PTSD

Ukrainian health officials have released the list of conditions that will qualify patients for the country’s new medical cannabis program.

Ukraine’s medical cannabis legalization policy took effect last Friday as the country continues to defend itself against the aggression of neighboring Russia. Under the new policy, military veterans with PTSD and cancer patients are allowed access to medical cannabis products.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could finally let veterans participate in state-legal medical cannabis programs under a House-approved amendment to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA) Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill.

In a review of the hallucinogen MDMA posted last week, the FDA highlighted concerns about the initial investigations into the drug as a potential new therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A bipartisan Wisconsin proposal is seeking to make it easier for researchers to treat patients with post-traumatic stress disorder with psilocybin.

The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut this week agreed to pay a settlement to a former police officer who says he was wrongly suspended for being a medical cannabis patient

Vermont lawmakers have expanded the state’s medical cannabis program, allowing patients to cultivate a total of 12 plants — up to six mature at once — and adding post-traumatic stress disorder to the program’s qualifying conditions list.

Sen. John Tester (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said that a proposal to research medical cannabis use by veterans may be dead following its rejection in the Senate last week.

Lawmakers in the Arizona House Health and Human Services Committee advanced a measure this week that would allow patients with autism and PTSD to participate in the state’s medical cannabis program.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs advanced a bill this week mandating investigations into the effectiveness of medical cannabis as a treatment for PTSD and chronic pain.

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration announced the legalization of medical psilocybin and MDMA for depression and PTSD, respectively, starting July 1.

Michigan is giving $12.5 million to two universities to facilitate research into the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis for veterans suffering from PTSD.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced an amendment this week to the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Department of Defense to study the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for veterans.

The number of registered medical cannabis patients in the U.S. has quadrupled from 2016 to 2020 and the current total is just over 2.97 million patients, according to a recent study.

Ultra Health, New Mexico’s largest medical cannabis producer, filed a lawsuit with the state to force insurers to pay mental and behavioral health patients’ costs for cannabis medication.

Ukraine Health Minister Viktor Liashko announced government support for legalizing medical cannabis with a bill that includes more than 50 qualifying conditions.

South Carolina is sending a medical cannabis bill to the House floor for consideration.

The Kentucky Senate will not vote on the state’s House-approved medical cannabis legislation because, according to Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer (R), there are “not enough votes” to pass the bill.

Kentucky’s GOP-controlled House of Representatives voted 59-64 to pass a bill giving patients with certain severe illnesses access to a state medical cannabis program.

Under a recent New Hampshire Supreme Court ruling, the use of medical cannabis could be allowed as a workplace accommodation for people with disabilities.

New Mexico’s medical cannabis program patient count increased 72% over the last two years with the program reaching a total of 124,463 registered patients.

Bank of America suddenly canceled the account of cannabis research firm Scottsdale Research Institute despite being fully compliant with federal laws and operating with public DEA approval.

Texas medical cannabis dispensary Goodblend is going on a bus tour to promote enrollment in the state’s limited cannabis program. The tour is currently slated for four cities over five dates.

North Carolina’s medical cannabis bill has passed the Senate Finance Committee, its second victory so far on its way to a potential floor vote in the Senate.