More than 300 veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder will take part in a study to measure the effectiveness of smoking cannabis on symptoms from the illness. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a non-for-profit company in California to proceed with clinical trials to study the effectiveness of smoking cannabis to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans.
MAPS — the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies — will initiate the short-term study of veterans who will smoke marijuana and report their reactions to the drug by using a mobile app, according to a letter from the FDA approving the clinical trials.
The five-week study will follow 320 participants diagnosed with moderate to severe PTSD who will smoke cannabis at home and then rate their PTSD symptoms by using an app that they download on their cell phone or another mobile device, according to MAPS.
PTSD is a mental health condition that causes anxiety, anger and flashbacks in individuals who have experienced terrifying events. People with PTSD might experience nightmares, depression and negative thoughts.
“This study is extremely important to me as a veteran because other medications I use do not work on my symptoms,” said Hether Zeckser, a 36-year-old former corporal who served in the Marines from 2007-2011.
Zeckser of Virginia, an advocate for cannabis research, said her own personal use of marijuana helps relieve her symptoms from service-connected PTSD, while the drugs that she is prescribed by her doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs have not worked.
“I look forward to the outcome of this research,” she said. “I would like to see cannabis approved as a PTSD treatment and get health care coverage for the costs.”
The FDA has the authority to regulate and approve new drugs. Clinical trials with human test subjects are a step in that process.
For this study, veterans will receive active cannabis or a placebo. The study is double-blind, meaning the veterans and their clinicians will not know which dose they are receiving, said Allison Coker, director of cannabis research at MAPS.A veteran’s PTSD symptoms will be assessed at the start and end […]
FDA authorizes clinical trials to study cannabis use for veterans with PTSD
