Medical Marijuana for PTSD: Oregonian Newspaper Promotes Pot???

The Oregonian vilifies “sympathetic doctors”. Well there have been about 3,500 marijuana sympathetic doctors out of 8000 doctors in Oregon.

Courtesy: soldiersforthecause.org

(PORTLAND, OR) - I couldn’t believe my eyes, seeing that front page headline, but after reading the latest spate of The Oregonian newspaper diatribes about medical marijuana (wolves in sheep’s clothing), I can see that The Oregonian and all of its minions are disregarding all medical science facts and figures in favor of the “Reefer Madness” and “Devil Weed” movies of the 1930’s. For Shame!!!

Noelle Crombie’s article “Medical Marijuana for PTSD?” on August 27th, 2012, was an excellent headline for a start and got the attention of hundreds of other blogs across the states and the globe.

Her sensitive comments about veterans using medical marijuana, wins high praise from most veterans and me. I had about 1000 PTSD war veterans under my care and they were very happy and relieved for the effective medicine. Noelle does point out that the PTSD veterans also have other physical problems. They cannot get marijuana permits for PTSD only.

Although marijuana advocates have tried twice unsuccessfully to get PTSD accepted, this has not stopped many thousands of veterans and others from using marijuana for PTSD. Even the Veterans Administration has softened its rejection of marijuana for PTSD because they have found that their own standard medications: Morphine, Valium, Anti-Depressants and Anti-Epilepsy drugs usually do not work resulting in the veterans becoming alcoholics or worse.

Law enforcement officers don’t seem to like marijuana users and it seems that they would prefer them to be alcoholics.

Ms. Crombie states that some pseudo experts consider marijuana to be dangerous and addicting. I suggest they compare it to Morphine, Valium, alcohol and tobacco. NO CONTEST!

Some think we should have clinical studies which are “double blind” such that neither the patient not the doctor knows who is using what. The medical effects of marijuana are unique and the patient will know within one minute if he is getting a FAKE DRUG.

Ms. Crombie quotes Daryl Inaba of Addictions Recovery Center in Medford who rejects marijuana as medicine. He says patients should take something non-addictive. Studies have shown that marijuana is less addictive than Starbucks espresso or chocolate.

Ms. Crombie’s article was followed by the editorial “Rx for Oregon Pot Laws” August 29th, 2012, which characteristically tried to trash the entire concept of marijuana as medicine. They even threw in the comment that it causes paranoia and addiction. They must be talking about the prescription “marijuana drug”, Marinol, which does cause anxiety, panic attacks, hallucinations and has caused deaths unlike marijuana itself.

The Oregonian decries the seriousness of veterans PTSD. It is far more serious than pain, nausea, spasms, seizures, etc. PTSD directly causes death by suicide. Oregon veterans have a difficult time getting a marijuana card for PTSD. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE without other physical causes.

The Oregonian vilifies “sympathetic doctors”. Well there have been about 3,500 marijuana sympathetic doctors out of 8000 doctors in Oregon.

Many veterans organizations in many states have advocated for marijuana for PTSD with the knowledge that the veterans found for themselves that marijuana works best for ‘battle terrors’ and PTSD.

Comments about The Oregonian's articles brought in hundreds of responses. The editorial itself brought in 76 deriding the ignorance portrayed in the editorial.

Dr. Phillip Leveque has degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and minors in physiology and biochemistry. He was a Professor of Pharmacology, employed by the University of London for 2 years, during which time he trained the first doctors in Tanzania. After training doctors, he became an Osteopathic Physician, as well as a Forensic Toxicologist. Before any of that, Phil Leveque was a Combat Infantryman in the U.S. Army in WWII. He suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder more than 60 years after the war, and specialized in treating Veterans with PTSD during his years as a doctor in Molalla, Oregon. Do you have a question, comment or story to share with Dr. Leveque?
Email him: ASK DR. LEVEQUE<

More information on the history of Dr. Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of WWII about his own experiences "from a foxhole". Order the book by mail by following this link: DOGFACE SOLDIER OF WWII If you are a World War II history buff, you don't want to miss it.