Medical Marijuana Users Plagued With Pot Head Stigma; Cannabis To Cure Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder On War Vets?

It has been the bane for most people to be placed or perceived as a certain stigma or stereotype by the general views of a community. Such is the case for medical marijuana users who have, for the longest time, been seen as a "lazy pot-smoker." This long-standing stigma may actually hurt the legitimacy of medical marijuana consumer. Moreover, the plant itself may have a potential to cure the prevailing post-traumatic stress disorder that war veterans in Canada have been suffering from.

It was recently reported that the stigma of a "lazy pot-smoker" is being pressed on heavily after an interview with former NDP MP Peter Stoffer regarding medical marijuana consumption among war veterans, CBC has learned.

It was stated therein that Stoffer criticized that the amount of marijuana (10 grams a day) allotted to veterans by the rules set forth by the Veteran Affairs Canada is excessive to give to one person.

As such, Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr was said to have agreed on Stoffer's proposition and, as a result, has ordered the limit on the amount of marijuana given to be scaled back to three grams per day.

Furthermore, it was reported that Stoffer wanted to have the veterans subjected to a full lifestyle examination before being given access to any amount of medical marijuana. It seems that this would stem from his suspicion that some veterans are using the medication to simply just get high.

This being said, the source opined that the Veteran Affairs Canada does not have a right to interfere between a patient and his doctor, albeit the fact that they play a role in how veteran health care dollars are being used.

It also stated its position that the same organization should not be prodding into a patient's lifestyle (as suggested by Stoffer), due to their use of medical marijuana, in the same way that they couldn't do the same to others who use other prescription medications.

As Canada is moving towards legalizing the use cannabis, a G7 nation to fully legalize the plant both in recreation and medical uses, cannabis is also being considered to help combat the rampant post-traumatic stress disorder that most war veterans in Canada have been suffering from, Huffington Post reported.

The source went on to cite the work of former Canadian combat engineer, Fabian Henry, who sees cannabis as a means to save the lives of veterans by immensely helping them cope up with PTSD.

Henry pointed out that the use of cannabis greatly helped him and other veterans refrain from feeling suicidal due to the psychological torments that they undergo everyday.

With all these said, it seems that Canada is considering a lot of things right now as they slowly gear towards legalizing the use of Marijuana.