The Associated Press (AP) recently published an article stating the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has approved funding for a study on the effectiveness of medical marijuana treatments for military combat veterans returning from Afghanistan with symptoms of PTSD—anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, panic attacks, etc.

Doctors have long believed that inhaling or smoking marijuana may calm the parts of the brain responsible for anxiety. Even though many states have legalized marijuana for medical uses, the federal government still considers it an illegal Schedule I Controlled Substance.

The American Medical Association (AMA) has suggested that marijuana should no longer be a Schedule I drug so that there is easier medical access (anti-nausea for anorexics and chemotherapy patients, and potential use for children with epilepsy).

The PTSD-vet-marijuana proposal originated at the University of Arizona. Since the study would be conducted by HHS, an agency within the federal government, the marijuana may only be purchased from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) farm located in Mississippi.

If you or someone you know is accused of a crime, arrested, or contacted by police, contact San Jose criminal defense attorney Maureen Baldwin at (408) 279-4450 to learn your options today!