The Colorado Board of Health voted 6 to 2 — amid shouts, hisses and boos from a packed house — not to add post-traumatic stress disorder to the medical conditions that can be treated under the state’s medical marijuana program.
A dozen veterans testified that cannabis has saved their lives. Many said legal drugs prescribed to them for PTSD at veterans clinics or by other doctors — antidepressants, antipsychotics, opiates and others — nearly killed them or robbed them of any quality of life.
“It is our brothers and sisters who are committing suicide every day. We know cannabis can help. We’re not going to go away,” said John Evans, director of Veterans for Freedoms.
“We’ve legalized it,” Evans said. “We’ll take the tax dollars from our tourists (for recreational marijuana) before we’ll help our vets.”
The president of the nine-member board, Tony Cappello, an epidemiologist said he couldn’t vote for it because the scientific evidence doesn’t exist. Most board members agreed that anecdotal evidence wasn’t enough.
“I’m struggling with the science piece,” board member Christopher Stanley said.
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The American and Colorado psychiatric associations don’t support it, board member Ray Estacio said.
But board member Joan Sowinski said the testimony from veterans and other PTSD sufferers was so persuasive, as was recent research in New Mexico about symptoms reduction, that she supported it. Jill Hunsaker-Ryan was the second “yes” vote.
“Blood is on your hands,” one audience member shouted after the taking of the vote.
The state’s chief medical officer, Dr. Larry Wolk, director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, had recommended the state add the condition. He added a provision that its inclusion as an allowed use under the state’s medical marijuana program be re-examined in four years. That would take place after two state-funded studies with a three- to four-year time frame and data collection from the listing produced results.
Wolk said he believed listing PTSD as a treatable condition would increase transparency of actual usage, shed light on its effectiveness and reinforce a physician-patient relationship for many with the condition. Many veterans are self-medicating with recreational marijuana or using medical marijuana ostensibly as pain treatment, although it is really for PTSD, he said.
Dr. Larry Wolk, executive director and chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Health, listens to testimony during a hearing before the Colorado Board of Health Wednesday, July 15, 2015, in Denver. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)
Dr. Doris Gundersen, a psychiatrist, said only 4 or 5 percent of the state’s physicians recommend patients use medical marijuana. About 15 physicians of 17,000 licensed in the state make 75 percent of the recommendations, she said.
“Why are so few getting on board? There is a lack of quality evidence that it is safe and effective … and does no harm,” Gundersen said.
One of the , who is looking at effects on veterans’ PTSD, said research will take at least four years because they are waiting to get the study drug from the federal government.
A few speakers noted that what patients want — not hard science — are driving expansion of availability. Thatap not a bad thing, some advocates responded.
“It is very important patients become part of this discussion,” said Teri Robnett, director of the Cannabis Patients Alliance and member of the state’s advisory council. “Patients are getting enormous relief.”
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276, edraper@denverpost.com or twitter.com/electadraper
