LIFEHACKS
Story by Spencer Clifton | Photos & Design by Krista Kok
Smoke clouds billowed high above Seattle as Washington State’s Initiative 502 on marijuana legalization and regulation went into effect in November 2012. As the growing recreational cannabis industry continues to be a thriving, yet heavily debated market in Washington, it may be easy for everyone to forget where marijuana reform started — medical marijuana. Professional Opinions There were 42,997 patients registered in Washington State as medical marijuana users as of October 2019, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Each of these people turned to medical merijuana as a solution for varying health-related issues, whether it be mental or physical. It is well-known that medical marijuana is used to help people with common mental health issues such
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WINTER 2020 | ISSUE ONE
as anxiety or depression. Yet, Corey Gray, U.S. Army veteran and Washington resident, uses medical marijuana to help cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). “I’ve been using medical marijuana since about 2012,” says Gray. “I was anti-pot for 20 years until my psychiatrist [suggested] I try it for both the PTSD and the shaking that I was having, and it worked.” Gray isn’t the only military veteran to benefit from using cannabis to treat his PTSD. Healthline states that “People who have PTSD but do not medicate with cannabis are far more likely to suffer from severe depression and have suicidal thoughts than those who reported cannabis use over the past year.” While smoking marijuana to treat PTSD might be a long-term solution for some, others are seeking short-term solutions to their health issues. Mitchell Garrison, hematologist and oncologist at
