RSL rejects calls to use ecstasy on stressed war veterans

[grace]

Steve Larkin

June 23, 2008 03:25pm

courier mail

<http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23908072-953,00.html>

 

PROPOSALS to use the drug ecstasy on war veterans to alleviate stress have drawn a lukewarm response from the Returned Services League.

 

RSL national president Bill Crews said he was reluctant to support a call from an Australian Democrats MP to investigate using the drug on war veterans.

 

South Australian Democrat Sandra Kanck said ecstasy's key ingredient, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, could be used to alleviate post-traumatic stress disorders.

 

"This is not a new idea," Ms Kanck said. "It is being trialled in the United States and Israel for war veterans and in Spain for rape victims."

 

"It's not a frivolous idea.

 

"Veterans, like other Australians, are already being prescribed powerful drugs like highly addictive morphine for pain relief and benzodiazepines for post-traumatic stress disorder. Both are potentially addictive and dangerous drugs.

 

"Most drugs can be dangerous but if they are used in a controlled way they can be medically beneficial."

 

Major General Crews said the proposal was problematic.

 

"When you are talking about ingredients of illegal drugs in the process of mental health treatment, you are starting to raise quite some issues. Even if it was proven to be beneficial in some areas, how do you actually control it?" he said.

 

"It's a matter that would be best examined by those qualified to make a decision about its validity or otherwise.

 

"And until I heard the advice of those specialists and the reasons for that advice, certainly I would be somewhat reluctant to support it.

 

"We would not agree with a proposal until such time as it was thoroughly investigated scientifically and the specialists in this field, particularly psychiatrists, were confident that there was a case."

 

In 2006, Ms Kanck was roundly criticised after telling parliament there was no evidence to suggest MDMA was dangerous.

 

She also said if she had a choice between attending a rave party or a hotel bar, she would "go to the rave party every time".

 

Ms Kanck also advocated giving MDMA to traumatised victims of the 2005 Eyre Peninsula bushfires, which killed nine people.

 

Ms Kanck, a member of SA's Legislative Council since 1993, said those comments were taken out of context and she had been talking of therapeutic use of MDMA, not the use of backyard-manufactured ecstasy.

 

 

 

I know it's not cannabis however Major General Crews said:

 

"It's a matter that would be best examined by those qualified to make a decision about its validity or otherwise.

 

"And until I heard the advice of those specialists and the reasons for that advice, certainly I would be somewhat reluctant to support it.

 

"We would not agree with a proposal until such time as it was thoroughly investigated scientifically and the specialists in this field, particularly psychiatrists, were confident that there was a case."

 

It appears from this statement that Major Crews may consider giving support to war veterans who use cannabis if there was a case for it. There is ample "scientific evidence" to support the safe use of cannabis as medicine which should be bought to the attention of Major Crews. Contact details for the RSL are below.

 

In 1988 FRANCIS L. YOUNG, Administrative Law Judge said:

 

"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care."

 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Drug Enforcement Administration

In The Matter Of MARIJUANA RESCHEDULING PETITION

OPINION AND RECOMMENDED RULING, FINDINGS OF

FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND DECISION OF

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE

DATED: SEPTEMBER 6, 1988

<http://www.druglibrary.org/olsen/medical/young/young.html>

<http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/content/view/348/27/>

 

In January 2008 the American College of Physicians in their Position Paper concluded:

 

Evidence not only supports the use of medical marijuana in certain conditions but also suggests

numerous indications for cannabinoids. Additional research is needed to further clarify the

therapeutic value of cannabinoids and determine optimal routes of administration. [/b]The science on

medical marijuana should not be obscured or hindered by the debate surrounding the legalization

of marijuana for general use.

 

<http://www.acponline.org/advocacy/where_we_stand/other_issues/medmarijuana.pdf>

 

 

Returned and Services League of Australia telephone: 02 6248 7199 or email at nhqadmin@rsl.org.au.

 

War Veterans in SA can contact Sandra Kanck MLC on (08) 8237 9278.

[mull]

Wonder why they even get asked to comment on such a proposal.

It has literally nothing to do with them.

 

It's about as relevant as asking how they feel about some new opiate based painkiller for battle wounded veterans.

 

Smells like politics..

 

 

 

http://www.mikuriya.com/cw_ptsd.html

 

http://mercycenters.org/libry/i_PTSD.html

[grace]

Wonder why they even get asked to comment on such a proposal.

It has literally nothing to do with them.

 

 

True mull,

 

In a perfect world all doctors would be doing their part and patients would have treatment tailored to meet their individual needs however that's not the case at the moment as we know too well.

 

The RSL are there to give support to serving and returned veterans however many veterans are being left out in the cold when it comes to pain management etc.

 

Let's hope Major Crews sticks to his statement if cannabis as medicine is put forward as a proposal for war veterans who find relief from its use.

 

Best wishes

 

Grace