Hundreds of bags of marijuana-infused products were handed out to military veterans during a special event in Denver that aims to show that the controversial weed can help in easing pain and other unwanted conditions that inflict those who have served in the armed forces.
The Denver Cannabis Giveaway Event, which took place at the Quality Inn Central Denver on Saturday, provided free admission to veterans who were given free cannabis products. The event was open to members of the public as well who are at least 21 years old.
Operation Grow4Vets (OG4V), which hosted the event, said that the giveaway is intended to provide veterans with an option for prescription drugs to help them with pain, anxiety and other problems. Medical marijuana can be used for a variety of ailments including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, which tend to be prevalent among military personnel.
The organization hopes to reduce the number of veterans who die because of prescription drug overdose and suicide by providing them with the resources they need so they can grow their own marijuana that they can use for treating their conditions.
Four hundred bags of pot-infused products were given away during the Denver Cannabis Giveaway with veterans receiving more than $200 worth of cannabis products and other attendees who donate $20 receiving over $100 worth of weed-infused products.
"Operation Grow4Vets events put cannabis in the hands of Veterans who need it most," said OG4V founder and veteran Roger Martin. "Our events are open to the public to help grow visibility for our cause. It is our hope that non-Veterans who come to one of our events will learn about Operation Grow4Vets and join us in our mission to help our Veteran heroes obtain the help that they need and deserve."
Among the participants of the event were those who attest to the benefits of using cannabis. Army nurse Stephanie Burton, who claims to struggle with PTSD, said that the weed helps her sleep at night. Brian Nance, on the other hand, says he uses cannabis to wean him off of morphine following an incident that left him with a broken back.
"I was separated from my platoon and I jumped into a ravine and fell 40 feet and broke my back," Nance said. "I've been using cannabis and it's been helping me. If I don't have to take a pill for 4 to 5 hours, for me, that's a big deal."
