Researchers from the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences released $12.5 million in projects funded by the Michigan State Cannabis Regulatory Agency that are expected to provide insight. much-needed scientific evidence of the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis and cannabinoids, particularly among veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Study funded by Veteran Marijuana Research Grant through the State of Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency supports two large-scale, five-year randomized controlled clinical trials that will assess the efficacy of cannabis and cannabinoids in improving behavioral health in military veterans Americans living in Michigan. 
The funding is the largest grant ever awarded to both the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and the Department of Pharmacy Practice. A $9 million project includes co-principal investigators, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences Leslie Lundahl, Ph.D., of the Division of Substance Abuse Research at the School of Medicine; and Christine Rabinek, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice in the Eugene Applebaum School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, along with co-investigators from the David Ledgerwood School of Medicine, Ph.D. and Mark Greenwald, Ph.D., both professors of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, and Hilary Marusak, Ph.D., assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences.
The trial, “Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program: Cannabinoid Adjunct to Prolonged Exposure and Recovery,” aims to establish whether cannabis combined with an empirically based behavioral treatment for PTSD called Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy, may improve therapeutic outcomes for US military veterans with PTSD.
“Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating condition that often affects veterans of the US Armed Forces and can increase the risk of suicide,” said Dr. Lundahl. “One of the most effective treatments for PTSD is prolonged exposure therapy, but many military veterans discontinue physical education and more than a third of those who complete physical education experience no improvement in symptoms. There is an urgent need to develop treatments for PTSD, particularly focused on improving quality of life and mental health symptoms. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD could help make PE more effective. Our work can also have benefits to the broader veterans and clinical communities through its impact on education, health care policy, and better utilization of health care.
“Importantly, public opinion on the therapeutic use of cannabis has largely outpaced scientific evidence, and this work will help provide data and guidance for clinicians to discuss the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use with their patients.” added Dr. Lundahl.
Additionally, a $3.5 million project led by assistant professor Hilary Marusak, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor Eric Woodcock, Ph.D., “Investigating the Therapeutic Impact of Cannabinoids on Neuroinflammation and Neurobiological Underpinnings of Suicide Ideation in Veterans with PTSD,” will complement the currently funded 2021 Veterans Marijuana Research Grant, “Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program: Investigating the Impact of Cannabinoids on Veterans’ Behavioral Health.”
“This companion project will be the first neuroimaging study of cannabis treatment in US Armed Forces veterans with PTSD, or in any population,” said Dr. Marusak. “We will examine the neurobiological changes that may be associated with the therapeutic effects of controlled cannabis/cannabinoid dosing in the context of an ongoing 12-week randomized controlled trial. We will use state-of-the-art brain imaging approaches that target the neurobiological mechanisms known to underpin PTSD and suicidality.”
Both studies are part of Warrior CARE, a Medical School research program created to understand how cannabis affects mental health in veterans.
For more information about the project, including how to participate in the study, visit www.warriorcare.net.
The project focuses on the potential to improve symptoms of PTSD, which affects up to 31% of US military veterans. Veterans living with PTSD are at increased risk for suicide and other poor outcomes, including depression, substance use disorders, sleep disorders, and even cardiovascular events such as stroke. In the latest annual report from the US Veterans Health Administration, an average of 17.2 veterans died by suicide per day in 2019.
The project focuses on Wayne State University, increasing its potential to benefit veterans living in Michigan now and in the future.
Redbud Roots Inc. will support WSU in the “Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Wayne State on this study,” said Alex Leonowicz, co-founder and COO of Redbud Roots Inc. “Veterans deserve full legal access to medical cannabis, and anything we can do to help change this conversation let’s put our weight back.
Redbud Roots is a vertically integrated cannabis company that envisions a future where everyone is empowered to enhance their personal wellness through the informed use of cannabis products. Redbud Roots’ primary mission is to provide safe, effective, and affordable products to the communities it partners with to create value not only for the consumers they serve, but for the communities in which they live.
Although the use of medical cannabis is permitted in 38 states, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level and many veterans fear losing their benefits if they are found to be using cannabis.