Representatives from Sensible Colorado and VetsCANN filed a petition on behalf of veterans and others suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on Tuesday, to add the disorder to the list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana in Colorado. The petition was submitted following an hour-long rally outside the Department of Public Health and Environment and a press conference featuring Army Veteran and former Calvary Scout Joseph Hatcher, retired Air Force Major Bob Wiley, and retired Navy Lt. Wanda James.
Veterans Bob Wiley, Joseph Hatcher, Wanda James and others line up behind Sensible Colorado Executive Director Brian Vicente as he addresses the media. Photo provided by Cannabis Business Alliance
The momentous occasion culminated in about 40 supporters and several camera crews cramming into the department lobby, and watching silently as retired Air Force Major Bob Wiley handed the hefty petition to an employee of the health department. The petition included over 100 studies showing marijuana’s alleviating effects on many of PTSD’s symptoms.
Air Force Major Bob Wiley (retired) submits the petition on behalf of veterans and others suffering from PTSD. Photo provided by Cannabis Business Alliance
This is the second such petition filed in two years by Sensible Colorado – the first one was rejected by the health department in 2010. But Executive Director Brian Vicente believes the state owes a moral duty to veterans to reconsider their previous decision. Over 6,500 veterans die by suicide every year, and significant progress in scientific research has been made since 2010. The Health Department has not accepted a single petition to add a debilitating medical condition treatable by medical marijuana since the enactment of the Colorado Medical Marijuana Code in 2000.
Check out these related stories: