Everyone feels anxious from time to time. We get tense when we have important meetings or hot dates or when we’re in traffic and some asshole cuts us off.
But clinical anxiety is a different animal. People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder don’t get a break when they see the date is going well or that the meeting was a success. Their anxiety is a constant, physically gripping presence, often for no good reason. It makes people fearful and sweaty in situations most of us glide through with ease.
But there is a growing body of evidence, some of which can be found at www.azdhs.gov/medicalmarijuana/debilitating/index.htm, that a few tokes from a joint or a nibble on a pot brownie brings relief—real, clinical relief—to people with generalized anxiety disorder. On May 25, the state Department of Health Services held a hearing in Phoenix to take public comments on adding generalized anxiety disorder—along with depression, migraines and post-traumatic stress disorder, as discussed in this space over the last few weeks—as a qualifying condition for medical-marijuana patients.
Jacob Jones urged the state to put the cannabis option on the table for anxiety-sufferers like him. Jacob tried low-grade marijuana in his home state of Kentucky and found that it helped his anxiety. When he came to Arizona, he started using the sticky, and guess what? It worked even better. Cannabis helps Jacob avoid a host of symptoms, including nightmares, insomnia and repeated flashbacks of traumatic events.
“And THC does this without bringing the damaging side effects and addiction (of) other anti-anxiety drugs, such as Valium,” he told DHS officials, adding a plea for compassion.
Yes, Jacob. Well said.
A woman who gave her name only as Corey disputed what one doctor at the hearing said about people using MMJ possibly self-medicating and falling under the radar of the medical system. She thinks it might bring people who suffer from what she called “subclinical” problems into the light.
“Adding these conditions to the qualifying-conditions list will help these people come out of the woodwork and stop hiding these serious mental conditions, and actually get treatment for them,” Corey said.
At the close of the hearing, DHS Director Will Humble—who personally opposes medical marijuana but has enthusiastically carried out the will of voters by implementing the state program—thanked the people who came to speak.
“This is an important part of the process,” Humble said. “What we’ll be doing from here is taking the information that we received today; we’ll also be looking at all the information that we get electronically through our website, and we’ll evaluate that information.”
After a review by DHS physicians and others from academia, the state will decide by August whether to add the four conditions. In the meantime, more conditions might be considered. For two weeks next month—and each January and July from now on—DHS will take petitions for more additions.
“Over time, as the medical-marijuana program matures, we’ll be able to capture continuing data to evaluate what kinds of medical conditions moving forward might be beneficial for the use of medical marijuana,” Humble said, adding that he was grateful for the professionalism and grace of the folks who spoke.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have to say that the question of whether to treat these illnesses with cannabis will not and should not be made by DHS physicians. They will decide only whether cannabis becomes a legal option under state law. The decision to treat the illnesses with cannabis will be made by the patients and their doctors.
So let’s give them that option.
This article appears in Jun 28 – Jul 4, 2012.
The only comment I can make is addressed to JM Smith, the author of this story.
I’m just wondering where you went to school that you have no other descriptive words other than ‘asshole’ to describe people in traffic. Amazing that this would be published with that kind of vocabulary being used. I’m no prude, and yes I use that word myself but never in a written article. Its gross and vulgar, shows lack of character and writing skills. I nearly stopped at the first paragraph when I came to that reference. Its not necessary to get your point across to use that kind of language. I hope to read better from you in the future.
i to am offended by your use of “hot date”.the insinuation this gives reeks of irresponsible dating.i do not read your column for the compassion you show the sick desperatly trying to find an alternative to perscription drugs and their side effects.i am looking for improper grammer.all kidding aside,J.M.Smith has helped me navagate my way through the the confusion of mmj law.i am a card carrier because of wasting syndrome,and with marijuana i can eat and gain a few pounds.helping with the horid pain is a plus.oh,i also suffer from agoraphobia.marijuana has lowered my need for as much medicine,calmed my world.no cure,just management.by the way doc,i never miss my appointments to my anxiety clinic.i do not want to be a “under the radar”nervous mess.to say mmj will cure depression,anxiety,p.t.s.d is misleading.no cure,only treatment for the serious sufferers.i am sure the doctor knows the phrase “another tool in your tool box”.give those that suffer another tool.we really need all the help we can get.thank you J.M.Smith.i represent whose lives have been a little better and less hopeless with the help from you and your column.mabye we will see the day when society leans to help the sick,and quit trying to control people.mmj makes that day a little closer.
How about your next column you write an article about the way AzDHS is mishandling the AMMA program. They have taken in at my estimate over 6 million smackers (30,000 patients x $150) plus 500 dispensary applications ($5,000 grand =$2.5 million), plus 1000 caregivers at $200 a pop. One you shell out the bucks for the card you don’t even get a stink in’ brochure from AzDHS telling you how to use the medicine or where to even go for meds. To top it off please turn over your green card and see the new language that is very chilling.
“Possessing marijauna may be in violation of local, state or federal laws. Possession of this card does not provide legal protection.” WTF??? Plus AzDHS with all of their money they have racked in can’t even hire a proof reader? Note they spelled marijuana incorrectly.
The cherry on the sundae is the cards are to have a 20 digit number issued randomly and Mr. Will Humble has been disregarding this from the jump. Every patient card starts with 00 and then move onto the numbers #8 and #9 and you’ll see the letters QP, followed by the end of the number string which ends in 001. The last three numbers will change to 002 once your renew or make a change to your card. Every single card has these numbers hard wired into them and they are tracking our every move. When called on this they just blithely ignore the complaint and continue to break the law. This is our medical marijuana program not a few bureaucrats and they are running it into the ground.
The final straw is the recent NY Times article in which Mr. Humble admits to instructing a staff member at AzDHS to set up a “fake” Facebook account to monitor the comments posted about the program and to then go after anyone that he feels are looking for loopholes in the program. How is this not against the law? Facebook has clear Terms of Service about not fraudulently setting up an account and Mr. Humble is breaking the law.
This is what you should be writing about instead of rubber stamping the good job Humble is doing, I beg to differ.
corruption is the rust of society.it is alive and well in the mmj industry.keep up the demand for accountability.the truth is like a cool drink from a cold spring on a hot day.the only power the people have are facts.like the one’s by “Speaking Truth to Power”and the great column by j.m.smith.using the sick as a target of the “drug war”.how sick is that?what is next,a war on the sick people?facts, truth accountability.demand them,dont ask,before a war is declared on them.exposing the corruption trying to hi-jack our mmj laws will show we are people not commodities.it is a great start.
Something is wrong with Mr/Ms legend’s computer. Both posts above need a re-edit. Or a new keyboard.