Study: Little evidence shows cannabis helps chronic pain or PTSD

A study pokes holes in the case made for medical marijuana. Post traumatic stress disorder is often listed as an accepted condition at the state level to use medical. That includes the state of Pennsylvania, which is hoping to have medical marijuana available by the start of next year.

According to the study, there's no evidence showing that medical marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD or many kinds of chronic pain for that matter and that in some cases marijuana may even make PTSD worse.

"I would rather be a little bit anxious than drooling on myself or wanting to commit suicide the way the pills I was on made me feel," Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Mike Whiter told FOX 29.

Mike Whiter came home from Iraq and Kosovo facing anxiety, depression , PTSD and pain.

"Over a 5 year period, I was on 40 different medications."

Now he's down to 2 pills a day and his medical marijuana.

"I can tell you that cannabis works for me . It may not work for everybody."

However, Mike explains it didn't happen overnight and it takes more than cannabis to keep his fears, pain and demons in check.

"If I just used cannabis and didn't go to therapy and didn't really work on myself to try to get over the hurdles. I had to get over, I wouldn't be where I am now," he explained.

He says he has felt the side effects outlined in the new VA study finding marijuana may not help with most chronic pain and might even make PTSD symptoms worse.

"I wasn't being careful about dosages. I was more interested in getting stoned. So I'd take a big dab and have a panic attack because that's what happens when you consume massive quantities of cannabis it makes you a little anxious."

Much more than anxious, according to anxiety and depression experts, who worry that marijuana is being used too much and too often as a cover up and not getting to the root of problems. Still, they agree that the VA study is inconclusive and much more is needed