Study to focus on medical cannabis in military veterans with PTSD

A new study is to explore the impact of medical cannabis on military veterans experiencing PTSD.

The study, led by Avail Cannabis, will seek to identify the optimal cannabinoid profile and therapeutic dose of medical cannabis oil for military veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The canadian company will be recruiting local veterans at centres in Ontario and Winnipeg for the observational study and is seeking approval to publish the findings in The Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH) and present the results at the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research forum in 2021.

In light of COVID-19 and public health guidelines regarding social distancing, patients will participate in the study remotely via telephone or virtually through online video.

Until that time and after the studies have concluded, the locations will remain educational resource centers for veterans and their families to receive local health care resources including peer support.

Justin Whitehall, clinic director of Avail Cannabis, said: “After months of planning between multiple organisations, we are thrilled to finally be opening our first of six recruitment centres which are all situated within a few KM’s of Canadian Forces Bases throughout Ontario and one in Winnipeg, Manitoba.”

All of the recruitment centres are situated inside pharmacies and a pharmacy staff member at all locations will have successfully completed training for providing “culturally competent care for Canadian Military Veterans in Pharmacies, reactive to proactive” –  an educational course developed by Avail and participating pharmacists that both Avail that aims to better support military veterans.

The goal is to have the course fully accredited for pharmacists across Ontario next month for when the study commences.

Indicating a timeline for this ongoing initiative, Whitehall added: “the remaining recruitment centres will all be launched throughout September as we wait for the proper approvals with additional releases to follow.”

The official recruitment will not commence until ethics approval for the study has been received which is anticipated to come in late September.

Further military veteran focused studies are also planned in the future and all studies have been developed keeping patient safety as the number one priority.