A recent FDA-regulated study has shown that cannabis with higher THC levels can be beneficial for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in veterans. Published in March in the journal *PLOS ONE*, the study, conducted by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), was the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing different THC and CBD ratios for PTSD treatment. The study found significant symptom improvement among patients using cannabis blends with 9% THC, 11% CBD, or a mix of 8% THC and CBD.
Researchers emphasized the need for further studies to determine the minimum effective THC dose to treat PTSD safely, aiming to reduce the risk of cannabis dependence in this vulnerable group. A separate 2020 study of 150 participants also indicated that PTSD patients using cannabis reported a more significant reduction in symptoms compared to non-users.
While cannabis use for medical and recreational purposes has been legalized in several U.S. states, it remains prohibited for prescription use by the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA estimates that 11-20% of veterans from recent conflicts suffer from PTSD. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) supports federally funded research into medicinal cannabis to aid veterans with service-related chronic pain.