Legislation doesn’t trump research

Legislation doesn't trump research

Editor:

Did you ever think maybe medical and psychological research costs too much? Apparently the Montana Legislature agrees. They can just pass a law that marijuana is a good treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and, BAM, it is so!

Of course, like many sedating drugs, marijuana can sedate you enough that you care less about your troubles. But a real treatment of any problem has goals such as emotional healing, healthy relationships and the ability to work. Not just being too stoned to care.

Post traumatic stress disorder can result from many sad experiences: surviving a fire or a natural disaster; surviving physical, sexual, or verbal abuse or rape; or surviving the horrors of war, just to name a few.

Many people endure incredible hardship and go on to have a good life. We all know some of these people, and some of them are us. Any of us.

When you sedate yourself to avoid emotional pain and growth, bingo, it works. You're sedated. But you give up a lot, and so do your family and friends. There is a lot of ongoing research into why some people grow through trauma and some people don't or can't. And how to help all of us with the hard things in life.

But hey, what are they bothering with that research for? Just submit your bill to the Montana Legislature. They can decide what treatments work. If the bill dies in committee, maybe you'll be lucky and it will get resurrected as a "silver bullet" bill.

Like Senate Bill 336, seeking to add PTSD to the list of things the Legislature decrees are treatable with marijuana. I just haven't figured out whether research or legislation is cheaper ... .

Cameron Parham, MD, Havre

Editor:

Did you ever think maybe medical and psychological research costs too much? Apparently the Montana Legislature agrees. They can just pass a law that marijuana is a good treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and, BAM, it is so!

Of course, like many sedating drugs, marijuana can sedate you enough that you care less about your troubles. But a real treatment of any problem has goals such as emotional healing, healthy relationships and the ability to work. Not just being too stoned to care.

Post traumatic stress disorder can result from many sad experiences: surviving a fire or a natural disaster; surviving physical, sexual, or verbal abuse or rape; or surviving the horrors of war, just to name a few.

Many people endure incredible hardship and go on to have a good life. We all know some of these people, and some of them are us. Any of us.

When you sedate yourself to avoid emotional pain and growth, bingo, it works. You're sedated. But you give up a lot, and so do your family and friends. There is a lot of ongoing research into why some people grow through trauma and some people don't or can't. And how to help all of us with the hard things in life.

But hey, what are they bothering with that research for? Just submit your bill to the Montana Legislature. They can decide what treatments work. If the bill dies in committee, maybe you'll be lucky and it will get resurrected as a "silver bullet" bill.

Like Senate Bill 336, seeking to add PTSD to the list of things the Legislature decrees are treatable with marijuana. I just haven't figured out whether research or legislation is cheaper ... .

Cameron Parham, MD, Havre