
While few studies exist and no scientific proof has been
found that medical marijuana is an effective treatment for any condition,
studies have found that medical
marijuana in the treatment of PTSD could actually make the condition worse. A
2014 study conducted by physicians and researchers at the Yale University
School of Medicine showed that the use of medical marijuana to treat PTSD in
veterans “was significantly associated with worse outcomes in PTSD symptom
severity, violent behavior, and measures of alcohol and drug use.” The study
concluded that “marijuana may actually worsen PTSD symptoms and nullify the
benefits of specialized, intensive treatment.”
In June, the White House announced that they would be
lifting a regulation limiting the ability to conduct scientific research on the
development, use, and affects of medical marijuana. Currently, there are no
strict regulations on the production of medical marijuana, causing a huge
disparity between the quality of each batch. Additionally, marijuana contains
more than 400 compounds, the effects of which have not been fully studied. Hopefully
this policy change will allow more concrete evidence to surface that will lead
to the safer and more regulated production and use of medical marijuana for
conditions that truly do benefit from its use as a treatment.
While medical marijuana is not recommended as a treatment
for PTSD, proven treatments do exist. The VA’s National Center for PTSD, www.ptsd.va.gov, provides many valuable
resources for the treatment of PTSD. Help is available.
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