High Praise For Marijuana

Veterans with PTSD kill themselves 17 times a day. Their families, our mission focus, acquire PTSD when they witness the suicide or find the body. Marijuana is reported as the most widely used illicit drug in the US.

We at Once A Soldier believe firmly that cannabis is a proven solution to stopping Veteran suicide and postvention treatment for when it is too late. We make no apologies for our stance and have no time for politicians to get used to the idea that these drugs work. See what Veterans say about how it has helped them.

Lift the Burden of Veteran Suicide

 Your $20 gift helps pay off the family’s funeral bills. Not all families need help. Ours do.

Give Here

Medical Marijuanna and Recreational Legal In Some Parts of the USA

Although still classified as a Schedule 1 drug, medical and recreations cannibus helps those suffering from PTSD. Schedule I drugs are those that have the following characteristic according to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA):

  • The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
  • The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical treatment use in the U.S.
  • It has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

With a sharp focus on beating soldier suicide, the VA and Congress have started to open doors to allow exploration of anything that will lower the rising number of suicides. The contradiction at the top level needs to be resolved so that our Veterans stop killing themselves in front of their families.

State – Legal Status for Medicinal – Recreational

Updated as of April 2021, click here for more recent data.
 

  • Alabama Fully Illegal No No
  • Alaska Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Arizona Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Arkansas Mixed Yes No
  • California Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Colorado Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Connecticut Mixed Yes Yes
  • Delaware Mixed Yes Yes
  • District of Columbia Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Florida Mixed Yes No
  • Georgia Mixed CBD Oil Only No
  • Hawaii Mixed Yes Yes
  • Idaho Fully Illegal No No
  • Illinois Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Indiana Mixed CBD Oil Only No
  • Iowa Mixed CBD Oil Only No
  • Kansas Fully Illegal No No
  • Kentucky Mixed CBD Oil Only No
  • Louisiana Mixed Yes No
  • Maine Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Maryland Mixed Yes Yes
  • Massachusetts Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Michigan Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Minnesota Mixed Yes Yes
  • Mississippi Mixed Yes Yes
  • Missouri Mixed Yes Yes
  • Montana Fully Legal* Yes Yes*
  • Nebraska Fully Illegal No Yes
  • Nevada Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • New Hampshire Mixed Yes Yes
  • New Jersey Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • New Mexico Mixed Yes Yes
  • New York Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • North Carolina Fully Illegal No Yes
  • North Dakota Mixed Yes Yes
  • Ohio Mixed Yes Yes
  • Oklahoma Mixed Yes No
  • Oregon Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • Pennsylvania Mixed Yes No
  • Rhode Island Mixed Yes Yes s
  • South Carolina Fully Illegal No No
  • South Dakota Fully Legal* Yes* Yes*
  • Tennessee Fully Illegal No No
  • Texas Mixed CBD Oil Only No
  • Utah Mixed Yes No
  • Vermont Fully Legal Yes Yes Vs
  • Virginia Mixed CBD Oil Only Yes
  • Washington Fully Legal Yes Yes
  • West Virginia Mixed Yes No
  • Wisconsin Mixed CBD Oil Only No
  • Wyoming Fully Illegal No No

How Does Marijuana Work?

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient. The highest concentrations of THC are found in the dried flowers, or buds. When marijuana smoke is inhaled, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream and is carried to the brain and other organs throughout the body. THC from the marijuana acts on specific receptors in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, starting off a chain of cellular reactions that finally lead to the euphoria, or “high” that users experience. Feeling of a relaxed state, euphoria, and an enhanced sensory perception may occur. With higher THC levels in those who are not used to the effects, some people may feel anxious, paranoid, or have a panic attack.

Certain areas in the brain, such as the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex, have a higher concentration of cannabinoid receptors. These areas influence memory, concentration, pleasure, coordination, sensory and time perception.1

Marijuana’s strength is correlated to the amount of THC it contains and the effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC. Different strains will contain different levels of THC. In general, the THC content in marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s, when it contained roughly 10% THC. In 2015, as reported by Live Science, researchers from the American Chemical Society found levels of THC at roughly 30%.

Source: https://www.drugs.com/illicit/marijuana.html

ABOUT ONCE A SOLDIER

Our Veterans are killing themselves in record numbers mostly due to PTSD. An overmatched VA can’t take care of them or their families. We will.

Soldier suicide leaves Veteran families with thousands of dollars of bills unpaid, mostly bank loans.

We are the only nonprofit standing with the families after a veteran suicide. Stand with us.

Our Mission: Become the preferred channel for donors, advocates and volunteers who care about veteran families left behind after a soldier suicide.

Links for More Information: