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POT-PIONEERING COLORADO REJECTS
MARIJUANA AS PTSD TREATMENT
approve a medical treatment
that falls short of federal guide-
lines.
“This is
a terrible
condition. We
don’t have a
great way to
treat it,”
said Dr. Tony Cappello, the
board chairman, who high-
lighted an established federal
process for drug approvals.
COLORADO is known “We have lic Health Service review of covers more than 90 percent of The rejection showed the latest
an absence research proposals is no longer the 113,000 Coloradans on the disconnect between voters and
for pushing boundaries on of scientific necessary because it duplicates medical marijuana registry. public officials on the issue.
marijuana, but health officials’ information,” a required review by the Food When Colorado voters ap-
decision to reject pot as a treat- and Drug Administration. Many of those patients ask proved recreational pot in
ment for post-traumatic stress board member Rick Brown pot-shop employees, known 2012, just one of the state’s
disorder shows the issue is far said. Some people attending Wednes- as “budtenders,” about using 100 lawmakers, Rep. Jonathan
from settled. Marijuana is illegal under fed- day’s vote on PTSD noted that marijuana to treat PTSD, not Singer, endorsed the idea.
eral law, and some scientists say none of the medical conditions their physicians, Sisley said. Democratic Gov. John Hicken-
Voters have made marijuana research has been stymied by currently eligible for state medi- “This just provides better ac- looper remains cautious and
legal for both medical and rec- government hurdles, including cal marijuana cards, including cess to different strains under a says not enough is known about
reational use, but government a declaration that marijuana is AIDS, epilepsy and glaucoma, physician’s guidance,” she said legalization’s effect on young
officials at every level have a controlled substance with no has the kind of scientific back- in favor of adding PTSD to the people.
continually pushed back. accepted medical use. ing the board mentioned. medical pot registry.
Singer, a Democrat, has said he
The state Board of Health voted The Department of Health and One physician recently awarded would propose a bill next year
6-2 Wednesday against adding Human Services made it a little a state grant to study marijuana to circumvent the appointed
PTSD to the list of ailments easier last month for privately use by veterans testified that board and add PTSD without
eligible for treatment with funded medical marijuana PTSD sufferers are already us- its approval.
medical marijuana. It came research to get approved. The ing pot to treat their symptoms.
despite a recommendation from department said a federal Pub- “People are going to use it The state’s chief medical officer, “We have to
Colorado’s chief medical officer anyway,” said Dr. Sue Sisley, Dr. Larry Wolk, told the board balance our
and a panel of physicians. adding that PTSD sufferers that adding PTSD would make science and
Board members cited a lack can shop at recreational dis- the registry more “honest.” our humanity
of research, including medical pensaries or get a doctor’s Nine states consider it a quali- together,”
trials. recommendation for the broad fying condition for medical
category of “severe pain,” which marijuana: Arizona, California, he said.
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New
Mexico and Oregon.
But the board, many of them
physicians, said they couldn’t
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Friday, July 17 2015 17INTERNATIONAL
