My name is Derek, I’m an Australian veteran who served my country in the Iraq War, the experience left me with a crippling case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For more than 15 years I was placed on dangerously high doses of psychiatric drugs which made my mental and physical health worse, turned me into a withdrawn and emotionless “zombie” with suicidal thoughts, and led to my marriage breakdown.
I am not alone, 30% of our military veterans are diagnosed with mental health issues and are prescribed a pharmaceutical cocktail which includes high doses of antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, mood stabilisers, benzodiazepines, opioids and Z-drugs.

For the past 3 years I have been fighting the Ministers, Secretary and policy makers of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), so that veterans with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), can once again be approved to use medicinal cannabis treatments, instead of years and decades of being stuck on dangerous, costly and ineffective pharmacological psychiatric medications.
Published scientific studies show the list of adverse side effects for these “mental health medications” include alzheimer’s, dementia, increased risk of death, suicidal effects, coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease death, sleep disorders, negative impact on mood, depressive and psychotic symptoms, increased aggressiveness and increased irritability, cognitive dysfunction, anticonvulsant embryopathy, parkinsonism, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, weight gain, diabetes, galactorrhoea, gynaecomastia, menstrual irregularities, sexual dysfunction, demineralisation of bone (osteoporosis), neuroleptic malignant syndrome and sudden cardiac death.
(...link to these studies……….. Adverse effects of psychiatric medications used for the management of PTSD and TBI symptoms

Scientific studies and lived experience from Australia and around the world show overwhelming evidence that Endocannabinoid treatments (such as medicinal cannabis), are a cheaper, safer and more effective medication for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Many countries including the USA, Canada, Israel and Australia have conducted studies showing the benefits, advantages and cost savings when treating their veteran’s PTSD and TBI with medicinal cannabis. Clinical evidence from Australia is showing that veterans who are using medicinal cannabis have between a 41% and 89% reduction in their pharmaceutical medications and PTSD symptoms (including suicidal ideation).
(...link to these studies……. Published studies showing evidence that Endocannabinoid treatments are effective in the treatment of mental health conditions such as PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury

The peak medication regulatory authority in Australia (Therapeutic Goods Administration - TGA), has approved Medicinal Cannabis as a treatment for all Australians with mental health conditions including anxiety, PTSD and TBI.
Sadly and despite being handed overwhelming scientific evidence by this campaign and others, DVA continues to reject Medicinal Cannabis for these veterans, stating “DVA has been advised there is insufficient scientific evidence that Medicinal Cannabis helps for any mental health condition.”
Understandably our veterans want to get better, get off these dangerous medications and onto a better and safer medication option such as Medicinal Cannabis treatments.

DVA Ministers Matt Keogh, Matt Thistlethwaite and DVA Secretary Ms Alison Frames decision to not approve Medicinal Cannabis is forcing our disabled veterans on a medication regimen that scientific studies and lived experience show is making their condition worse and driving some to suicide (which the current Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide is now hearing evidence of). Furthermore DVA’s rejection of veterans' desperate pleas for access to Medicinal Cannabis is forcing some veterans to source illegal street cannabis, and face the dangers involved which include the toxic chemicals this cannabis is grown with AND getting caught by police, facing court and being criminally convicted for drug possession.

Many disabled veterans are struggling to understand why Ministers Keogh, Thistlethwaite and DVA Secretary Ms Alison Frame are forcing them on a medication regimen that evidence shows is harming them, and why they are being unfairly discriminated against by being denied a medication which is approved for all Australians with PTSD and TBI. These veterans are reporting that they feel DVA’s decision is cruel and inhuman treatment and feels like they are being tortured.
I believe that medicinal cannabis is a safe and effective medication to treat PTSD, that’s why I’m calling for DVA to approve medicinal cannabis as a treatment option for veterans with PTSD and TBI. I’m certain the results would show what we’re seeing in the community: veterans getting their lives back on track, managing their conditions, veteran families not breaking up and a massive reduction in the rate of veteran suicide.

Please, sign and share this petition and send a message to Ministers Matt Keogh, Matt Thistlethwaite and DVA Secretary Ms Alison Frame that you support our veterans.

Thank you, your support will save a veterans life and will help keep young vulnerable veterans families together :)

Derek
#NoMoreZombieVeterans