New York becomes latest state to allow medical marijuana for PTSD treatment
January 01, 2018
New York recently became the latest state to approve medical marijuana as a treatment for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The state’s nearly two-year-old medical marijuana program has been expanded to include the condition. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the measure on Veterans Day in November.
Medical marijuana can currently be used for treating PTSD in 28 states and the District of Columbia. However, it is still illegal on a national level under federal law.
Several veterans’ groups have been persistently advocating for the use of medical marijuana as a PTSD treatment. They argue that it is a safe and effective alternative to treatments such as opioids that PTSD patients have been forced to depend on. Earlier in 2017 the American Legion began urging the federal government to permit Department of Veterans Affairs medical professionals to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it is legal.
While advocates claim medical marijuana helps ease PTSD symptoms like sleeplessness and anxiety, others argue that there is a lack of conclusive research that proves its medical benefits. Federal restrictions on medical marijuana make it difficult to carry out research into its effectiveness for treating PTSD patients. The first ever Food and Drug Administration-approved clinical trials are now taking place in Phoenix.