5288 El Cajon Blvd. #3, San Diego CA 92115 servessandiego@gmail.com 619.627.1315

Veteran Cannabis Use

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Serve San Diego and the U.S Department of Veteran Affairs

By: Chris Davis MSW, MA

Serve San Diego understands the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs to be the authority on Veterans in the United States.

Serve San Diego understands the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs has little science, poor scientific ability, poor scientific quality (lacking internal and external validity).[i]  Further, the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs is lacking leadership, vision, direction, and competency in Veteran’s cannabis.[ii]

Serve San Diego acknowledges the Federal government and the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs have not endorsed any scientific controllable studies for veterans even though they see the need.  U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs reports, “controlled studies have not been conducted to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD,” in our U.S. Veteran population.[iii]  Therefore, Serve San Diego fully endorses the peer review, and study for cannabis with veterans, those with PTSD, as well as, without.

Serve San Diego fully endorses random control groups of Veterans and their cannabis use.

Importantly, in order to have truthful science Serve San Diego supports the review of the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs.  More so, the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs reports “there has been no study of marijuana use in the overall Veteran population. What we do know comes from looking at data of Veterans using VA health care, who may not be representative of Veterans overall.”[iv]  Serve San Diego hopes to offer an opportunity for Veterans (as well as the community at large) to receive organic certifiable cannabis.  Additionally, offer a safe, discrete, friendly, family, and community environment which supports gathering of data for the betterment of all our lives.

U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs reports in 2014 American reporting in 40,000 Veterans with PTSD who preferred the use of cannabis.[v]

Serve San Diego supports a harm reduction model.    More so, Serve San Diego understands harm reduction is a method in order to reduce adverse challenges, consequences, of alcohol, substance use, risk behaviors, risk thinking and include multiple strategies.  Such strategies are for safer, healthier/ less toxic, management, maintenance, relapse, and socializing techniques.[vi]

Serve San Diego meets members, community members, and all persons and entities “where they are at” further to not ignore, condemn hurtful behaviors, and guide the individual, member, community/ entity, to reduce scientific harm of their chosen behavior.

Therefore, Serve San Diego endorses a scientific reduction in toxic substances consumed by veterans.  Conclusively, scientifically, cannabis is a less toxic substance than cocaine, opioids, and amphetamines.  Serve San Diego logically supports the healthiest distribution, monitoring, regulation, and reporting for veteran cannabis.

Serve San Diego endorses long term studies on the toxic effects of cannabis for veterans versus other drugs, substances, and medicines.

Serve San Diego advocates for leadership in the Federal Government of the United States of America to support, fund, and engage in cannabis research for veterans.

Brain Activity

Modern science reveals human brains have an endocannabinoid system which responds to cannabis.  Conclusively, endocannabinoids and cannabis effect human beings brains.  Further, endocannabinoids and cannabis effect PTSD neurotransmitters in the brain. Current studies suggest individual’s brains with PTSD more easily access cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) synapses in the brain.[vii] Current research indicates, cannabis use in brains wired for PTSD results in positive short term reduction in symptoms and challenging behaviors.[viii]  Logically, continuous use of any substance increases tolerance.  Therefore, moderating the brains CB1 receptor synapses is logical.

Cannabis for PTSD Treatment

The U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs reports “administration of oral CBD has been shown to decrease anxiety in those with and without clinical anxiety.”[ix]  Accordingly, our mainstream scientific community has research available for individuals and cannabis use to mitigate social anxiety.  Whereas, the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs does acknowledge the “one open trial of 10 participants with PTSD showed THC was safe and well tolerated and resulted in decreases in hyperarousal symptoms.”[x] However, the U.S Departments of Veteran Affairs does not take any responsibility to meet veteran’s needs in treatment, diagnosis, referral, response, and compassion.

Serve San Diego seeks to respond scientifically and compassionately to the need of veterans.

References

[i] Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/co-occurring/marijuana_use_ptsd_veterans.asp on May 25, 2017

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] Program Evaluation and Resource Center, V.A., 2015.

[vi] Marlatt, G. A., & Witkiewitz, K. (2010). Update on harm-reduction policy and intervention research. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6, 591-606.

[vii] Neumeister, A., Normandin, M. D., Pietrzak, R. H., Piomelli, D., Zheng, M. Q., Gujarro-Anton, A., Potenza, M. N., Bailey, C. R., Lin, S. F., Najafzaden, S., Ropchan, J., Henry, S., Corsi-Travali, S., Carson, R. E., & Huang, Y. (2013). Elevated brain cannabinoid CB1 receptor availability in post-traumatic stress disorder: A positron emission tomography study. Molecular Psychiatry, 18, 1034-1040. doi: 10.1038/mp.2013.61

Passie, T., Emrich, H. M., Brandt, S. D., & Halpern, J. H. (2012). Mitigation of post-traumatic stress symptoms by Cannabis resin: A review of the clinical and neurobiological evidence. Drug Testing and Analysis, 4, 649-659. doi: 10.1002/dta.1377

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/co-occurring/marijuana_use_ptsd_veterans.asp on May 25, 2017

[x] Ibid.