Sue Sisley’s research on the efficacy of medical marijuana treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans has finally begun.
The first two veterans in the study have received their marijuana and 36 will join them over the next several months. Out of more than 300 veterans that volunteered for the study, only 12 have been approved. The other 10 are awaiting their turn to start the study.
The entire study is expected to take two years.
Sisley’s new challenge is finding more volunteers to participate.
Volunteers must not only have been diagnosed with PTSD that hasn’t been able to have been treated in other ways, but also mustn’t already be regular pot smokers.
In addition to Sisley’s Scottdale site, 38 veterans will be partaking in the study at John Hopkins University in Baltimore under the study’s principal investigator, Marcel Bonn-Miller.
The process started in 2009 has been arduous and is far from complete, but the commencement of clinical trials is a huge step down the path of progress.
Sisley partnered with the California-based group, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a non-profit research organization that helps conduct studies to show how drugs like MDMA, LSD and marijuana can have medical benefits.
While the process of approval for new drug treatments is often drawn-out, even under non-controversial circumstances, it typically doesn’t take eight years to get to clinical trials.
The Food and Drug Administration, along with an alphabet soup of other government agencies dedicated to providing strict oversight of scientists’ use of marijuana, has proved a challenging gatekeeper for Sisley and MAPS.
The most notable setback highlights a major issue in the U.S. government’s handling of marijuana research. For a long time, the National Institute on Drug Abuse was the sole grower of marijuana used for medical research.
Not only does that create a monopoly, opening up a possibility for low-quality product that may interfere with research, but the organization’s single grow site at the University of Mississippi can’t bust out the bud fast enough.
That’s where MAPS stepped in to challenge the monopoly legally, and won in 2015.
Sisley was also fired from the University of Arizona—likely in connection to the study, though they’ll deny it—
under the behest of then-Arizona Senate President Andy Biggs in July 2014. Sisley believes her termination was in response to attempts at gaining state funding for the study.
A $2.16 million donation from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment helped Sisley and MAPS set up a new site, independent of the state.
Now, two years later, Sisley is able to start providing veterans who have PTSD with lab-quality marijuana in a study aimed at showing a beneficial side to marijuana—a rare goal in government-sanctioned studies.
Sisley’s trial consists of four types of marijuana: a strain with high THC, a strain with high CBD, a strain with equal amounts of both and a placebo.
Veterans in the study will smoke two joints a day and record the effects.
Interested volunteers can email Sisley and MAPS at arizoan@marijuanasites.org
This article appears in Feb 16-22, 2017.
I find it extremely fortunate to have an objectionable view being published in the WEEKLY. I am of the view that their underlying principles in this marijuana medical to recreational scheme. I have little doubt that so much monies from civil seizures went into MPPs a 501(c)(3) coffers to promote legalization. If this is the case and I believe it is, what is the level of perverse?
This study is a veteran based study on PTSD. While we know the horrors of war the disgusting reasoning we have been using lately.
It seem this study has a predetermined conclusion and this study. This in place to validate and eliminate veracity to any arbitrary objections.
It seems that there are 2 possible positive conclusions. That simply being a Vet does not automatically give considerations to PTSD. Combat experienced, not support logistics in rear areas cooks on LST’s or mechanics in non theatre operations submariners and the like. I can imagine how hard it must be to find a combat experienced Vet, that is not on some kind of medication and has been for awhile. Or to find a combat experienced Vet that is not into illegal or abuse of legal drugs. As both of these would invalidate anything this study can provide.
1- Is to understand how cannabinoids in cannabis effect a huge variety of compulsive behaviors. If so how and in what ways and strain variety can target those behaviors possibilities. One must take into account, that during HW Bush presidency and his desert storm.
The medical impacts per 100,000 soldiers not deployed living at home base were 10x more encompassing than those deployed. 10x time more overdoses, 10x more domestic violence, 10x more DUI related. Only a very small percentage of the personal in the Department of Defence military are in the theatre of operations.
2- This study will only pertain to a small amount and be used mainly as tool limit and possible validate a strain that might be useful in treating combat related issues.
The name of the organization’s MAPS funding these studies after looking them up they are mainly organizations that supply information use of MDMA. While the group does research on other psychotic drugs the target is not on freedom of use. To establish divisions of consumption enforcement and administration are a shifting variable that needs to be monitored and adjusted by social changes. While this group the founders from big Pharma “Novataris” is under contract with the FDA to study and administer MDMA for PTSD. conflict?
Will this group MAPS a 501(c)(3) nonprofit lobby in support or opposition for legalization. Using this data as conclusive evidence that marijuana has no medical effect, and compounds of MDMA with Certain stains be administered has shown possibilities.
Real bottom line we need to know ll how contribute complete o
If you are having trouble connecting with the email address link, you’re not alone. The correct email address is arizona@marijuanasites.org, I’m pretty sure.