CHRONIC EATING DISORDER, PTSD -- Retired military, Vietnam veteran, disabled with post-traumatic stress disorder, respiratory problems, and major eating disorder following exposure to Agent Orange. "All my life I have been totally against marijuana and have raised my kids that way. But in the past three years I have become close to a wonderful man who smokes marijuana. He is on medications from the Veterans Administration. After observing him over these years and seeing the effects of the meds on him, compared to the effects of him smoking marijuana, I can say that I truly prefer to have him smoke.
"When he takes the meds prescribed to him, it increases his eating disorder. He loses weight, it affects his depth perception so that he can't see very well, and it keeps him from driving. He just wants to lay around and sleep.
"When he smokes marijuana, he has an appetite, he can see better, and he is up and active. I would prefer to have him smoking any day compared to the pills from the VA that are supposed to help." Feb 2003