June 9, 2016
Articles
Heliospectra was on hand at UNLV to attend a medical marijuana lecture sponsored by The Grove Nevada. Dr Sue Sisley, Heliospectra’s Director of Medicinal Plants spoke about her quest to study the plant as a remedy for Veteran’s suffering from PTSD. Sisley was accompanied by Nevada state Sen. Tick Segerblom, Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, John Hudak of the Brookings Institution and Nevada state Sen. Patricia Farley.
“There are myriad ways in which the U.S. government has systematically defeated marijuana efficacy research” Sisley said. “It’s classic federal government overreach, and it’s unnecessary.” Unlike other drugs, marijuana used for research must come from National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded labs at the University of Mississippi, and they are not representative of the countless marijuana sources across the country, Sisley said.
“It’s an injustice to block this kind of research,” Sisley said. “Research would be far more efficient if this NIDA monopoly didn’t exist.”
The free event, open to the public brought a crowd of over 200 attendees to hear the group speak. Eugene Monroe, has played in the NFL since 2009, said marijuana should be allowed to help players deal with pain and brain trauma.
During Monroe’s eight year NFL career, said he has suffered four documented concussions. Monroe described lining up to get an injection of popular pain-killer Toradol in the team’s locker room with his team mates. As well, Monroe has been prescribed hydrocodone, oxycodone and Celebrex to manage pain.
Marijuana is a “less dangerous and addictive solution to chronic pain management” than opioids and anti-inflammatory drugs, said Monroe. As the leader of the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition, which is seeking NFL approval of medical marijuana, Monroe also stated - “We’re prescribed these dangerous pharmaceuticals much more than the average person. It develops addictions that don’t stop after football.”
