HHS To Study Marijuana As A Treatment For PTSD

[Origanalist]

he federal government has approved a new study that will allow the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) to analyze the role of medical grade marijuana as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. The surprising decision came last week from the Department of Health and Human Services and reverses decades of rejection of medical marijuana research.

In a letter sent to MAPS the Department of Health and Human Services states, “the proposed study is cleared for the purchase of research grade marijuana”. MAPS originally submitted their request back in October 2013. The study, a joint effort between MAPS and the University of Arizona, will examine the effects of five different grades of smoked and vaporized marijuana on 50 veterans diagnosed with PTSD.

MAPS is the main financial supporter of the study, which will be carried out in conjunction with University of Arizona Professor Suzanne Sisley. MAPS has worked extensively on legalizing research on marijuana, lsd, and psilocybin mushrooms.

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[thoughtomator]

Interesting. I had actually walked into my Senator's office (Webb) a bit over a year ago to talk about PTSD treatments and suggested just that. What they are giving vets now for PTSD (stuff like Seroquel, which appears to have been manufactured for its addictiveness qualities alone) is nothing short of a medical abomination.

[Origanalist]

It's nice the Federal Government granted someone the opportunity to study the effects of Marijuana.

[jonhowe]

MAPS is a great organization; one of few which gets any of my money. They sponsored one of the first official LSD studies in DECADES in Switzerland not long ago.


On a slightly related note:
I recently took part in a THC/MDMA study here in the states (at Columbia University). I was given a blinded dose of one of the two (or a placebo) and tested for 90 minutes in an fMRI, plus 4 hours more in a small observation room. Most of the tests I did in the MRI had to do with recognizing aggression in faces and my responses to scary pictures (sharks, tornadoes, etc). They'd scan different parts of my brain as they flashed images on a screen and had me rate them from friendly to aggressive.

I assume (from having looked up info on the head researcher and her past work) that when the paper on this study is eventually published it will have something to do with potential uses of these drugs (especially MDMA, but both really) for treating things like PTSD. I was certainly less inclined to rate an image as aggressive when not on the placebo...

Anyways, I'm glad to see MAPS is making inroads here.

(Feel free to message me if you'd like to take part in such a study and live in or near NYC)

[MRK]

My hypothesis is that it will be shown to be ineffective or counterproductive to treating PTSD in most subjects, but maybe with the right strain/concentration it would be effective. Glad to see they're doing some research on it to find out.

[pcosmar]

My hypothesis is that it will be shown to be ineffective or counterproductive to treating PTSD in most subjects, but maybe with the right strain/concentration it would be effective. Glad to see they're doing some research on it to find out.

It may be "shown" that way..
But in reality it is a great stress reliever.. I can't see it as anything but beneficial.

However, counseling to deal with the effects of conscience (guilt) should be primary.

[dannno]

My hypothesis is that it will be shown to be ineffective or counterproductive to treating PTSD in most subjects, but maybe with the right strain/concentration it would be effective. Glad to see they're doing some research on it to find out.

I have no doubt it will be shown to be effective.

[Barrex]

It works. During war and after war. It works.

[buck000]

It's nice the Federal Government granted someone the opportunity to study the effects of Marijuana.

Well, after all, the HHS does hold this patent (http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6630507.html)... :confused: