7/14/2016 Governor signs law to add post traumatic stress disorder to list of conditions treatable with medical marijuana

STATE HOUSE — Gov. Gina Raimondo has signed legislation introduced by Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Providence, Johnston) and Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence) that adds post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of conditions that may be treated with medical marijuana.

The law (2016-S 2115, 2016-H 7142) adds post-traumatic stress disorder to the definition of “debilitating medical condition” for purposes of qualifying for medical marijuana in the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act.

According to a report from the Veterans Administration, nearly 30 percent of veterans who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffer from PTSD. Some scientists have suggested that marijuana may help PTSD symptoms, which can include anxiety, flashbacks and depression. In a recent study, patients who smoked cannabis saw an average 75 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms.

The law also accelerates the issuance of an approved medical marijuana use application if the patient is eligible for hospice care. It requires the Department of Health to issue a registry identification card to the qualifying patient and primary caregivers named in the patient’s application within 72 hours of receipt of the completed application.

According to the Department of Health, more than 10,000 people in Rhode Island carry medical marijuana cards to treat an approved list of conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease and Alzheimer’s, among others.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-2457