Iraq and Afghanistan veterans described cannabis as more effective and less complicated than alcohol or prescriptions for PTSD
Veterans in interviews and focus groups compared cannabis favorably to alcohol and pharmaceuticals for PTSD, viewing it as more effective with fewer side effects, though some acknowledged avoidant coping risks.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers conducted interviews and focus groups with veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan about their cannabis use for PTSD coping. Veterans consistently compared cannabis more favorably than alcohol or prescription medications, describing it as more effective for symptom management with fewer complications and side effects.
Some veterans described cannabis as enabling an "approach-based" coping strategy, helping them engage in introspection and directly confront traumatic memories. Others recognized that their cannabis use represented avoidant coping, using it to numb or escape rather than address trauma.
A nuanced group of veterans described motivations that did not fit neatly into approach or avoidance categories. They used cannabis primarily for symptom alleviation (sleep, anxiety, hyperarousal) without a specific intent to either confront or avoid their trauma. The authors suggested that coping theory may need more nuanced categories to capture how veterans actually use cannabis.
Key Numbers
Qualitative study with veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Three coping patterns identified: approach-based, avoidance-based, and symptom-alleviation-focused. Cannabis consistently compared favorably to alcohol and pharmaceuticals.
How They Did This
Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with veterans of recent Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts in New York City. Thematic analysis examined cannabis use patterns, motivations, and comparisons with other substances.
Why This Research Matters
Veterans' own perspectives on cannabis for PTSD are often missing from clinical and policy discussions. Their comparisons to alcohol and prescriptions, and their nuanced descriptions of how cannabis fits into coping strategies, provide important context for treatment development.
The Bigger Picture
The veteran cannabis-PTSD conversation is often framed as either "cannabis helps PTSD" or "cannabis is avoidance coping." This study shows the reality is more complex, with different veterans using cannabis in fundamentally different ways for different reasons.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Qualitative study with a self-selected sample from one city. Veterans willing to discuss cannabis use may differ from those who are not. No outcome data to determine whether cannabis coping was actually beneficial or harmful in the long term.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could clinical programs harness the approach-based coping potential while mitigating avoidance patterns?
- ?How do veterans' subjective assessments compare to objective treatment outcomes?
- ?Would guided cannabis use produce different results than self-directed use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Veterans consistently favored cannabis over alcohol and prescriptions
- Evidence Grade:
- Qualitative interview and focus group study. Provides rich experiential data but no quantitative outcomes.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2015 with veterans of post-9/11 conflicts.
- Original Title:
- PTSD and Cannabis-Related Coping Among Recent Veterans in New York City.
- Published In:
- Contemporary drug problems, 42(1), 60-76 (2015)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00950
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do veterans prefer cannabis over prescriptions for PTSD?
In this qualitative study, veterans who used cannabis consistently described it as more effective and having fewer side effects than prescription medications. However, this reflects personal experience, not clinical trial evidence.
Is cannabis use for PTSD considered avoidance coping?
Some veterans described it that way, but others described it as helping them confront their trauma more directly. A third group used it simply for symptom relief without a clear approach or avoidance intent.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00950APA
Elliott, Luther; Golub, Andrew; Bennett, Alexander; Guarino, Honoria. (2015). PTSD and Cannabis-Related Coping Among Recent Veterans in New York City.. Contemporary drug problems, 42(1), 60-76. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091450915570309
MLA
Elliott, Luther, et al. "PTSD and Cannabis-Related Coping Among Recent Veterans in New York City.." Contemporary drug problems, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091450915570309
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "PTSD and Cannabis-Related Coping Among Recent Veterans in Ne..." RTHC-00950. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/elliott-2015-ptsd-and-cannabisrelated-coping
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.