Pubdate: Wed, 08 May 2013
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2013 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10
Author: Olivier Uyttebrouck

PTSD STAYS ON LIST FOR POT LICENSES

Board to Consider Other Disorders, Too

Post traumatic stress disorder will remain a qualifying condition for 
a medical cannabis license in New Mexico, state Health Secretary 
Retta Ward announced.

The announcement settles months of rancorous debate that began last 
year when an Albuquerque psychiatrist filed a petition to remove PTSD 
as a condition that allows patients to obtain a state license to 
legally buy or grow pot.

The petition contained "insufficient medical and scientific evidence" 
to remove PTSD as a qualifying condition, Ward said in a written statement.

PTSD is one of 17 medical conditions that allow a patient to qualify 
for a license to buy marijuana from nonprofit growers, which are also 
licensed by the state Department of Health.

More patients use a PTSD diagnosis to qualify for a license than any 
other medical condition. About 3,700 New Mexicans, or 42 percent of 
the 8,894 licensed patients, qualified with a PTSD diagnosis as of March 30.

In November, dozens of supporters of the PTSD qualification packed a 
hearing in Santa Fe to oppose the petition filed by Dr. William Ulwelling.

Ulwelling told members of the state's medical cannabis advisory board 
that marijuana may put PTSD patients at heightened risk of "psychotic 
side-effects" such as flashbacks and paranoia.

Dr. Florian Birkmayer, an Albuquerque psychiatrist who treats PTSD, 
responded that medical pot can be effective for patients who don't 
respond to other therapies and can help control symptoms of PTSD that 
lead some people to seek relief from dangerous drugs, such as heroin.
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