Cannabis Documentary Fights for Veterans’ Rights to Consume Cannabis
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]here are many conditions that cannabis can help with and heal, many of which have caused some contention, due to the current restrictions on cannabis testing. One of the most common conditions treated with cannabis is a psychological condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which seven to eight out of every 100 people suffer from in their lives, and many of those people are military veterans. Unfortunately, since PTSD is difficult to diagnose and treat, is has been scrutinized for a long time.
But cannabis advocates have never stopped fighting for their right to use cannabis to treat PTSD. Great organizations like the Veterans Cannabis Project and Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access continually fight for safe and legal access. Now, a new documentary called Mile Marker also highlights how cannabis can help treat such an illusive and harmful condition.
The film focuses on a two-tour veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, alongside other veterans (22 to be exact, as it’s said that 22 veterans commit suicide every day), and it traces their road to recovery as they consume cannabis to treat their PTSD. It also looks at the plight of modern-day veterans who suffer from PTSD, and what their day-to-day lives are like.
The creator of the documentary, Korey Rowe, is a veteran himself, and he is passionate about creating awareness on the useful of cannabis for military veterans. Rowe hopes to save lives with his film, saying it’s “for the one who’s thinking about suicide and to stop him from doing it”
In addition to the different treatments available, the film looks at issues such as drug addiction and criminal behaviors, stigmas against those with PTSD and triggers for the disorder.
Mile Marker has already become a huge success, having already been awarded Best Documentary and Best Cinematography at the Sunny Side Up Film Festival and Award of Excellence at the IndieFest.
The film is especially timely too, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finally approved a PTSD cannabis study. With so many Americans suffering from the disorder, many will undoubtedly feel that a film about these struggles is long overdue.
