Every day 22 veterans commit suicide.
Every day, 22 courageous heroes who served us with honor, who did the hard thing, who made deep personal sacrifices for our collective good take their own lives because the pain of living is too great a burden.
The traumatic impact of war scarred them for life, leaving them permanently mired in despair and depression from which they never recovered.
And every day 22 more take their lives when they should be celebrating and enjoying the fruits of the sacrifices they made.
This is 22 too many.
Sorry State of PTSD Treatment
The conventional methods of treating PTSD are ineffectual at best and damaging at worst.
Well-meaning and overworked doctors prescribe a grabbag of ineffective and debilitating pharmaceuticals that can render a man emotionally catatonic. Sometimes vets receive some sort of flaccid talk therapy that barely scratches the surface.
Symptoms are half-heartedly addressed, but the underlying trauma lives on.
It’s no overstatement to say PTSD destroys lives. And without hope of treatment, it’s no wonder so many vets choose to take their own life.
But there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. And it’s not white.
It’s green.
Cannabis and PTSD: Why Cannabis Works
New research shows that trauma can permanently lower the brain’s levels of an endocannabinoid called anandamide. Endocannabinoids are involved with dozens of biological and psychological functions, including anxiety, fear, and sleep, among others.
The same things affected by PTSD.
Scientists researching cannabis found an entire biochemical system that responds to the active chemicals in cannabis, which is how the endocannabinoid system got its name. The endocannabinoid system that is disrupted in PTSD is also modulated by cannabis.
This means that instead of expensive and debilitating pharmaceuticals – cannabis may be a solution for treating the symptoms of PTSD.
How Cannabis Helps PTSD
Cannabis has over 100 chemicals called cannabinoids. THC, the most famous of them, is responsible for the psychoactive properties. It works by stimulating the CB1 receptor, the same receptor stimulated by anandamide. This means that the endocannabinoid signal deficit in PTSD may be compensated by THC.
CBD, another cannabinoid with many medical benefits, works in a different way. It can help raise baseline endocannabinoid levels by preventing them from being destroyed by enzymes. In this way, CBD can help bring anandamide levels back to normal.
For individuals with PTSD, cannabis has the potential to increase endocannabinoid activity and restore them to healthy, normal range of function.
Medical Approval for Cannabis
In fact, the potential for cannabis to help treat symptoms of PTSD is so great, 23 states now approve medical cannabis for treating PTSD. And now even the federal government, the same government that holds marijuana as a schedule 1 drug with no medical benefit, has approved a medical marijuana trial for vets with PTSD.
This is nothing short of momentous.
And none of this would have been possible without the diligent work of activists, of people standing up and making some noise for what is right.
Everyone’s voice matters. Everyone’s presence helps when it comes to affecting change in society.
Come Support Twenty22Many at Sparket!
To show our support of veteran’s right to safe, effective treatment, we are excited to partner with Twenty22Many, a grassroots, non-profit organization working to address the tragic epidemic of veteran suicide.
This Friday, September 22nd, 2017, from 12pm-6pm we will be hosting “Veteran Suicide Awareness Day” with Twenty22Many. We will have vendors, information booths, a BBQ and live music. A portion of the proceeds from our sales will go towards helping local veterans. Veterans will receive a 22% off discount.
Come out and help us support the brave souls who have given up so much for all of our benefit.
