Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 10:24 PM:
Todd Dalotto from Cannabis Research Committee wrote:
"We have a brief window of opportunity to add PTSD as a qualifying debilitating condition administratively that closes July 26 when Barry Kast's temporary post ends. It's a slim chance, and Barry may be shining us on about it. However, if we work quickly and effectively, we will either succeed at adding PTSD and averting a disastrous fee re- structuring, or at least our evidence and effort will be go down favorably on public record.

If we can assemble a team dedicated to presenting this evidence, then I am willing to continue pursuing this proposal through every channel available to me. If not, I will re- focus my energies on other important work. I'm thinking if we can generate a convincing body of evidence, we can call a special ACMM meeting in mid July for the purpose of presenting this evidence to Barry Kast to consider for adding PTSD as a qualifying condition administratively before leaving his post.

The four areas of evidence we must present are:

- Estimated increase in the number of OMMP cardholders as a result of adding PTSD as a qualifying condition

- Projected increase in revenue resulting from adding PTSD along with recommended fee structure changes if necessary

- Peer reviewed medical evidence for the safety & efficacy of cannabis used in the treatment for PTSD

- Testimony from PTSD patients who benefit from the use of cannabis

Please let me know asap if you are willing and able to form this team to get this important work done in a short time.

Very important & timely!! Does anyone have reliable data showing the > potential increase in OMMP cardholder rates if PTSD or other conditions are > added as qualifying conditions? > > We are investigating other ways for the OMMP to meet the SB 5529 spending > budget without causing 25,000 patients to drop from the program due to > prohibitive fee increases.

Todd Dalotto
Cannabis Horticultural Researcher
Director, Cannabis Research Committee
P.O. Box 1221,
Philomath, OR, 97370
541-829-0961
toddCRC@gmail.com
www.omcra.net "

Sunday, June 19 at 09:51 PM:
i2 from here2 wrote:
"data on combat vets in oregon will give a starting point. add to that all abused children. then take the percentage of carded patients verses patients with those conditions, giving you the average of qualifying conditions that are carded. that number times the vets and abused children will get you close. "

Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 09:50 AM:
Ed Glick from Healing-Flower Center wrote:
" I can happily send you a CD with the entire research base as well as all the legal documents. Thanks, ED "

on 3/20/2011 at 3:13 PM:
WB from OR wrote:
"I have major PTSD and a mild traumatic brain injuries from Explosions in Iraq. I never smoked marijuana . When I came home I had episodes of major depression to where I couldn't hold a relationship and was losing friends. I friend asked me to smoke while I was in a bad way. I calmed ME and a went to sleep a short time later. The ones saying no to PTSD are not suffering from it and it does suppress the symptoms."

on 12/18/2010 at 11:50 AM:
1st hand knowledge from OR wrote:
"Dr. Kohn, State Health Officer Dear Dr. Kohn,

I understand that you are an extremely busy individual so I’ll attempt to be brief. A person in your position has probably seen all the research done on medical marijuana; I will instead tell about how medical marijuana has affected me, a soldier diagnosed with PTSD. I served in OIF V-VII; it was an extremely daunting task that resulted in a classic case of PTSD; I am 50% disabled. Thankfully Battle fatigue is progressively receiving the recognition it deserves, this recognition directly results in an olio of treatments.

When I first returned from war my superiors would slap me on the back and sternly say “Soldier on!” As problems exacerbated and were finally recognized I was sent to counselors. Here a soldier who had some type of certificate ran a group counseling session; I found that the group sessions were of little help. The issue really took a terrible turn when I fulfilled my contract with the Army; I decided to try the civilian life. I attempted to build a life I would be proud of. Through sabotage PTSD stripped me of my life. The chronic pains of war took quite a savage toll, all I could do was drag what I had left to the VA; the intervention they immediately gave was medication. I lived the next 2 years in a prescription coma. As a perspective anchor in this condition even leaving my home was distressing; entirely fed up I spent every penny I had to explore an abundant amount of alternatives; acupuncture, chiropractor, massage therapy, and even hypnosis all to no avail. Finally medical marijuana was suggested.

Curious as to how medical marijuana would solve my problem, I conducted research on an imposing scale. I was initially overwhelmed at the amount of available data and intrigued I sought the advice of professionals. After a visit with two doctors, medical marijuana was prescribed. This was the turnaround marker in my life. Through 5 years of treatment nothing has combated my PTSD like medical marijuana. It is entirely probable that had this treatment been available sooner, my suffering would have been dramatically reduced; optimistically perhaps 5 years of hardship could have been avoided. Unfortunately optimism is no longer common practice. I find it terrifying that the most effective treatment I have found is being harbored from Oregonian soldiers suffering from PTSD.

I recently moved to this lovely state for schooling purposes. I am a full time student that maintains a 3.82 GPA. Now that I’m in Oregon I’m no longer able to have a medical marijuana card for my PTSD. I feel as if I’m being forced back into my pharmaceutical coma. I do understand that priorities are life. However, I ask that you help me continue my rebounding life; I fully appreciate that you are tasked with, and able to maintain an unbiased informed decision.

Thank you for your time,

Specialist Williams,
United States Army."

Monday, July 19, 2010 at 07:45 AM:
somebody wrote:
"A letter from the VA about medical marijuana important to all vets - http://mercycenters.org/libry/VA-Undersecretary-Jun6.pdf - The letter makes clear that the VA accepts the use of medical marijuana in states where there are medical marijuana laws. "

Tuesday, May 4 at 08:17 AM:
infantry medic from salem, oregon wrote:
"when i got back from iraq i couldnt sleep eat or leave my house sober. it felt like i was on mission all day everyday. i remember seeing men in black mandress run across the road as a fairly common hallucination driving to work, a couple months later later after 6 weeks in an institution and lots of meds like seroquel and thorazine and valium i was able to "function" im off the major antipsychotics which are more just sedatives with nasty side effects i know use marijuana and a couple of meds. "

Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 07:14 PM:
Brian M. Carroll from Portland, Oregon wrote:
" Marijuana makes my reoccurring nightmares stop all together when used daily before sleep time, helps me actually get restful sleep, and helps day to day with dampening my hyper vigilance not to mention keeping my anxiety in check. =D Wish I could use it legally for my PTSD. "

Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 2:08 pm:
a Veteran wrote:
" SUBJECT: PTSD and medical cannabis
This testimony is a response to viewing your site. I am an Army Veteran who served two years in combat in the Iraq/OIF war after returning from my 2nd year in combat I had severe symtoms of PTSD a year and 4 months was the length of time it took to get diagnosed by the VA and to become 100% service conected. Along with nightmares, also comes deppresion, and sever anxiety. The VA thinks there making a differance with there medications, but for they do very little if anything. I do think there is medical benefits for medical canibus in PTSD patients. but I have know idea how to persue this, or if it well ever be possible. I live in Washington state but feel any state that approves adding PTSD to the list of patients were medical canibus is legal for those condition is moving in the right direction.

sincerly,

Nate B.

Patients Don't Need Politicians or COPs...Buzz Off - DdC 11/14/02
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Friday, April 17, 2009 at 5:41 AM:
Joel from somewhere in America wrote:
" To whom it may concern,

This is to encourage adding PTSD to the list of MMJ treatable conditions. It only stands to reason that if a medication helps with a medical condition then it should be prescribed. Instead of just giving my opinion maybe it will help for me to share my story.

I have been dealing with my issues for about 20 years now but was only diagnosed by the VA in the last year with PTSD, anxiety disorder and I am bi-polar. I medicated myself with MJ for a long time but quit about 5 years ago due to a change of employment.

Two years ago I started using mental health services available through the community and the VA because my issues were getting too much for me to deal with myself. After trying no less than 10 different pharmaceuticals including Prozac, Valium, Risparadol and Paxil (all with no benefit) I was lucky enough to be prescribed the last two Medications at the same time which resulted in a drug interaction that put me in a coma for two weeks and on life support for four days, not to mention the six months of hallucinations the medication caused prior to my hospitalization . After my hospital stay I stopped taking all pysch meds and started smoking again. The nightmares have stopped, I get more than one hour of sleep a night (meds caused insomnia) and all original symptoms have lessened to manageable levels again and all side effects of the psych meds have gone.

I can not speak for anyone else, but for me, my ONLY option is MMJ. Due to the present laws in this state I have been forced to seek medication that works outside of legal means and risk all the penalties of breaking the law. Due to physical issues I also have (Degenerative disc disease, Bursitis and Osteoarthritis) I am now able to secure MMJ. While my medication issues are solved I have recently learned that I am not alone in dealing with exactly the same mental health issues and the same medication issues.

If there is anything I can do to aid you in making this a reality please do not hesitate to contact me. "

Friday, March 27, 2009 at 10:10 AM:
Greg Troutt from Salem, OR wrote:
"Medical cannabis has helped reduce the symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia and pain without relying on big pharmaceutical companies. I have saved so much money on not having to buy these prescriptions that it's one of the reasons I'm still alive. People live and work to pay for medication, but what happens when they can't afford it anymore? As for the state growing my medicine... would it then also grow it's own tobacco and brew it's own alcohol? Would they make Oxycotin, Valium, Percocet, etc? Not no, but HELL NO! So why do they want to get into producing medicine for only one type of patient? Discrimination? I beleive the government should let the current growers continue to make medicine, after all, don't we do it better?"