Hundreds of Veterans Receive Free Medical Marijuana in Colorado Event

At an event in Colorado on Saturday, September 20th, hundreds of veterans received free medical marijuana and edibles, as an alternative to prescription painkillers and anti-anxiety medications.

The event was hosted by Operation Grow4Vets, which states on the company website that the organization wants to stop veteran suicide from prescription drug overdose. Medical marijuana is generally considered more difficult to overdose on, although the drug can have different side effects. The group also aims to offer alternative pain management and PTSD management for veterans who otherwise rely on powerful prescription painkillers and sedatives.

“We’re really here to help them with their medical conditions,” including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, the group’s founder, Roger Martin, who is a veteran himself. “There’s a wide variety of ailments. Anything that involves pain.”

“That’s our mission, is to offer veterans a safe alternative to the dangerous prescription drugs that they’re prescribed to deal with PTSD, TBI, chronic pain, and all sorts of other ailments,” Martin said.

“I’ve got PTSD, and yeah, I take marijuana that helps me to sleep at night,” said Stephanie Burton, a veteran Army nurse.

“I’m allergic to morphine opiates, I can’t take them,” said Mark Pitts, Vietnam-era veteran. “So I don’t have much choice other than do that.” He added that medical marijuana helps his PTSD, chronic pain, and associated depression. “Without the cannabis, forget it, I don’t even want to get out of bed some days. But, at least, cannabis takes enough of the edge off the pain I can deal with the pain,” he says.

One veteran of the Afghanistan war, 29-year-old Brian Nance, says that using medical marijuana helped wean him off morphine. “I’ve been using cannabis and it’s been helping me. And it helps. If I don’t have to take a pill for 4 to 5 hours, for me that’s a big deal,” he says.

Despite the rave reviews for medical marijuana at Operation Grow4Vets’ event, critics questioned the safety of the event. Although recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, the state rejected prescribing medical marijuana to treat PTSD and some other emotional or mental disorders, because unpredictably in some patients, the drug can trigger paranoia, and have some unforeseen emotional side effects.

“Obviously things that we would not want somebody with PTSD to be experiencing,” said Bob Doyle of the Colorado Smart Approaches to Marijuana Coalition, who said that the organizers of the event were reckless in their approach to medical marijuana.

However, Operation Grow4Vets continues their work with medical marijuana for veterans, and has created a program called Save 1000 Vets, which aims to provide 1,000 veterans in the state of Colorado with a lifetime supply of medical marijuana. The group said that right now, they have the finances to provide 100 veterans with a lifetime of medical marijuana.

If You Face Marijuana Charges, Including Drug Charges for Medical Marijuana Use, the Strom Law Firm Can Help

Possession of marijuana charges are all too common in South Carolina. Although many states have legalized medical marijuana use, South Carolina currently has one law that allows for use of a very specific type of medical marijuana to treat a small number of medical conditions. Most marijuana use is still illegal. If you or a loved one have been found with medical marijuana, you could face criminal charges ranging from misdemeanor to felony, depending on how much marijuana was in your possession, and what your intent was with the drug. The drug crimes attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. Do not let drug charges for medical marijuana hurt your reputation or your personal or professional future. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case. Contact us today for help. 803.252.4800