HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Researchers at the University of South Florida could soon find help for veterans with PTSD. Experts will be starting a new clinical trial that studies how medical marijuana could be the key.
"You see a lot of trauma and things like that, and it might not necessarily hit you right away. It could hit you a couple years later," said Michael Delancey, a military veteran.
Delancey served in the military, and in 2006, he was shot while in Iraq.
"I was shot by a sniper on dismounted foot patrol. The round hit my back left scapula, went across and did a bunch of damage to my lung, and left me paralyzed from the chest down," said Delancey.
Delancey went on to found an organization called Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch in Pinellas County and said people who suffer injuries or witness trauma in the military also tend to suffer from PTSD.
"Sometimes you might have an issue, and it could last half a second, and other times it could be something that weighs on your mind just constantly," said Delancey.
"They have trouble with their daily lives. It can affect their jobs, they don't sleep properly, they have nightmares, they have flashbacks," said Dr. Mark Kindy of the University of South Florida.
Some veterans with PTSD are seeking out an alternative treatment.
"Previous studies have shown that marijuana might help improve some of the symptoms associated with PTSD, helping reduce the symptoms, the nightmares, and the other things that kind of go along with it," said Dr. Kindy.
Dr. Kindy said soon, the university will be conducting a clinical trial in which veterans will be given a dose of medical marijuana and then undergo therapy sessions over the course of five weeks. He said the focus of the study is on veterans' mental health.
"Being in the military, they are kind of told to man up or kind of bury those thoughts and ideas," said Dr. Kindy.
He said the university received $13 million in grant money from the state of Michigan to carry out the study. The first step, he said, is to start recruiting veterans to get involved.
"If we could give a little back, that would be phenomenal," said Dr. Kindy.
Delancey has his own advice for veterans who may be struggling.
"Get any veteran just out of the house and active. Don't just be staring at the wall and thinking negatively. Go out, find a friend," said Delancey.
