Pubdate: Wed, 14 Sep 2016
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Bethany Lindsay
Page: A4

B.C. EXPERTS LOOK INTO EFFECTS OF POT ON PTSD

Researchers seeking participants who suffer from disorder for study

This is something we really need answers to, because patients have
been ahead of researchers and clinicians on this one.

B.C. researchers are launching the country's first large-scale
clinical trial on marijuana as a treatment for a mental health
condition, testing whether pot can ease the symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorder.

Zach Walsh, a clinical psychologist at the University of B.C.'s
Okanagan campus, is leading the study, which will put the anecdotal
experiences of combat veterans to the test.

"A lot of veterans are using cannabis to help with their PTSD," Walsh
said. "What we see, unfortunately, with treatment-resistant PTSD is
people will be on a combination of drugs - one thing to help with
sleep, another thing to help with mood and sometimes a bunch of other
stuff. ... What (veterans say) cannabis does is it addresses a lot of
those issues concurrently. It helps them get to sleep, it relaxes
them, it helps them to function on a day-to-day level."

Medical marijuana users claim that the drug helps them with everything
from anxiety to insomnia to nightmares, he added. At the same time,
many say they don't suffer the same side-effects as they might with
anti-depressants - things like sexual dysfunction and weight gain.

"We have so many folks that suffer from PTSD for whom the existing
treatments are insufficient. There are some good treatments out there
for PTSD - most prominent are some of the behavioural therapies - but
there are still a lot of people who suffer," Walsh said.

The marijuana for the study will be supplied be Tilray, the
Nanaimo-based licensed medical producer. The researchers are now
trying to recruit participants who suffer from PTSD related to
military history, work as first responders, traumatic accidents or
violent crime.

The triple-blind study will include three different treatments: a
placebo with the active ingredients removed, a strain containing
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and one with both THC and cannabidiol. The
participants will each receive a vaporizer to consume the drug, and
get a chance to try two of the treatments over three weeks each while
the researchers monitor their symptoms. A similar study is being done
in the U.S., and Walsh hopes to combine his results with those of his
American counterparts to get a broader picture of marijuana's impact.

"This isn't about being a cannabis advocate. =C2=85 It's about testing th
is
as a medication just like any other medication, which is really what
we need to do to serve the best interests of Canadians," Walsh said.

A decade ago, it would have been very difficult to get funding or even
the drugs for a study like this, Walsh said. But attitudes have
evolved at the same time that medical marijuana companies have begun
producing research-grade products.

"This is not a fringe issue anymore. This is something we really need
answers to, because patients have been ahead of researchers and
clinicians on this one," he said.

Although this study is historic in terms of marijuana research, it
isn't the first to examine whether so-called illicit drugs can be used
in PTSD treatment.

Walsh was previously involved in research into the use of MDMA during
therapy sessions for people trying to work through their trauma.

"The MDMA facilitates the therapy so that people feel more trusting
and open with their therapist and are able to relive some of the
traumatic memories - and maybe reprocess them in a way that's more
acceptable," he explained.

Walsh has also conducted research that suggested drugs like LSD, magic
mushrooms and MDMA may help curb domestic violence committed by men
with substance abuse problems.
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MAP posted-by: Matt