anxiety and other debilitating issues. Most of the medications that are prescribed for these conditions can have serious side effects. Cannabis is very safe and there is no harm in giving it a trial. It should be used with care, and patients should start with small doses and observe closely for effects. CBD is a good option if anxiety is a concern.\n\n### Q: My husband just returned from serving overseas and is very anxious. The doctors are treating him for PTSD.\n**_He doesn't like the drugs they’re prescribing; the side effects are horrible! Some of his friends are using marijuana and having great results. Do you recommend this? Should he smoke it? What strains are best for PTSD? I'll do whatever I need to do to help him feel better and to get my \"old\" husband back._**\n\nAnswer: @dredmunds I’ve treated several patients suffering from PTSD that found cannabis to be helpful for their condition. As you state that he is very anxious due to his condition, I would recommend indica strains. Indicas tends to be sedating and relaxing and is also helpful for sleep. If your husband has depression as a component of his PTSD, an indica-dominant hybrid containing some sativa may be helpful.\n\nI discourage smoking cannabis, as the products of combustion (carbon monoxide, tar, carcinogens) contain compounds that may be harmful to one's health. Vaporizing is a great shorter-acting alternative to smoking as are oral tinctures. Edibles are much longer acting and are therefore helpful for patients also suffering from insomnia.\n\n`embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUJ13-kqsRU`\n\n### Q: As a Women with PTSD; I have been having an awful time. \n**_I started with a high CBD product that worked great but for only three weeks, now I have severe depression. Then I tried to increase THC, but nothing happened. I tried tapering off my meds (the usual stuff for PTSD and depression) but I had such bad time, I ended up back on meds. Because I am on supplemental security income and state insurance, I am unable to find therapy to work on this horrific bout of PTSD and depression._** \n\n**_In making this long story even longer—do you have any suggestions? I am so novice on the whole concept. I like the CBD for getting out of my head, but need something that’s energizing too. I haven't been out to socialize in months, so I’d like to find something that will help with that and also help keep my thoughts quite at night._**\n\nAnswer: @jessicapeters, President of Moxie Meds I'm so sorry to hear about your experiences with PTSD—and of course the lack of appropriate resources to address it. As a fellow non-veteran woman with PTSD, I've also found I had easier access to pharmaceuticals than to therapy and I understand your frustrations. It's also difficult to find a medication only temporarily successful. While it's unclear to me what ratio of high CBD medication you tried first, and what the small increase of THC equated to in terms of ratio, I suggest trying something in the range of 4:1 to 1:1. Unless of course you have a very low tolerance to THC, in which case you might want to stick to 4:1 or above and stay at a low dose initially. We find that it's very worthwhile to try a couple different CBD-rich medications with a bit of range on the ratios so that you can assess what may work best for you. This can be costly so it's worthwhile to take advantage of sampling events, sales, free gifts and donations where you can.\n\nYou bring up a very good point about how many patients have to troubleshoot before they find what ratio, dose, and delivery system works best for them. It's also important to consider that your dosing needs can potentially change over time as you develop a tolerance or as your body and wellness experiences change. I encourage patients not to give up and to work with advocacy organizations to request medications providers, dispensaries, and delivery services to offer more free samples so this process doesn't become financially taxing for those who are on a fixed income.\n\nWe also find a lot of benefit to taking notes of your experiences with various cannabis medications so that you can better suss out which options may be most effective for you in the long run. This \"note taking\" may also include your experiences with pharmaceutical medications as well as diet, exercise and other natural medicine modalities—it's all about allowing you, and any caregivers or health practitioners you engage with, a full picture of your experience with wellness and health.\n\nPhoto credit: [Vin Stratton](https://unsplash.com/@vinstratton)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/14b42/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg","srcSet":"/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/f836f/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg 200w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/2244e/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg 400w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/14b42/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg 800w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/47498/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg 1200w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/0e329/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg 1600w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/3340d/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.jpg 3200w","srcWebp":"/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/58556/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/61e93/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp 200w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/1f5c5/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp 400w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/58556/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp 800w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/99238/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp 1200w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/7c22d/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp 1600w,\n/static/208f8464dab90cb2524f98ea4aa5f72a/f9eef/b871da9d48273bb30352a8a4c83272fc.webp 3200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2484-markdown","title":"PTSD Now Approved for Medical Marijuana in New York","slug":"ptsd-now-approved-for-medical-marijuana-in-new-york","content":"On Veteran’s Day, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law granting sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) access to legal medical marijuana. PTSD now joins the other conditions eligible for medical cannabis in New York including HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease and chronic pain. \n\nGovernor Cuomo said, “Our veterans risked their lives in order to defend the ideals and principles that this nation was founded upon, and it is our duty to do everything we can to support them when they return home.”\n\nIt’s estimated that around 19,000 New Yorkers with PTSD could now be helped by medicinal cannabis. And that includes not only military veterans but also survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, violent crimes and others who’ve lived through a traumatic event. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Why Medical Marijuana May Help With PTSD\n\nWe have a network of cannabinoid receptors in our bodies called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is hugely important as it regulates a variety of functions and overall good health. Cannabinoids are the compounds that stimulate the ECS. We produce cannabinoids naturally, but they’re also found in marijuana. \n\nStudies show that [people suffering from PTSD have more cannabinoid receptors than others, but also have low levels of cannabinoids](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55fa22d93262620006740000/new-finds-on-ptsd-and-medical-marijuana), especially the naturally occurring cannabinoid anandamide, which is responsible for promoting a state of happiness and contentment. Since marijuana not only contains cannabinoids, but also increases cannabinoid levels in the body, it seems to be an effective treatment for PTSD. Plus, it’s safer than the usually prescribed opioid drugs, which can be highly addictive.\n\nRELATED: [TOP 5 LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO HELP COMBAT PTSD](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a0386ab8f636c1a54df9e1d/top-5-lifestyle-changes-to-help-combat-ptsd)\n\n### Where to Start With Cannabis for PTSD\n\nIf you’re experiencing PTSD symptoms and want to add cannabis to your daily routine, a good place to start might be an anxiety-relief tincture or any marijuana product high in cannabidiol (CBD), which is shown to help with anxiety and inflammation. You can also head over to our [Answers](https://www.hellomd.com/answers) page to see what others with PTSD are using to treat their symptoms.\n\nPhoto credit: [eflon](https://www.flickr.com/people/eflon/)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/14b42/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/f836f/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.jpg 200w,\n/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/2244e/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.jpg 400w,\n/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/14b42/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.jpg 800w,\n/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/d8343/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.jpg 925w","srcWebp":"/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/58556/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/61e93/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.webp 200w,\n/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/1f5c5/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.webp 400w,\n/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/58556/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.webp 800w,\n/static/89699a32e274cee0a13ceeb7a18bb05f/502a6/20607f1e8d0cbd6f5bd34c8e7538c03d.webp 925w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2293-markdown","title":"Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Help Combat PTSD","slug":"top-5-lifestyle-changes-to-help-combat-ptsd","content":"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is likely to [affect 7.8% of Americans at some point in their lives](http://www.ptsd.ne.gov/what-is-ptsd.html) and can be truly debilitating without proper treatment. \n\nSo what is PTSD, exactly? It’s defined as [a mental health issue that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event](https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-overview/basics/what-is-ptsd.asp), specifically combat, natural disasters, car accidents or sexual assault.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nThe most common treatment for PTSD is the use of pharmaceuticals, specifically antidepressants and opioids. These prescription drugs can be effective, but also [addictive](https://www.healthline.com/health/opioids-and-related-disorders#overview1) and [harmful](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4970636/) in the long term, which is why so many with PTSD look for alternative and effective options. Luckily, there are holistic treatments and lifestyle changes that can help.\n\nRELATED: [NEW FINDS ON PTSD AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55fa22d93262620006740000/new-finds-on-ptsd-and-medical-marijuana)\n\n### Holistic Treatments for PTSD Can Include Cannabis\n\nVeterans Affairs and other reputable organizations rightly state that there’s little to no medical research proving cannabis to be a safe and effective treatment for PTSD. But this is misleading. While the current medical research is sparse, it’s largely because cannabis is classed as a Schedule 1 drug, making it all but impossible to get medical research trials approved. \n\nBut plenty of [anecdotal evidence shows cannabis to be an effective treatment option](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/11/06/veterans-tell-of-medical-marijuana-use-in-defiance-of-backward-federal-policy/?utm_term=.ac62176c0982). In fact, observational and anecdotal research on her own psychiatric patients led Dr. Sue Sisley to begin her cannabis and PTSD research. She’s now the principal investigator on the first [FDA-approved clinical trial testing the efficacy of medical marijuana as a treatment for PTSD](https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/aemv44/the-fda-finally-approved-a-weed-trial-for-vets-with-ptsd-weedweek2017). \n\nIf you’re looking to add medical marijuana to your routine in the hopes of finding relief from PTSD, try an anxiety-relief tincture as a good way to start. It’s a liquid that you take sublingually (under the tongue) so there’s no smoking or vaping involved. The high CBD content is good for treating PTSD and inflammation.\n\nIf you’d like to vape or smoke, a strain that seems to work well for combating PTSD symptoms is Mr. Nice. It’s an indica-dominant strain that people use not only for PTSD but insomnia and chronic pain, too. \n\n`embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUJ13-kqsRU`\n\n### Support Systems for PTSD Sufferers\n\nA 2007 study looked at the robust literature regarding [social support and its effect on stress and mental health](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921311/). The review concluded that there are “protective effects of having access to rich and functional social networks on maintaining physical and psychological health.” \n\nIf you’re suffering from PTSD and looking for social support outside of your network of family and friends, try attending a PTSD support group. You can search the [support group finder on _Psychology Today_’s website](https://groups.psychologytoday.com/rms/) to locate a group near you. \n\n### Trauma-Sensitive Yoga to Help Treat PTSD\n\nOftentimes, those with PTSD complain of loss of awareness when it comes to their physical and emotional state in the present moment. Since yoga focuses on being fully present, it shows promise as a complementary treatment for those suffering from PTSD. \n\nA 2017 study published in _The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine_ looked at [the effectiveness of trauma-sensitive yoga for managing PTSD](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28458503). Thirty-one adult women with PTSD from early childhood trauma participated in the study and the researchers concluded that yoga helps “regulate affective arousal, increases ability to experience emotions safely in the present moment, and promotes a sense of safety and comfort within one’s body.” \n\nWhile yoga shouldn’t be used as a singular treatment for PTSD, it’s a good complementary lifestyle change to help strengthen the efficacy of primary treatments. \n\n### Increased Exercise to Manage PTSD Symptoms\t\n\n[Exercise is a well-known and effective stress reliever](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469). It releases endorphins, which help improve and elevate mood. But exercise—specifically movement that engages your arms and legs—is also great for practicing mindfulness. Good exercises to choose from include boxing, running, swimming, dancing and rock climbing. Engaging in 30 minutes of these types of activities daily can help manage symptoms of PTSD by lowering stress levels and encouraging awareness of emotional and physical feelings. \n\n### Exposure Therapy to Help Ease PTSD\n\nAnother psychological treatment that’s widely used to treat PTSD is exposure therapy, which focuses on confronting fears rather than avoiding them. The idea behind exposure therapy is that while avoiding fears that relate to traumatic experiences can be a viable option in the short term, it’s actually healthier in the long run to confront those fears. A psychologist can identify the type of exposure therapy method that would be the best path for you.\n\nA 2011 study looked at the [wide body of medical research regarding exposure therapy and PTSD](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexander_Jordan4/publication/286451217_Exposure_therapy_for_PTSD/links/566a2ddb08aea0892c49ea10/Exposure-therapy-for-PTSD.pdf). This study concluded that exposure therapy, following a wide range of traumas, has a long and successful clinical history, and recent research generally supports the efficacy of exposure treatment for PTSD. \n\nIf you’re struggling with PTSD, remember, you’re not alone. It’s important to talk with your doctor before making any changes to your prescription medicine routine, but these and other lifestyle changes could be important pieces to the puzzle of helping ease your PTSD symptoms.\n\nPhoto Credit: [Andrik Langfield Petrides](@the_alp_photography)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. \n\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3513513513513513,"src":"/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/14b42/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/f836f/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.jpg 200w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/2244e/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.jpg 400w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/14b42/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.jpg 800w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/47498/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.jpg 1200w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/3ea67/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.jpg 1388w","srcWebp":"/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/58556/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/61e93/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.webp 200w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/1f5c5/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.webp 400w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/58556/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.webp 800w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/99238/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.webp 1200w,\n/static/7737dc7c2547e75b6da50b862ddf1510/6edf8/514513d0f8fabdedf6c7d00e138309da.webp 1388w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2245-markdown","title":"First Marijuana and PTSD Study Struggles to Get Underway","slug":"first-marijuana-and-ptsd-study-struggles-to-get-underway","content":"It’s been an uphill battle for Arizona psychiatrist Sue Sisley who has experienced an ongoing series of obstacles that have prevented her from completing her study on how marijuana interacts with and affects military veterans with treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her groundbreaking research trial—approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—aims to look into the efficacy of cannabis treatment for PTSD-related symptoms that can range from irritability, severe anxiety and social isolation to night terrors, flashbacks and insomnia. It would be the first of its kind in the United States to be completed—if Sisley can get the help of the medical community in her state.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### Sisley Faces Controversial Dismissal from Her Professorship \r\n\r\nSisley first came into the spotlight a few years ago when the University of Arizona College of Medicine chose not to renew her contract position as clinical assistant professor of psychiatry back in 2014. Although the college declined to offer any reason for her dismissal, she believed that her firing was a political move inspired by her connection to her cannabis and PTSD study, which she’d been working on get approved since 2009 and which drew unwanted attention to the school.\r\n\r\nAfter the controversy, Sisley was able to bounce back thanks to help from the founder and owner of the Weed Depot, a marijuana marketplace directory and social platform. Howard Baer offered her an office space to use for her telemedicine practice as well as a warehouse space where the study could be conducted, putting Sisley back on track after such a big setback. \r\n\r\nRELATED: [Recovery from Trauma: The Role of Medical Marijuana in PTSD Treatment](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/recovery-from-trauma-the-role-of-medical-marijuana-in-ptsd-treatment)\r\n\r\n### Marijuana Trial Faces Obstacles at the Phoenix VA Hospital\r\n\r\nThe randomized, blind, controlled trial is being funded by a generous grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a nonprofit research and educational organization. That said, the trial has been plagued with obstacles, making it a struggle to recruit the 76 participants needed to complete the study. The biggest challenge has been around Phoenix Veterans Administration (VA) hospital’s failure to help with the study’s patient recruitment efforts, leaving Sisley with less than one third of the needed number of participants to complete the research. \r\n\r\nIn a [letter of appeal to David Shulkin](https://reason.com/assets/db/15040399002827.pdf), the secretary of Veterans Affairs, Sisley writes that the VA hospital’s current director told her that she “cannot support any research that does not utilize VA personnel.” Hospital regulations prevent advertising any outside research that isn’t being conducted by the VA. Also, because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, the hospital maintains it can’t advertise the study in their facilities or inform patients who could potentially participate about the opportunity, even though the study has federal approval and medical marijuana is legal in the state.\r\n\r\n“The fact that the VA is blocking Dr. Sisley’s attempts to recruit patients for her study speaks volumes as to how serious the VA is about treating veterans with PTSD,” says Perry Solomon, M.D. and Chief Medical Officer at HelloMD. “Our veterans have found out for themselves that cannabis has helped them in their daily lives. Here is a outstanding physician who wants to use scientific methods to validate cannabis’s efficacy and she is getting no help from the agency that has been charged with protecting the health of our veterans.”\r\n\r\nWithout support from the VA hospital, there have been no new inquiries or enrollments. If Sisley can’t recruit enough participants soon, she’ll run out of time—she’s been given a deadline to recruit—and lose the grant awarded to her from the CDPHE.\r\n\r\n**Watch:** [Dr. Sue Sisley Talks about Medical Marijuana, PTSD and Scientific Freedom](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU7hVRiQHG8)\r\n\r\n### Sisley Calls on the Secretary of VA for Help with her Cannabis Study\r\n \r\nRight now, Sisley’s efforts are focused on getting the secretary of Veterans Affairs to take a series of actions that she’s outlined in her letter. One such action involves contacting the Phoenix VA hospital director to ask for approval to pass out a physician referral letter that has been approved by the Institutional Review Board to all of the hospital's medical and support staff including its social workers. Sisley’s also seeking permission to post fliers in designated areas around the hospital, targeting parts of the facility that cater specifically to veterans where the desired demographic would be able to see the information. \r\n\r\n“With 22 veterans committing suicide each day, one would think that the VA would do anything possible to help decrease this shocking number. This study is good place for them to start,” says Dr. Solomon. \r\n\r\nUnless some of her requested changes are implemented, the success of the study will rely heavily on word-of-mouth information.\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.  \r\n\r\nPhoto credit: cannabisreports.com\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/14b42/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/f836f/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.jpg 200w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/2244e/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.jpg 400w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/14b42/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.jpg 800w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/47498/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.jpg 1200w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/06b8e/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.jpg 1362w","srcWebp":"/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/58556/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/61e93/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.webp 200w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/1f5c5/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.webp 400w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/58556/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.webp 800w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/99238/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.webp 1200w,\n/static/d5844b3b3bd3d642281687336dbc1dfa/8103a/2626b98af6ac20083093aad258e6436b.webp 1362w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2328-markdown","title":"MDMA Assisted Therapy: a Successful Treatment for PTSD?","slug":"mdma-assisted-therapy-a-successful-treatment-for-ptsd","content":"Ecstasy, also known as molly, is a party drug best known for its ability to promote trust, emotional openness, and general good feelings. Now, MDMA, the key ingredient in that party drug, has [won FDA approval](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/ecstasy-could-be-breakthrough-therapy-for-soldiers-others-suffering-from-ptsd/2017/08/26/009314ca-842f-11e7-b359-15a3617c767b_story.html?utm_term=.c6feac103822) as a “breakthrough” drug that should be [fast tracked to production](https://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/LawsEnforcedbyFDA/SignificantAmendmentstotheFDCAct/FDASIA/ucm329491.htm) for its potential in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. But that potential has limitations – and cannabis, another controlled substance, may have far broader applications for treating the symptoms of PTSD.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nEarly studies [sponsored]( http://www.maps.org/research/mdma) by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) reveal that overall, 83 percent of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD after using MDMA. That kind of success, say MAPS researchers, is reason to push for final studies aimed at getting full approval to market MDMA for PTSD treatment by 2021.  \n\nThe [results]( http://www.mdmaptsd.org/research-category.html)\n of the MAPS studies have recently made headlines for their promise of new hope for sufferers of PTSD. Those results come from a small number of studies that explore MDMA specifically as a tool for supporting psychotherapy, not as a treatment for PTSD symptoms themselves. \n\nBut decades of research has shown that cannabis, or “medical marijuana,” to be a safe and effective treatment for a long list of health conditions, including symptoms of PTSD. Still, cannabis remains a [Schedule I substance](https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml)\nwith no FDA approval on the horizon, much less recognition as a breakthrough drug.\n\nRELATED: [WHY AMERICAN VETERANS AREN’T ALLOWED TO TREAT THEIR PTSD WITH CANNABIS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/571eb64b40f3db000c0000d4/why-american-veterans-arent-allowed-to-treat-their-ptsd-with-cannabis)\n\n### What Is MDMA? \n\nMDMA is short for 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine – a [chemical compound](https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasymolly) that acts on the brain’s “feel good” neurotransmitters serotonin and, dopamine. It amplifies emotional connectedness, encourages people to be more open and trusting, and promotes a feeling of euphoria and relaxation. \n\nEcstasy contains MDMA, but the two are not the same. The illegal recreational form of the drug can also include many other ingredients, some of them highly toxic. The MDMA used in PTSD research is a pure, lab-synthesized form of the drug. In all its forms, though, MDMA joins heroin and cannabis on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of Schedule I drugs – substances considered highly addictive and having no medical applications.\n\n### MDMA Makes PTSD Therapy More Effective\n\nPeople with PTSD experience a long list of distressing symptoms including nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, anxiety and depression. A number of medications can be prescribed to treat those symptoms, such as antidepressants or sleep aids. But as used in the MAPS studies, MDMA works in a very different and highly specific way to support recovery from PTSD.\n\nA key part of PTSD treatment is therapy to help people process and come to terms with their memories of traumatic experiences. But that can be too difficult for many PTSD sufferers. The MAPS studies explored whether adding MDMA to a therapeutic treatment regimen would make that process easier. This strategy, called MDMA Assisted Therapy, takes advantage of MDMA’s properties for boosting trust, connectedness and emotional openness to create a better patient-therapist bond and encourage open communication.\n\nParticipants in the MAPS studies received a dose of MDMA just before or during three separate therapy sessions. Researchers found that the drug helped patients feel safer with the therapist and more comfortable talking about their traumatic experiences. In that way, they were able to get the full benefit of “talk” therapy designed to reduce their symptoms. Participants had no access to MDMA outside their therapy sessions, and never received more than three doses.\n\nDid it work? According to MAPS researchers, 83 percent of participants in the 7 preliminary studies no longer met the criteria for PTSD after using MDMA along with therapy. Each study involved a group ranging from 16 to over a hundred participants, most of whom had been diagnosed with treatment resistant PTSD, and they were followed for up to a year after they received therapy.\n \n### Could Marijuana Be A Better Option?\n\nCan MDMA alleviate PTSD symptoms all on its own, without highly structured therapeutic interventions? The MAPS studies don’t address that aspect of the question. But a substantial body of research indicates that cannabis certainly can.\n\nBecause cannabis and all its extracts remain on the DEA’s Schedule I, that designation severely limits government-backed research on its medical properties. But a number of large scale academic and private sector studies show that cannabis can relieve a wide range of PTSD symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, depression and hyperarousal, independent of other kinds of therapies.\n\n### Research on PTSD Symptom Relief\n\nThe number of [studies on medical cannabis](https://www.cannabis-med.org/studies/study.php) for a wide range of conditions including PTSD dwarf the MAPS MDMA studies, where the largest study group consisted of 130 individuals and the typical number of participants in any given study was under 25. Recent [studies](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-release-study-on-cannabis-use-as-a-substitute-for-opioid-and-non-opioid-based-pain-medication )on medical cannabis have included data from more than 3000 participants in the HelloMD database alone, with as many as 91 percent reporting that they got more symptom relief from cannabis alone than from pharmaceuticals. \n\nAlthough the MAPS research revealed that MDMA made therapy more effective, it’s important to remember that MDMA use in those studies was limited to just three doses under the supervision of a trained therapist. Private sector and academic research on cannabis over the past two decades show that cannabis products such as cannabidiol, or CBD, can be used safely over long periods of time as needed to relieve PTSD symptoms, whether therapy is involved or not.\n\nMDMA triggers the production of positive neurotransmitters in the brain, but its effects are limited and relatively short term. Cannabis works with the body’s own vast network of endocannabinoid receptors that affect mood, immune response and a long list of other functions. In that way, cannabis can be used when needed for global benefits to both body and mind. \n\nThe MAPS research on MDMA is racing to its final stages, bringing with it new hope for PTSD sufferers whose symptoms resist other treatments. But MDMA isn’t the only party drug with medicinal properties. Compared to cannabis, it’s just the newest kid on the block.\n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.  \n\n[Photo credit EP Holcomb](https://www.flickr.com/photos/thewhocaresgirl/4989856243/in/photolist-ohUmqe-phv4Qx-e7rj8J-6J3E2p-8AWjqc-3fMMmk-dsQrj6-VaoLeR-W4mgHW-VnMJ3v-S8XHh8-aaB3De-6KdwRg-oWK6fQ-4pC8D5-RjPyM9-e6R5ty-5z7nTc-9mmLQd-dtX8Mi-iR3Ad9-dzzVcr-2ek2ea-6ynWpe-65trSe-dvH33S-bU3H4n-QXBQep-9GyLJ1-9MFmGV-TF2jAt-493kSV-fhVAMX-72bnA-bCEdjm-5U33KM-djfETZ-7XFgKN-o97VrA-WZFs4o-fov2jw-atoz8t-6Ad7Zi-aac6uf-5wDznE-e5wkVf-aiv8jJ-dZfTZY-2pTjG4-7EtaKU)\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/14b42/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.jpg","srcSet":"/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/f836f/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.jpg 200w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/2244e/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.jpg 400w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/14b42/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.jpg 800w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/47498/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.jpg 1200w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/54ac5/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/58556/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/61e93/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.webp 200w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/1f5c5/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.webp 400w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/58556/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.webp 800w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/99238/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.webp 1200w,\n/static/e9bb14fce21e91ff343e33665f401851/5e0b8/cb5f6dad80e69e62ecea402fbc8a7cfe.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2141-markdown","title":"New York Expands Condition List for Medical Marijuana Certifications","slug":"new-york-expands-condition-list-for-medical-marijuana-certifications","content":"### A Restrictive Medical Market \n\n![Untitled.png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Untitled_9042f9d425.png)\n\nWhen New York’s medical marijuana industry was launched in January of 2016 it was considered to be one of the most restrictive in the United States. Patients, experts, and even the Health Commissioner of the state of New York, believed that access to medical cannabis was too difficult for patients in need based on the limited number of health conditions allowed. \n\nNew York began its medical marijuana industry with a very strict set of conditions that allowed patients to access cannabis. This only included conditions that were considered extremely serious or terminal, including HIV/AIDs, Parkinson’s, Cancer, Epilepsy, MS, and other equally serious conditions. Chronic pain was recently added to the list of reasons for which patients could receive a medical marijuana recommendation. Adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition was a major step forward in allowing more patients in need to access medical marijuana, especially as an alternative to harsh opioids that are often prescribed for this condition.\n\nRELATED: [RECEIVE YOUR MEDICAL CERTIFICATION 100% ONLINE IN NEW YORK STATE](https://www.hellomd.com)\n\n### New Changes Make Cannabis More Accessible \n\n![Untitled2.png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Untitled2_361fa2fe25.png)\n\nThe new changes to the industry are part of an effort by the state to make the industry more accessible to patients, Health Commissioner [Dr. Howard Zucker](https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2018/2018-06-18_dr_zucker_on_status_of_regulated_marijuana_report.htm) said in a statement about the program recent changes to the program, \"We are constantly evaluating the program to make it more effective for patients and practitioners, and we believe that the implementation of these recommendations will do just that.” This echoes the results of a report by the New York Department of Health that recommended increasing accessibility of the program. \n\nCurrently there are about 7,000 patients and twenty dispensaries that support patients across the state. For a state the size of New York, this limited scope greatly limits accessibility for patients who may need medical cannabis for a variety of conditions. When the state’s [medical program](https://cannabis.ny.gov/practitioners) initially launched, it only allowed doctors licensed in the state of New York, to recommend medical marijuana. Recent changes however, have since expanded the pool of people who can recommend cannabis by allowing Physician’s Assistants and Nurse Practitioners.\n\n### Qualifying Condition List Expands\n\n![Untitled3.png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Untitled3_f0cc38cfe6.png)\n\nMany other bills have been proposed to add a variety of conditions to the list of qualifiers, but many of those bills fail to get beyond the state senate’s health committee. A new bipartisan bill, however, has gained traction in New York to add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis. We have seen that cannabis, particularly CBD based products, can greatly benefit those who suffer from PTSD, many of whom are veterans. \n\nThe bill has passed through the New York health committee and is now going up for a vote in the state senate. Michael Krawitz, the executive director of Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access, has [said about the progress of the bill](https://www.forbes.com/sites/debraborchardt/2017/05/11/new-york-state-adds-ptsd-to-medical-marijuana-program-will-menstrual-cramps-be-next/#2f73ea0b1108), “I am grateful to the Senate Health Committee for advancing this compassionate bill, and on behalf of countless veterans who could benefit, I urge the full Senate to promptly approve the bill. Veterans with PTSD should not have to choose between FDA-approved medications that carry a black box suicide warning and off-label drugs with no clinical efficacy and horrible side effects…There is another way: medical marijuana has helped veterans have a restful night’s sleep instead of night terrors, and thus experience a better quality of life.” The bill to add PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions is not the only bill related to cannabis that is going to the senate floor. \n\n[Bill 582](https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A00582&term=&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y), which was put forward [by assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/06/157147/marijuana-period-pain-cramps-new-york-law), is attempting to add dysmenorrhea and other PMS related pain to the list of approved conditions. This bill has a high profile supporter, Whoopi Goldberg, who is willing to come forward and help the cause of getting this bill pushed forward. Goldberg said she will work hard to help the state senate understand why Bill 582 is important, “I'm going to try. I strongly believe that I can help them understand why this is not a high.” Even though chronic pain is currently seen as a qualifying condition, menstrual related pain is not considered chronic pain under the law. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=5A17A060-68D7-4D1B-84BD-282D314E1820)\n\n### Challenges to Overcome\n\n![Untitled4.png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Untitled4_007e82900b.png)\n\nMany more patients in New York could benefit from cannabis, and these bills could allow those people to gain the benefits of medical marijuana. New York, however, still has some hurdles for its cannabis marketplace. Patients have a limited selection of medical cannabis products, and the state only allows adults 21 years of age or older to buy and possess up to three ounces of cannabis flower and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis (oils, tincture, edibles, vapes, etc.) to be consumed. Other product types are not allowed, which may in turn allow the black market to flourish. An expansion of products could help benefit a variety of legal patients.\n\nNew York Ex-Governor Cuomo has addressed another issue, the lack of doctors. To help expand the [cannabis industry he says](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-medical-marijuana-program-struggles-grow-doctors-list-article-1.3142349), “We need to get more doctors knowledgeable and comfortable in prescribing marijuana.” The expansion of the number of prescribing doctors is not aided by the Medical Society of New York, which has made comments about the supposed lack of scientific evidence to support cannabis as a medication. A bright lining is that registered nurses are now allowed to approve medical certifications, which will greatly increase the number of people servicing patients in need.\n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private, and efficient.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/14b42/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.jpg","srcSet":"/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/f836f/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.jpg 200w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/2244e/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.jpg 400w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/14b42/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.jpg 800w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/47498/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.jpg 1200w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/54ac5/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/58556/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/61e93/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.webp 200w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/1f5c5/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.webp 400w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/58556/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.webp 800w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/99238/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.webp 1200w,\n/static/06a6b43cc8f208d6b9260a176801a6f8/5e0b8/ee2c9f483b1d5c4349467391af7dafb7.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2265-markdown","title":"New York Expands Condition List for Medical Marijuana","slug":"new-york-expands-condition-list-for-medical-marijuana","content":"### Limited Access to Medical Marijuana\n\nWhen New York’s medical marijuana industry was launched in January of 2016 it was considered to be one of the most restrictive in the United States. Patients, experts, and even the Health Commissioner of the state of New York, believed that access to medical cannabis was too difficult for patients in need based on the limited number of health conditions allowed. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nNew York began its medical marijuana industry with a very strict set of conditions that allowed patients to access cannabis. This only included conditions that were considered extremely serious or terminal, including HIV/AIDs, Parkinson’s, Cancer, Epilepsy, MS, and other equally serious conditions. \n\nChronic pain was recently added to the list of reasons for which patients could receive a medical marijuana recommendation. Adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition has been a major step in allowing more patients in need to access medical marijuana. This is especially important as cannabis is now being seen as an effective alternative to harsh opioids that are often prescribed for chronic pain.\n\n### Increasing Accessibility for Patients\n\nThe new changes are part of an effort by the state to put medical cannabis within reach for those who need it most. Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement about the program and a recent changes to the program, \"We are constantly evaluating the program to make it more effective for patients and practitioners, and we believe that the implementation of these recommendations will do just that.” This echoes the results of a report by the New York Department of Health that recommended increasing accessibility of the program. \n\nRELATED: [NEW YORK REDUCES BARRIER TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/584e255f648940000baca5ec/new-york-attempts-to-reduce-barriers-to-medical-marijuana)\n\nCurrently there are about 7,000 patients and twenty dispensaries that support patients across the state. For a state the size of New York this limited scope greatly limits accessibility for patients who may need medical cannabis for a variety of conditions. When the state’s medical program initially launched, it only allowed doctors licensed in the state of New York, to recommend medical marijuana. Recent changes however, have since expanded the pool of people who can recommend cannabis by allowing Physician’s Assistants and Nurse Practitioners.\n\n### Qualifying Condition List Expands\n\nMany other bills have been proposed to add a variety of conditions to the list of qualifiers, but many of those bills fail to get beyond the state senate’s health committee. A new bipartisan bill, however, has gained traction in New York to add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis. We have seen that cannabis, particularly CBD based products, can greatly benefit sufferers of PTSD, many of whom are veterans. \n\nThe bill has passed through the New York health committee and is now going up for a vote in the state senate. Michael Krawitz, the executive director of Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access, has [said about the progress of the bill](https://www.forbes.com/sites/debraborchardt/2017/05/11/new-york-state-adds-ptsd-to-medical-marijuana-program-will-menstrual-cramps-be-next/#2f73ea0b1108), “I am grateful to the Senate Health Committee for advancing this compassionate bill, and on behalf of countless veterans who could benefit, I urge the full Senate to promptly approve the bill. \n\nVeterans with PTSD should not have to choose between FDA-approved medications that carry a black box suicide warning and off-label drugs with no clinical efficacy and horrible side effects…There is another way: medical marijuana has helped veterans have a restful night’s sleep instead of night terrors, and thus experience a better quality of life.” The bill to add PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions is not the only bill related to cannabis that is going to the senate floor. \n\nBill 582, which was put forward by assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, is attempting to add dysmenorrhea and other PMS related pain to the list of approved conditions. This bill has a high profile supporter, Whoopi Goldberg, who is willing to come forward and help the cause of getting this bill pushed forward. Goldberg said she will work hard to help the state senate understand why Bill 582 is important, “I'm going to try. I strongly believe that I can help them understand why this is not a high.” Even though chronic pain is currently seen as a qualifying condition, menstrual related pain is not considered chronic pain under the law. \n\n### Limited Products Available\n\nIncreasing the amount of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana helps greatly increase patients accessibility to cannabis. Many more patients in New York could benefit from cannabis, and these bills could allow those people to gain the benefits of medical marijuana.  That said, patients have a limited selection of medical cannabis products and are only allowed to purchase products such as tinctures and capsules and flower is not available. An expansion of products would benefit a variety of patients as not every product works for every patient.\n\nThere is also the larger issue which is a lack of licensed doctors, growers, and producers. New York Governor Cuomo has addressed the lack of doctors to help expand the [cannabis industry by saying](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-medical-marijuana-program-struggles-grow-doctors-list-article-1.3142349), “We need to get more doctors knowledgeable and comfortable in prescribing marijuana.” The expansion of the number of prescribing doctors is not aided by the Medical Society of New York, which has made comments about the supposed lack of scientific evidence to support cannabis as a medication. \n\nDespite these comments, there is a desire for expanded medical marijuana industry in the state and there is the patient base to support it. The whole industry, however, it needs to expand in unison. As the amount of qualifiable conditions expand, there will need to be an increase in doctors who can recommend the product as well as an expansion of growers of producers who can feed the increasing demand for medication. \n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAPABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMFBP/EABYBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAB1OiNRokcs//EABsQAQACAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBEQADBBIU/9oACAEBAAEFAntjr6Bk8g2UnkwrndS//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP/aAAgBAwEBPwE//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP/aAAgBAgEBPwE//8QAHBAAAgEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERAiEiMTLh/9oACAEBAAY/ArVGzweTOhy5cn//xAAcEAACAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABEQAhMUFhUXH/2gAIAQEAAT8heVF6cICAt/YwHnUweD32FglquYgGbIM//9oADAMBAAIAAwAAABAwP//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEf/aAAgBAwEBPxBlf//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEf/aAAgBAgEBPxBsf//EAB8QAQACAgAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERIQAxQWGBobHB8P/aAAgBAQABPxAyR4JYS74Y4VZRS10wEyVQwmaUAk1slQ/RkIsFo0389sH0CbDl6z//2Q==","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/14b42/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.jpg","srcSet":"/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/f836f/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.jpg 200w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/2244e/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.jpg 400w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/14b42/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.jpg 800w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/47498/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.jpg 1200w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/54ac5/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/58556/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/61e93/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.webp 200w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/1f5c5/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.webp 400w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/58556/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.webp 800w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/99238/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.webp 1200w,\n/static/a3191f66a01fc12341cb239ce9af2e02/5e0b8/0a25ad743203547c2998b5a5237a18eb.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2315-markdown","title":"Top 11 Health Benefits of Marijuana","slug":"top-11-health-benefits-of-marijuana","content":"Cannabis has moved out of the grey area and into its rightful position as a part of a healthy approach to overall wellness. In fact, a recent study released from Duke University and the University of Arizona found that [long-term marijuana use didn’t lead to a decline in health](http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2526003). In this study, 1,000 participants from New Zealand were tracked over a 40-year period, each with a minimum of 20 years of consistent cannabis consumption—smoking, specifically. \n\nThe study found no decline in lung function as well as no increase in high blood pressure or diabetes. Nor did it detect any other deterioration in physical health. The one caveat to the study was that the researchers found high levels of gum disease among the study participants. That said, this is a factor that could very well decrease as people move away from smoking marijuana towards vaporizing cannabis as well as consuming edibles or using cannabis-infused topical products. \n\nIn addition, no similarities were found between those who engaged in long-term tobacco smoking versus long-term marijuana smoking. Avshalom Capsi, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University and the co-author of the study, said that “overall damage to physical health is not apparent in this study.” \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Top 11 Reasons Why Marijuana Is Good for You\n\nThis study adds new scientific evidence to the thousands of years of anecdotal evidence, which show that cannabis isn’t bad for your health, nor can it kill you. Meanwhile, 595,690 deaths a year in the U.S. alone are attributed to tobacco. What we’re now finding is that cannabis provides a variety of health benefits for both healthy individuals and those struggling with various illnesses. \n\nHere are 11 key—and sometimes surprising—benefits of cannabis.\n\n### Benefit #1: Cannabis Regulates Metabolism & Weight Loss\n\nA survey conducted at Nunavik Inuit Health in 2004 found that the 57.4% of people in the survey, who said they used cannabis, had a lower average percentage of fat mass, body mass index and fasting insulin levels. There were statistically significant differences between the groups of people who self-reported as smoking cannabis compared to those who didn’t. \n\nSmoking cannabis in the last year was associated with a 56% lower likelihood of obesity. This is just one of the many studies that ties lower rates of obesity to cannabis consumers. Researchers found that cannabis consumers’ waists are 1.5 inches smaller on average than that of non-cannabis users. Cannabis is believed to help regulate your metabolism, also making it a factor in lowering the risk of diabetes. \n\nIn addition, for a number of folks, cannabis can get people off the couch and moving—whether it’s on the road or in the gym. In fact, some claim that marijuana increases athletic performance, for long-distance runners and swimmers in particular. Some athletes claim that it improves focus and the ability to push past previous limitations.\n\n![One benefit of marijuana: regulating metabolism & improving sports performance](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/588fcc137bf61c000cbbd136/embedded_images/588fcc167bf61c000cbbd138/Screen_Shot_2017-01-30_at_3.20.53_PM.png)\n_One of the many benefits of marijuana is improved sports performance, especially in long-distance running._\n \n### Benefit #2: Marijuana Helps Alleviate Depression\n\nDepression is one of the most common medical conditions in the world. In a 2015 study from the University of Buffalo, RIA senior research scientist Samir Haj-Dahmane, Ph.D., said, “In the animal models we studied, we saw that chronic stress reduced the production of endocannabinoids, leading to depression-like behavior.”\n\nThis means that cannabis can be used to supplement endocannabinoids lacking within our system, helping the body return to homeostasis and in turn reducing levels of depression. Cannabis also aids in relieving stress, which is one of the biggest risk factors for depression. \n\n### Benefit #3: Cannabis Slows the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease\n\nAlzheimer’s disease is currently the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. It also causes mental disability for those afflicted many years prior to death. A study published in the _Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease_ in September 2014 found that, “THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) could be a potential therapeutic treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease through multiple functions and pathways.” This is believed to be due to the neuroprotective and antioxidant qualities of cannabis. \n\n### Benefit #4: Cannabis Relieves Arthritis\n\nArthritis is one of the leading causes of physical disability in the world. And it’s one of the most common kinds of chronic pain that people experience. The first recorded use of cannabis to help heal arthritis was in China nearly 4,000 years ago.\n\nTetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active compound in most strains of marijuana, has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, cannabidiol (CBD), which is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, helps regulate autoimmune conditions like arthritis.\n\n### Benefit #5: Marijuana Eases Chronic Pain\n\nOne of the most common reasons people miss work and have a decreased quality of life is due to various types of chronic pain. From PMS cramps to headaches to back pain, many people are debilitated by daily, overwhelming pain. Due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, cannabis can help reduce pain whether it’s applied in the form of a topical or consumed orally. Cannabis consumption can also help greatly decrease the need for harsh, addictive opioids. \n\n![Marijuana eases chronic pain](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/588fcc137bf61c000cbbd136/embedded_images/588fccc42cf8a800084e13fc/Screen_Shot_2017-01-30_at_3.30.09_PM.png)\n_One of the benefits of cannabis is that it can relieve pain. Learn what the top strains for chronic pain are._\n \n### Benefit #6: Marijuana Lowers Blood Pressure\n\nOne-third of adults in the United States have high blood pressure or hypertension. This can lead to cardiovascular disease as well as strokes or heart attacks. Tobacco is one of the most common causes for high blood pressure, along with poor diet and lack of exercise.\n\nThere are a wide range of scientific and anecdotal studies to support how cannabis decreases blood pressure. Some researchers also believe that cannabinoids may have a protective role within the body, also leading to a decrease in blood pressure. \n\n### Benefit #7:  Marijuana Supports Recovery From Eating Disorders\n\nEating disorders are becoming an increasingly large problem across the world as many young people are exposed to constant media and peer pressure to be unattainably beautiful and thin. Cannabis can help regulate eating patterns, aiding with recovery from conditions like bulimia and other binge disorders.\n\nIt can also help stimulate appetite and regain a desire to eat in individuals with eating disorders like anorexia. Cannabis can also help reduce anxiety—both social and food related, which can lead many people down the path of eating disorders.\n\n### Benefit #8: Cannabis Provides Relief to PTSD Sufferers\n\nVeterans have become one of the most vocal supporters of cannabis legalization due to the incredible relief that cannabis can provide to people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Consuming cannabis can help reduce the stress and anxiety that PTSD sufferers struggle with every day. It also reduces the need for harder opioids and medications that can often worsen the symptoms of PTSD.\n\n### Benefit #9: Cannabis Reduces Nausea\n\nMany people experience nausea on a regular basis, whether it’s due to digestive problems, migraines or chemotherapy. Marijuana reacts with brain receptors to help regulate the feelings that are often associated with nausea.\n\nIt can also help decrease stomach pain and regulate your body’s digestive processes—as digestive issues often go hand in hand with feelings of nausea. Cannabis can also help stimulate appetite if people find themselves unable to hold food down, because they’re experiencing queasiness and an unsettled stomach. \n\n### Benefit #10: CBD Can Reduce Seizure Activity\n\nCBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana, can greatly reduce the frequency and severity of seizures. Medical marijuana legalization has been pushed through in many states due to the incredible effects that cannabis has on seizures.\n\nA study from the American Academy of Neurology published in 2015 found that there was, on average, a 51% decrease in the amount of seizures people experienced while using medical cannabis, as well as a 63% decrease in seizures for patients who had Dravet’s syndrome.\n\nA specific marijuana strain, Charlotte’s Web, was created particularly for a young girl who experienced extreme seizures. The strain is still widely used due to its effectiveness and lack of psychoactive side effects. \n\n![Another benefit of marijuana: It makes us feel good](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/588fcc137bf61c000cbbd136/embedded_images/588fcc157bf61c000cbbd137/Screen_Shot_2017-01-30_at_3.13.41_PM.png) \n_Another benefit of marijuana, specifically THC, is that it produces feelings of happiness._ \n\n### Benefit #11: Cannabis Makes You Happy\n\nLastly, for the vast majority of people, [marijuana induces a sense of euphoria and calm](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/582b86cce686fc000c657034/why-does-cannabis-make-you-feel-good). Happiness, or a general sense of well-being is something that everyone wants. Scientific studies show a connection between happiness, optimism and overall life satisfaction.\n\nCannabis activates a neurotransmitter in our brain called anandamide—also called the bliss molecule. This molecule, among other things, is responsible for making us feel happy. THC is responsible for stimulating anandamide, which is found both within our body as well as within cannabis itself.\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAPABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGAAAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBAgX/xAAXAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQID/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAHIlqtJQXBf/8QAGhAAAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMAARIQIf/aAAgBAQABBQJYatgZuLLML3n/xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQESH/2gAIAQMBAT8BcH//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQ/9oACAECAQE/AT//xAAVEAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAf/aAAgBAQAGPwJr/8QAGRAAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERIUFR/9oACAEBAAE/IeAIwIQengzesh//2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAELM//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABFx/9oACAEDAQE/EI0r/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACFB/9oACAECAQE/ENR//8QAHRABAAICAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQARMVEQIUGB8P/aAAgBAQABPxC2FIaJQBxJgFACuvf3mK8+jEaM/9k=","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/14b42/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/f836f/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.jpg 200w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/2244e/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.jpg 400w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/14b42/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.jpg 800w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/47498/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.jpg 1200w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/54ac5/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/58556/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/61e93/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.webp 200w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/1f5c5/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.webp 400w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/58556/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.webp 800w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/99238/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.webp 1200w,\n/static/b0878d76d079f1945e473d7543502f16/5e0b8/12490c05851613cd37353723f5bce115.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2352-markdown","title":"Marijuana, Pain & PTSD: Christopher's Success Story","slug":"marijuana-pain-and-ptsd-christophers-success-story","content":"### Cannabis Success Stories\n\nAfter serving thousands of patients at HelloMD we have seen a pattern emerge: cannabis helps real people with real conditions. People from all walks of life are turning to cannabis in lieu of opioids, other medications or alternative therapies because they are feeling the results and relief, with little to no side effects. \n\nWe thought it would be useful to talk to patients one on one about their medical conditions and ask them to tell their story so we can share it with you. What began as a simple survey has evolved into a revolving door of patients ecstatically conveying the message that cannabis is working for them; and they want to share their success story with others.\n\n### Christopher's Experience with Cannabis\n\n[![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/583f90529aabd9000b57662f/embedded_images/5845a3abeb3b73000809cc1c/Christopher.png)](\nhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/patient-success/Patient+Case+Study_Christopher_ChronicPain_final.pdf)\n\n### Chronic Pain History\n\nI’m an ex-Marine and an Iraq war veteran. While on active duty I sustained multiple injuries including a broken leg and arm. After returning from the war, I broke my jaw on the bottom of a pool. In addition, I suffer from PTSD. The result of all of this was consistent chronic pain and PTSD-related issues including paranoia, hyper vigilance and aggression.\n\n### Previous Treatments\n\nPrior to trying cannabis I was in consistent pain. The PTSD and pain made it hard for me to sleep so I started to take sleeping pills which made me groggy and irritable. My personal issues and chronic pain made it hard for me to connect with people. I did not want to take narcotics so I relied heavily on excessive drinking and OTC drugs. Like many Marines, drinking became my go-to which did not improve my situation.\n\nRELATED: [MARIJUANA & MIGRAINES: SALLY'S SUCCESS STORY](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5834944a14533400080243bc/marijuana-and-migraines-sallys-success-story)\n\n### Cannabis Experience\nThree years ago I was interacting with a lot of marijuana companies as a part of my job. After talking to some people, it was suggested that I try CBD. I researched the effects of CBD and it seemed like a great option for me. I purchased a 2:1 CBD product.\n\nThe first time I took it, it was a little psychoactive but I also noticed that the pain melted away. Taking it daily, I started to notice that not only did I not feel pain from my injuries but that I began to have a much more pleasant demeanor. I started to feel connected to people again and was noticeably less aggressive and paranoid.\n\nAfter taking CBD, it was a natural progression to consider how else cannabis might help me. I was still on sleeping pills but they made me feel awful. I started to smoke an indica at night , got off the pills and now I sleep through the night.\n\n### The Cannabis Tool Kit\n\n### Sublingual \n\nI use Bhang’s CBD spray every morning. I spray it into my mouth 4\nto 5 times. I think it’s important to know that CBD can take some\ntime to build up in your system so you feel the full effect.\n\n### Flower\n\nAt night I smoke an indica strain called Snow Lotus. I smoke it from\na pipe about 1 hour ahead of bedtime and I find that I now sleep\nthrough the night and feel refreshed in the morning.\n\n### Christopher Says...\n\n\"My biggest misstep was taking so long to try cannabis. I work with Weed for Warriors who help other vets get off of narcotics for mental wellbeing. It is truly a miracle drug, it has increased my satisfaction & enjoyment of life.\"\n_______________________________________________________________________\n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/14b42/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg","srcSet":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/f836f/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/2244e/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 400w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/14b42/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 800w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/47498/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 1200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/54ac5/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/58556/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/61e93/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/1f5c5/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 400w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/58556/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 800w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/99238/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 1200w,\n/static/33e31e39b509c8c1667de8feec0ec823/5e0b8/ee0b6f75e5da26f7d960be9cd37b3ca6.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2221-markdown","title":"Q & A: Aaron Augustis of the Veteran's Cannabis Group","slug":"q-and-a-aaron-augustis-of-the-veterans-cannabis-group","content":"Aaron Augustis is an Iraq war veteran and a Co Founder of Veteran's Cannabis Group. The group currently offers education, delivery and family support for Veterans who use medical cannabis, often for the symptoms of PTSD. His Co Founder Lynette Shaw, started the first licensed medical marijuana dispensary in CA in 1997. \n\nAaron took time to talk to HelloMD about his battle with PTSD after returning from Iraq and his journey to start Veteran's Cannabis Group.\n\n### What is the Veterans Cannabis Group?\n\nThe Veterans Cannabis Group is a veteran owned and run entity. We are a medical marijuana support group, a networking group, and a resource center for veterans and their families. We are open for anyone who supports veterans, but our mission is veteran focused. Our main goal is to be a resource center that has multiple components including education and access to medicine, but we are not just going to be handing out cannabis. \n\nFor example, we did an education event with HelloMD. We had a HelloMD doctor come and educate our members on cannabis because many veterans do not know about medical cannabis and its benefits, or they are afraid to use it because they believe they could possibly loose their VA benefits. That is another factor of education, to inform veterans that they will not lose their VA benefits if they use medical cannabis. Overall, our mission is to be an education resource for veterans who use medical cannabis. \n\n### Why did you start the Veterans Cannabis Group?\n\nBeing a veteran myself, I was trying to find a group of veterans to talk to about cannabis. I just wanted to hear what other veterans were doing and what had worked for them. There was nothing around where I lived though. I live in Marin and I did a google search and found Weed for Warriors, which I believe is out of Santa Cruz, and Grow for Vets, which is Colorado based, though they do have a chapter in Livermore, but there was nothing right around where I lived. \n\nI wanted to form a group to bring veterans together so we could share information in a safe and non-threatening environment. I think when you put veterans in a room with other veterans, they open up and share more experiences because there is more trust when you have experienced similar things. \n\nI wanted to start a place for not only myself, but for other veterans to go and talk and get access to the medicine. Many other veterans I met along the way also wanted a place where they could specifically talk to other veterans. They were tired of the grey area that marijuana has been in for a while. They want to work with people they trust and have more in common with.\n\n### How has the community reacted to your group?\n\nI think the overall reaction has been very positive because we are talking about combat veterans using cannabis for combat related PTSD. We aren’t talking about just going out and getting stoned, we are talking about real problems and real solutions. When you incorporate veterans into the situation, it is a little easier to validate because people take it more seriously, not like just a group of guys who wants to get high. \n\nWe are talking about issues like the veterans suicide epidemic and opioid overdoses. We are seeing 22 veterans commit suicide by the day, and about 20 of those are dying from opioid overdoses. To me it just makes sense. \n\nI got back from Iraq and I had these huge waves of emotion that would come on and were uncontrollable. Sometimes when you’re out of that environment your mind is still processing and  you have a lot of built up emotion that you store away when you are in a combat zone. Especially when you are in are a leadership position, which I was as a sergeant, you have to bottle that energy up when you are in the combat zone. \n\nThen when you get home, it all of the sudden starts to release and it is not necessarily in a controlled manner. You can’t just say, “I’m going to cry it all out right now”. You can be triggered by many different things like a talk show on the radio, news about soldiers being killed, or the smell of diesel fuel, which is a very common trigger for many combat veterans. \n\nNot everyone is in agreement with it, but with the veteran aspect it is hard to deny. If you have all of these veterans saying cannabis works for PTSD then you shouldn’t  push it to the side. There’s a chance that veterans using cannabis to help with PTSD could be the thing that gets the feds to reschedule. The FDA is currently doing a study, licensed by the DEA, for veterans taking cannabis for PTSD relief. The study is taking place in Baltimore, MD and Phoenix, AZ. There are 36 participants in each location, so there are 72 participants total. \n\nThis is the first study of its kind where it is actually licensed by the DEA, so that’s why I think the veterans will be such a powerful voice. The VA takes care of veterans and the VA gets its funding from the federal government, so you have all these veterans saying we need cannabis, but because the VA is federally run, the doctors can’t even right marijuana prescriptions in states where it is legal. \n\n### Does the VA support the use of cannabis?\n\nIt’s a fine line that the doctors in the VA have to walk. What I understand from talking to the VA counselors personally is that doctors are not allowed to discuss marijuana unless the veterans themselves bring it up. Then they are allowed to discuss it, but they are not allowed to write recommendations and they can’t tell you what kind of strain to take or how much to smoke. \n\nIt is still this unknown and confusing position, because the VA itself doesn’t know how to handle it. The doctors in the VA are federally employed, so legally they can’t recommend cannabis without consequences. I know when you do tell them, they say if its working then don’t stop using it. That is the attitude that they relay to you.\n\n### Does stigma keep veterans from trying cannabis?\n\nI think that one of the main issues is that veterans are either unaware or think that their VA benefits will be taken from them, because at one time that was a reality. If you tested positive then you no longer had access to your medications and VA services, but that is no longer the case. \n\nAlso, a big issue for many veterans is guns. If you have your medical marijuana card, and you are registered with the state, they can deny you your right to buy a gun. Since cannabis is a Schedule I drug and a federally illegal substance, and it is safe for them to assume if you have your state card that you are using a federally illicit substance. Therefore, they can deny you the purchase of a fire arm when they can see your name on the list. It is a big deal, because you are restricting peoples second amendment rights. \n\nIf you already have a firearm, you can keep it, but if you try to get a new one, you can get denied. Say you have cancer, if you are using marijuana oil and it is helping you maintain your life, you can get denied from buying a firearm just for taking a medication. So why aren’t we denying people who are drugs like opioids?\n\n### How would someone known I have a medical rec?\n\nIf I just have a doctor’s recommendation, for example from HelloMD, they cannot see that because HelloMD does not share my information with anyone. However, if I’m being compliant and get the state issued ID card with the state of California seal on it, then I am put on the state list. If you are on that list they can look you up and in-turn deny you to purchase a firearm. This ability to deny people the right to buy firearms based on medical marijuana cards was recently help up in federal court. \n\n### What do you say to cannabis newcomers?\n\nWell, you can’t overdose on cannabis. There has been no recorded deaths associated with cannabis. We have a veteran’s cannabis group so people can come and meet and talk to other veterans who use cannabis and get past any stigma or lack of knowledge. \n\n### How can people learn more about VCG?\n\nThe best way to learn more is to visit our the [Veteran's Cannabis Website]  (http://www.veteranscannabisgroup.com). I am always willing to talk to people and answer questions if they reach out to me. \n\nOur goal with the Veterans Cannabis group is to ultimately make it so veterans have the ability to access cannabis through the VA. The VA is where most veterans get their medication from, so they really should be able to get their doctors recommendation and medical cannabis through the VA. That is the ideal goal. The VA provides every other kind of medication, they just don’t provide medical cannabis and they should.\n\nDo you have questions about Veteran's Cannabis Group? Ask a question in [HelloMD's new Answers](https://www.hellomd.com/biz/veterans-cannabis-group) feature. \n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/14b42/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.jpg","srcSet":"/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/f836f/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.jpg 200w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/2244e/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.jpg 400w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/14b42/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.jpg 800w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/47498/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.jpg 1200w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/007d6/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.jpg 1369w","srcWebp":"/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/58556/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/61e93/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.webp 200w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/1f5c5/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.webp 400w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/58556/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.webp 800w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/99238/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.webp 1200w,\n/static/c3356ac3048383be9e4c48e7dba0ed5d/728d7/5424f997e507915cb3173558c49304ff.webp 1369w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2216-markdown","title":"Why American Veterans Aren't Allowed to Treat Their PTSD With Cannabis","slug":"why-american-veterans-arent-allowed-to-treat-their-ptsd-with-cannabis","content":"One of the most dangerous conditions currently facing American war\nveterans is [post-traumatic stress\ndisorder](http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/basics/how-common-is-ptsd.asp).\nPTSD affects [31 percent of Vietnam veterans, 10 percent of Gulf War\nveterans, 11 percent of Afghanistan war veterans and 20 percent of Iraq\nWar\nveterans](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter09/articles/winter09pg10-14.html),\nand it can have devastating repercussions that are commonly treated with\na combination of [narcotics and\ntherapy](http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/treatment/therapy-med/treatment-ptsd.asp).\nUnfortunately, narcotics have many [side\neffects](http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304672404579181840055583388),\nand many veterans are looking for safer treatment options. In doing so,\nmany have turned to marijuana. While marijuana is often more efficient\nat [managing PTSD](http://www.newsweek.com/pot-and-ptsd-358139) and\nassociated conditions than a veteran's typical cocktail of narcotics and\nopioids, many veterans don't have access to marijuana as a treatment for\nPTSD.\n\n### What Is PTSD?\n\nPTSD arises after a person experiences a traumatic event. While PTSD\nisn't limited to veterans, the [occurrence rates in post-war\nveterans](http://www.veteransandptsd.com/PTSD-statistics.html) are\nhigher than those in the civilian population. When an individual\nexperiences a traumatic or life-threatening event, the mind and body go\ninto shock, creating [severe\nsymptoms](http://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/ptsd-in-veterans.htm).\nThese include night terrors, flashbacks, depression, suicidal thoughts,\nirritability, anger, withdrawal and extreme emotional reactions, such as\npanic attacks and irrational fear.\n\n### How Is PTSD Treated?\n\nWhile PTSD is common (the [National Center for\nPTSD](http://www.ptsd.va.gov/) estimates that\n[7-8%](http://www.bendbulletin.com/news/1384056-151/civilians-also-struggle-with-ptsd)\nof civilians are affected), it's tough to treat. Because PTSD presents a\ncomplex set of symptoms, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)\nhas developed a [varied treatment\nplan](http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treatment/overview/clinicians-guide-to-medications-for-ptsd.asp)\nthat includes group and private therapy sessions and doses of opiates,\nantidepressants, and benzodiazepines. Unfortunately, this cocktail comes\nwith [side\neffects](http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/medications.html).\nThese side effects include difficulty sleeping, intense anxiety, and\nsuicidal thoughts and actions. Because of this, marijuana is being\nevaluated as an alternative option with fewer adverse effects.\n\n### Why Is Marijuana a Safer Option?\n\nMarijuana is an effective treatment option for everything from[anxiety\nto sleep\ndisorders,\nand recent scientific evidence is proving that marijuana is also an\neffective treatment for PTSD. According to [a 2014\nstudy](http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02791072.2013.873843)\nconducted in New Mexico and published in the *Journal of Psychoactive\nDrugs*, cannabis can reduce the symptoms of PTSD in affected veterans by\n75 percent. This is because marijuana produces an effect known as\n\"[memory\nextinction](http://www.europeanneuropsychopharmacology.com/article/S0924-977X(08)00172-7/abstract?cc=y),\"\nwhich diminishes traumatic memories. Other researchers, such as Dr.\nSuzanne Sisley (a PTSD specialist), have been emboldened by past [study\nresults](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24935052) and are currently\nspearheading new cannabis studies in states that have legalized\nmarijuana.\n\nWhile these studies are promising, proving marijuana's effectiveness in\nPTSD treatment is only half the battle. Up until very recently, veterans\nwho expressed an interest in marijuana for PTSD treatment risked losing\ntheir other prescription drugs, because marijuana, as a Schedule I drug,\nviolates the [Opioid Pain Care\nAgreement](http://www.aspmn.org/Documents/Webinars/Taking_Opioids_Responsibly201108_FINAL.pdf).\nEven after medical marijuana was legal in many states, VA doctors were\nroutinely discouraged from talking about the treatment option with their\npatients due to the threat of [having their licenses\nrevoked](http://www.amc.edu/Academic/bioethics/documents/Geppert_Publication.pdf)\nor facing legal charges.\n\nTo answer the cry from veterans for medical marijuana and fill the\ninformation and care gaps, independent advocacy groups such as [Veterans\nfor Medical Marijuana](http://www.veteransformedicalmarijuana.org/)\n(founded by an Air Force veteran) began to spring up around the country.\nThese independent groups worked tirelessly to rally against the VA's\nstrict cannabis policy and, in time, they brought about change. In 2011,\nhowever, the VA began to [allow some breathing\nroom](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/more-veterans-press-va-to-recognize-medical-marijuana-as-treatment-option/2014/11/15/51666986-6a7b-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html)\nfor medical marijuana use in response to intense pressure from the\nveteran community. In addition to prohibiting doctors from revoking a\npatient's access to prescription drugs due to medical marijuana use, the\nnew VA measures also laid out monitoring programs for medical marijuana\naccess.\n\nWhile it remains difficult for veterans in states where [medical\nmarijuana](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881)\nis not legal to access life-changing, cannabis-centric PTSD treatment,\nmany veterans are hopeful that future research and changing attitudes\nabout medical marijuana can provide easier access to this life-changing\ndrug.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/ee604/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.png","srcSet":"/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/69585/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.png 200w,\n/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/497c6/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.png 400w,\n/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/ee604/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.png 800w,\n/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/9aa6b/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.png 982w","srcWebp":"/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/58556/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/61e93/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.webp 200w,\n/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/1f5c5/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.webp 400w,\n/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/58556/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.webp 800w,\n/static/0c6d3a882917f7af2f722023461ab6b8/32383/1d81942f110cc28230631f363187b2b6.webp 982w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":12,"numPages":3,"currentPage":2,"id":5667,"name":"Ptsd","slug":"ptsd","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}