PTSD Awareness Day: Cannabis Helps Veterans Manage Symptoms of PTSD
Veterans throughout the Greater Lansing region are turning to cannabis to help ease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Pure Options CEO and Partner Sam Usman Jr. said the budtenders and staff at the company’s Lansing retail locations have been aiding veterans in finding the right cannabis products for years.
“Our budtenders make recommendations for veterans on a case-by-case basis,” Usman said. “When someone comes in looking for PTSD relief, the budtender spends a great deal of time learning about their symptoms and what effects they want cannabis to have on them. If someone is looking for anxiety relief, CBD oil may be the right fit. If a person is looking for something to help them sleep better, traditional flower or edibles may a good solution.”
CBD studies help open the door
Michigan cannabis nurse Cathleen Graham is working with Dr. Sue Sisley on the only Food and Drug Administration-approved study on the efficacy of cannabis in treating medical conditions of veterans and preventing suicide. She said research has shown that CBD can assist with fear conditioning by helping people release fear and forget memories they don’t want.
Additionally, cannabis can sometimes help with PTSD symptoms like detachment, irritability, nightmares, flashbacks, frustration, intolerance, issues with anger, avoidance, hyper-arousal and reenacting trauma.
Both Graham and Usman agree that cannabis is not the sole answer to PTSD relief, but it can be extremely beneficial in the overall treatment.
“We know that cannabis isn’t going to cure someone’s PTSD, but it can make a huge difference. We have many veterans who are regulars because they say cannabis helps them manage their pain and PTSD,” Usman said.
