Pubdate: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Copyright: 2014 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Author: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez Page: A9 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) MEDICAL POT WEIGHED FOR TREATING PTSD Arizona's top health official is considering whether people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder should be allowed to use medical marijuana. Such a decision could amount to a big win for veterans and medical marijuana advocates. Will Humble's consideration of the issue comes after an administrative law judge on Wednesday recommended that state officials allow those with PTSD to use medical marijuana, reversing Humble's earlier denial. In the past, Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, has rejected allowing the disorder as a condition that qualifies for legal use, saying there is insufficient research on pot's effects on PTSD. Since the inception of the state's medical-marijuana program, veterans and medical-marijuana advocates have pushed state health officials to allow PTSD to qualify as a condition. In the past, some veterans have told The Arizona Republic that the drug regimes their doctors have put them on are ineffective and have caused damage to organs. Humble addressed the judge's Wednesday decision in his blog Thursday, writing, "I have until July 9 to either accept, reject or modify the recommended decision. I'll be studying the report and will make a decision after analyzing the Decision and Order." Humble wrote that, last year, he denied a petition to add PTSD to the list of debilitating medical conditions that qualify people for an Arizona Medical Marijuana Registration Card. He cited the lack of scientific evidence on whether cannabis helps to treat PTSD. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom