Pubdate: Wed, 07 Nov 2012
Source: Santa Fe Reporter (NM)
Copyright: 2012 Santa Fe Reporter
Contact: http://sfreporter.com/letters_to_the_editor/
Website: http://www.sfreporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2645
Author: Joey Peters

MEDICAL CANNABIS ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDS KEEPING PSTD AS MEDICAL 
MARIJUANA QUALIFIER

One board member, a psychiatrist, said he was glad the issue was 
being discussed.

After more than three hours of debate over dropping post traumatic 
stress disorder from the Medical Cannabis Program, the Medical 
Cannabis Advisory Board unanimously recommending to keep PTSD as a qualifier.

Albuquerque psychiatrist William Ulwelling made headlines last month 
when his plans to petition against PSTD as a qualifying condition for 
medical marijuana went public. It led to plenty of press coverage -- 
more than Ulwelling says he's ever experienced in his life -- and 
resistance from medical marijuana advocates across the state.

Groups like the Drug Policy Alliance of New Mexico and the New Mexico 
Medical Cannabis Program Patients' Alliance made efforts to bring in 
as many PTSD medical marijauna patients as possible to the meeting 
today. Several politicians -- state Sens. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, 
D-Bernalillo, Cisco McSorley, D-Bernalillo and state Rep. Antonio 
"Moe" Maestas, D-Bernalillo -- showed up to speak in support of the 
current law as well.

New Mexico is one of three medical marijuana states to list PTSD as a 
qualifying medical marijuana condition. PTSD patients, in turn, make 
up roughly 40 percent of the MCP's approximate 7,000 active patients.

Ulwelling's argument against marijuana for PTSD hinge over the lack 
of peer-reviewed studies out there that link marijuana as proper 
treatment for the condition. Still, many anecdotal studies show a 
positive connection, and most on both sides of the argument agree 
that federal restrictions on marijuana are to blame for low number of studies.

Ulwelling also argues that PSTD sufferers are more vulnerable to 
addiction and that marijuana is linked to psychosis. Yet studies on 
both of those arguments are either conflicting or lacking.

At the meeting, Ulwelling's tone was often heckled by the many 
patients sitting behind him.

"If donuts were recommended as a treatment for PTSD, I wouldn't be 
here," Ulwelling told the board. "There's no evidence that donuts 
treat PTSD, but what's the harm?"

"Diabetes!" one person shouted as commotion in the audience rose 
quickly. Members of the board often had to quiet down the crowd.

Other Ulwelling musings that didn't go over too well with the patients:

"The people that have tried [medical marijuana] and felt horrible 
obviously aren't here today."

"In my explanation, let's start with 100 people with PTSD. Of those, 
let's say 60 develop a substance abuse problem ... Take the remaining 
40 -- and I'm making these numbers up, it's a hypothetical thing -- " 
[commotion rises] " -- And that's another of my points, we don't know 
the numbers."

"Many people argue that PTSD is the easiest end-run around the 
medical marijuana laws. These people would argue that many people who 
claim PTSD don't really have PTSD. But it's the easiest indication to 
do an end-run around medical marijuana laws because it's the only 
indication that has purely subjective components."

Ulwelling came under fire from the University of New Mexico School of 
Medicine for signing as an assistant professor on his petition. His 
contract with UNM ended in 2007.

"Are these titles currently accurate?" MCAB member Steve Jenison 
asked about the titles listed next to Ulwelling's letterhead on the petition.

Ulwelling responded that the titles needed updating.

"Have you published any peer-reviewed articles?" Jenison asked.

"A couple when I was a resident," Ulwelling responded. "I had a 
patent pending on a new antidepressant -- "

The crowd interrupted again.

" -- I chose not to pursue it because of concerns with patients' 
safety," he finished.

In the end, the MCAB members concluded that there wasn't enough 
evidence to support Ulwelling's argument that medical marijuana can 
cause psychosis or lead to harmful addictions.

"The [intent] of medical cannabis law was not that cannabis should be 
recommended for anything," Jenison said. "The intent of the law is to 
protect those individuals who through consultation with their 
clinician have decided that medical cannabis relieves their symptoms 
and protecting them from criminal liability."

Jenison went on to explain the lack of proper treatment available for 
PTSD across the nation. Bill Johnson, an MCAB member and 
psychiatrist, talked about how the Department of Health, which 
administers the MCP, had no evidence to show that medical marijuana 
was harming its patients.

"I think it's good that we have this discussion," Johnson told 
Ulwelling. "I share your concerns about the risk of psychotic 
disorders with cannabis use but ... I remain unconvinced that 
[marijuana] is a major public health issue -- the risk of psychosis 
with use of medical cannabis."

Ulwelling later told SFR that he appreciated the board's fair questions.

Next, the MCAB takes its recommendation to interim Health Secretary 
Brad McGrath, who has final say in wether PTSD stays as a qualifying condition.

"We're hopeful," DPANM Executive Director Emily Kaltenbach tells SFR. 
"I believe the board made a very informed decision."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom