Veterans Petition Colorado to Allow Medical Marijuana for PTSD
Colorado medical marijuana advocates and a group of local veterans filed a petition with the state health department yesterday that would add post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Colorado.
The petition was formally filed by Army veteran and double amputee Kevin Grimsinger, who lost parts of both legs and suffered other injuries after stepping on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2001. That episode has also left him stricken with PTSD. From Denver Post columnist Susan Greene:
That means flashbacks. It means struggling to sleep and thinking about suicide more often than he cares to admit. His nightmares are constant, he says. “They’re bloody, they’re noisy and they’re gory.”
After two years in hospitals, Grimsinger was released addicted “to every pain medication known to man,” he tells me. It wasn’t until turning to therapeutic cannabis, along with other prescriptions, that he says he has been able to function. Medical marijuana doesn’t take away his trauma. But it gives him a break long enough to sleep.
We’ve written previously about studies showing how marijuana can alleviate the symptoms of PTSD, how New Mexico has already added it to that state’s list of qualifying conditions, and how some Colorado officials and even the Department of Veterans Affairs have thus far opposed efforts to make medical marijuana available to PTSD patients and other veterans in need.
As Sensible Colorado’s Brian Vicente, who helped file the petition, told Denver’s Westword: “We’ve been hearing from veterans for years who have been injured in the line of duty protecting our country and have PTSD related to that. And they’re concerned about the lack of veteran access for medical marijuana for PTSD. Currently, veterans face criminal prosecution for possessing or using medical marijuana to alleviate any sort of medical condition, and we just think that’s unconscionable. People who have served our country deserve the best access to health care possible, and we want to make sure Kevin and folks like him have that access.”
Tagged with: Brian Vicente and Colorado and Denver and Denver Post and Kevin Grimsinger and New Mexico and post traumatic stress disorder and PTSD and VA and Veterans Affairs by the author
20 comments
i believe the military thinks if they let vets use cannabis they will become active in the anti war effort. IMO it has the effect of helping one question authority and the warhawks hate that.
A lot of people don’t know this, but, most all soldiers are not fighting for oil, greed, or act like blood thirsty war hungry animals. I fought in Iraq in 2005, I wasn’t there for oil or for myself, I was there for humanity. To try to let others see how human we all really are. And yes I shot, as they shot at me, its human to react. We don’t see politics in a war zone so we as soldiers don’t care what they say. If we feel something is wrong we don’t do it! We didn’t feel like robots, we knew we where human, and only did what we believed what was right. I help a lot of people, and I feel I made a difference. When so one asked a friend of mine “do you believe in the war?” he replied with “I believe in the mission” best response ever! And to stay with this blog, Marijuana helped my PTSD when I returned from Baghdad. I spent six months in and out of a army hospital, and found my self at the bottom of a jug of booze and a fist full of pills. But when I was discharged I turned to marijuana and it only took that to keep me off booze and pills. And helped me see the right I did while deployed. Or service men and women are awesome!
vote yes on 19!
Indica is best for sleep as compared to Sativa, IF, it’s available to you. Not everyone’s body reacts the same either, a very light dose may be needed in the beginning and gradually increased over time to keep the heart beats per minute down to avoid hyper active feelings. It’s what so many people describe as a feeling of paranoia after smoking really good herb.
word
First off, #1, vets that smoke pot are not against the war. Just cause pot opens a lot of minds, dont mean that an open mind is agains the war. My dad fought in Vietnam and would go to Iraq if they would let him, as would most of his war buddies. Soldiers mostly understand that war is nessassary. We are America, the best, the proud, always have been, probably always will. That is why illegals cross the border (to earn a better life for their families), that is why millions of people have died to make sure that Freedom really is Free. I see people on the streets protesting this war all the time, people putting down soldiers as though they were dogs, but these people seem to forget one thing, IF THOSE SOLDIERS, WHETHER IN THE PRESENT TIME OR THE PAST, DID NOT JOIN THE ARMED FORCES, KILL PEOPLE, TAKE THE CHANCE OF BEING KILLED, AND LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES TO GO OVERSEAS TO FIGHT A FORIEGN AND UNKNOWN ENEMY, YOU PROTESTERS WOULD HAVE BEEN SILENCED YEARS AGO.
But, dont get me wrong, Love and Peace is bliss. Most Soldiers will never know peace again. PTSD is honestly the worse thing I have ever came to know. My father came back from Nam a different person. He hated. Hates. He will never trust. He will never be able to love the right way again because all he knows is hate and killing and death.
#2-3 Thank you sir for your bravery. Thank you for honor.
OOk, now as for this blog. WHAT THE SHIT IS THIS? I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT USING VETS RIGHTS AND VETS USING POT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A HIGH END ISSUE and would have been included in any and ALL legislation. When I was 10ish, I remember my dad hearing a baby cry and snapping in a grocery store. I remember my mom and dad got into a fight and my dad had a flash back to Nam and he ran, got a gun, and took off outside in the mountains. He was going to kill Charlie. My mom ran after him. She nor I would see him for 3 days. He hid in caves, foxholes, etc and ate whatever he killed. He swore up and down that he was in Nam and that when he finally woke up, he came home. He was taking many pills from the VA doctors. Prozac, Xanex, Adavan, the list is pretty much any anti depressants out there. About a year later, the same thing happened, except this time, my mom found him in the woods, brought him home, and smoked him out. Since then he smokes a lot, but he has never had ANY other episodes or flashbacks.
This memory was one of a few that actually influenced my decision to smoke pot instead of drink alcohol. Maybe I am biased, but I think that if you got the Vets behind MPP, NORML, and legalization as a whole, a treatment for their PTSD, more people in the RED party would vote for candidates for legalization, since they could see first hand what pot really does.
Just a thought. or two
These are amazing times to be living in. They are both the best of times and the worst. I’m a disabled Veteran and medical marijuana patient in California. I too have been addicted to pain killers with huge side effects that yield very little true benefit. I have stood before county officials numerous times speeking the logic and truth about marijuana. 14 years after medical marijuana was legalized in California, it is still illegal to have a dispensery/collective in my county. We have been holding rallies in front of the courthouse and speaking out whenever possible. I believe that my words fall on deaf ears, but I also believe that the tide is turning as more Veterans return home broken and without hope. Veterans are the strength behind this nation and when we raise our voices and fists, politicians better listen closely. I respect police and the law, but I will call out those who do not respect my hard earned rights.
[...] SOURCES: Denver Post and Marijuana Policy Project [...]
I was a sailor, once. Back in 1980 I thought I could save the world. I went through boot and school and was in the fleet for awhile. I went to captains mast 7 times. 3 day in the brig on bread and water. I smoked cannabis. Still do and always will. I would give my life for freedom and this country. At least I would have. When the V. A. allows the vets the same rights as civillians, then I will support our forces completely.
Many soldiers are too brainwashed to accept using cannabis as treatment. My cousin is one. He’d rather drink scotch.
Safer than aspirin; less addictive than coffee. Register. Vote. Change things.
Share the links to REGISTER TO VOTE. And while we’re talking, tell people to be on the watch for the “October Surprise”, some trumped-up bad “news” about marijuana that will be intended to persuade voters at the last minute. Register to VOTE and tell your friends to not fall for the “October Surprise!”
(Remove the spaces in the h t t p :// w w w portions of the link and then paste the link into your browser)
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until October 3, 2010.
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mark,
is he still in the service, because if he is, he has good reason not to use marijuana, popping hot on a piss test for pot can cause him to lose all VA benefits for a other then honorable discharge. and its really hard to get that changed to honorable. and if hes not still serving, mybe marijuana is just not for him, but still should seek help if his health is impacting his everyday life. but please dont say that hes brainwashed. non of us in the service are brainwashed. Though I disagree with what you say, I would gladly give my life for you to say it.
Should have seen the program on public T.V. about how MMJ helps Veterans get over Post Trama. Very informative.
#12 The service tried and failed to brainwash me. I have a fucked up discharge but that was my choice to use cannabis. 30 years later and still burning, with at least another 30 to go. Vote in any and all cannabis reform.
14, see thats what iv been saying, one can only be brainwashed if one lets their true self go and no longer see the right in what they do. but everyone i run in to in my line of work “military and non military” speak up when they feel somethings not right. i have so many times, and the command then made the right choice after all of our in put. i LOVE marijuana, it helped me when i came home. and its sucks for the service to discharge on grounds of marijuana, what i tell people in the army is if you know your going to have a piss test, go to a drug program, cant discharge you if your seeking help. and talk to a good JAG. they will save your skin, may be a reduce in grade (you’ll make that back in a few months, and a loss in some pay) but you will look better on paperwork for any action they try to seek on you.
AS AMERICANS, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO AND KILL PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES TO ASSURE OUR PERSONAL FREEDOMS HERE AT HOME, CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR INCORPORATED MILITARY WILL SAY OTHERWISE. THE “SO CALLED, WAR ON TERROR” IS NOT A WAR TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS HAVE RIGHTS TO OUR CONSTITUTION. THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE A FIGHT THAT WE DO HERE AT HOME WITH OUR OWN INCORPORATED POLITITIONS AND CHURCHES WHO TRY TO INFRINGE ON OUR BASIC AMERICAN/HUMAN RIGHTS TO: MEDICINE, MARRIAGE, EMPLOYMENT, CLEAN FOOD AND WATER, TOP QUALITY EDUCATION, CLEAN ENVIRONMENT, SELF PROTECTION/DEFENCE, TAX CODES, BUDGET SPENDING, HOME /LAND OWNERSHIP……THE LIST GOS ON AND ON. WE DON’T FIGHT OVER SEAS FOR OUR PERSONAL FREEDOMS BUT FOR THE PERSONAL FREEDOMS OF THE CORPORATIONS, WHO ARE NOT “OURS” THEY BELONG TO WHAT IS CALLED AN OLIGARCHY: THE UNITY OF CORPORATIONS AND GOVERNMENT FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF CORPORATE AND MILITARY POWER.
THIS IS THE REAL REASON AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN HAVE BEEN GOING TO WAR SINCE THE BEGINNING, INCLUDING THE REVOLUTION IN WHICH THE ONLY VICTORS WERE THE COMPANIES THAT WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES TO SELL GUNS AND AMMO TO THE MILITARY AT THE TIME OF THAT WAR FOR PROFIT AND MILITARY/ CORPORATE INDEPENDENCE FROM ENGLAND. SO IT GOS FOR ALL WARS SINCE, ESPECIALLY THE OIL WARS OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES. WE CANNOT IGNORE THE BLOODY WRITING ON THE WALL THAT CORPORATE AMERICA (THE OLIGARCHY) IS TRYING TO KEEP US FROM SEEING. THE FIGHT FOR AMERICAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS STARTS RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN BELOVED NATION. SAY NO TO WAR AND YES TO HUMAN RIGHTS. THANK YOU.
According to a Denver Post poll, the stats were around 58% for and 35% against.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_15487868
Organized into a democratic force we can become the change we wish to see. But get out there and vote! I’ve met Kevin, he deserves better than what he’s gotten. We’re not asking for much.
Hi Joe #12:
My cousin did 2 tours in Iraq. He joined the marines because his dad was an rmy captain who never saw any combat being based in the states. So its an ego thing with him. I warned him before he went, but he was bent and being a bigger “hero” than his dad.
He’s aschool teacher now and has had a very hard time keeping a job due to anger and depression from the war. (Things have not gone the way he was “promised” by his government).
He IS brainwashed to believe that a man – a marine – should never have to ask for help. ” Marines NEVER have mental problems”. Its UNMACHO.
The sad thing is he really likes weed and I’m one of his favorite people to toke with – but he is so paranoid about pissing dirty and losing his teaching licence and thus his VA benefits, so he drinks scotch – and drives drunk a lot. Almost got me killed the last time I saw him.
I run a MMJ collective and I am starting to run into vets who say that their VA doctors insist that they choose between the opioid meds prescribed for them by the VA or MMJ. Didn’t Roe v. Wade determine that the government had NO place in the relationship between patient and doctor?
Somebody needs to start a collective of, by and for vets so I’m inviting any vet who wishes to do so to come down to our store and start discussing ways to do just that. We’re Medical Herb Providers of Spokane and I’m sure you can find us, we’re listed with THC finders.
@ Joe#12 People who are brainwashed are NEVER aware of it. That’s why they call it brainwashing. The first thing they take away from you at boot camp is YOU. This leaves space for the program THEY have in mind to be installed.
PTSD is the confusion of dealing with the old(civilian) world and only having the new(military) programming to go by.
I believe that MMJ should be a prime ingredient in the process of becoming civilian again.
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