Fifteen years after returning home from war, Crush Estrada could still smell the death and destruction from his days as a helicopter gunner for the Air Force, his wife, Cory Tyszka, said Friday.
Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and other medical conditions, his doctors prescribed narcotics, sleeping pills and a host of other drugs to help him through the long days and nights. The pills helped but often caused other problems. He couldn't sleep through the night and "he was a zombie" during the day, Tyszka said.
Her remarks came during a 21/2-hour public hearing at the Arizona Department of Health Services, which could expand the state's medical-marijuana program to include PTSD, depression, anxiety and migraines as qualifying conditions for medical-marijuana ingestion.
Tyszka said she would often awake to her husband's night terrors. First came the heavy breathing, then the panic, the shaking, swearing and then tears.
About a year ago, Tyszka's husband received certification to smoke marijuana under the state's medical-marijuana program. She has Crohn's disease and also is part of the state's medical-marijuana program.
"He now can sleep through the night," she said. "It makes him able to function during the day as well. He can do things now. He doesn't get frustrated at the smallest things."
More than two dozen people spoke in favor of expanding the state's medical-marijuana program at the hearing, offering anecdotal evidence and medical records to show how pot helped them deal with night terrors, sleeping difficulties, irritability, frustration, headaches and other conditions caused by illnesses.
Several doctors and anti-drug advocates sympathized but spoke against expansion, saying there is no evidence to prove the benefits of medical marijuana. They also said it could create dangerous situations on the road and in the home.
One opponent pointed out that there is no standardization of marijuana dosage and suggested that adding conditions could encourage further abuse.
State health officials must periodically consider adding conditions to the program under the 2010 law approved by voters.
Department of Health Services Director Will Humble, who oversees the medical-marijuana program, expects to decide whether to add any of the proposed conditions by mid-July. He will consider Friday's testimony when making that decision, he said.
"This is an important part of the process," he said. "But I want to make sure I'm basing my decision on good science, and I'm really looking at the full weight of evidence."
As of May 8, nearly 28,300 patients and nearly 1,670 caregivers participated in the state's program, which allows them to use or grow medical marijuana for certain conditions. If PTSD alone is added as a qualifying condition, Humble expects to add 15,000 to 20,000 new patients.
Arizona would become the only state in the nation to allow medical marijuana for anxiety and depression. New Mexico is the only state that actively allows medical marijuana for PTSD.
Kent Eller, a doctor with experience in treating seriously mentally ill patients, said the state should not add depression to the program. He said there is no scientific proof that the drug effectively treats depression and recurrence of depression.
"My fear is that if we would allow marijuana, the patient could go get their card and then they would be on their own," Eller said. "And during that time, we would not have the opportunity to see an emergence of a more serious (condition). It could potentially cause a further problem for patients."
Other opponents said medical marijuana poses dangers for the larger community.
"It's the safety on the road when you're driving, safety with equipment, safety with the family, safety when you're handling a gun," said Leland Fairbanks, a longtime physician and member of an anti-drug advocacy group. "I do not believe that we (should be adding) conditions. Some that are on the list are dubious and are being abused now."
Charise Voss said medical marijuana changed her life. She once suffered from debilitating migraines, which she tried to control through prescription drugs that caused other medical conditions. She tried marijuana, and it worked.
"I have no side effects, and for the first time in my life, I am pain-free," said Voss, 47.
"I never thought I'd be here today to be an advocate for marijuana," she said. "But what we need is a choice."
Shortly before the 5 p.m. Friday deadline, the state health department had received more than 400 applications for medical-marijuana dispensaries.
State law allows 126 dispensaries. Health officials plan to award dispensary certificates on Aug. 7.
by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez - May. 25, 2012 10:16 PM The Republic | azcentral.com
Arizona officials hold medical pot hearing
