Univ. of Arizona Professor FIRED after receiving approval to study PTSD and mmj. [View all]

[RainDog]

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pot-researcher-fired-20140701-story.html

The University of Arizona has abruptly fired a prominent marijuana researcher who only months ago received rare approval from federal drug officials to study the effects of pot on patients suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

The firing of Suzanne A. Sisley, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry, puts her research in jeopardy and has sparked indignation from medical marijuana advocates.

Sisley charges she was fired after her research – and her personal political crusading – created unwanted attention for the university from legislative Republicans who control its purse strings.

“This is a clear political retaliation for the advocacy and education I have been providing the public and lawmakers,” Sisley said. “I pulled all my evaluations and this is not about my job performance.”

The University denied political pressure was the reason for Sisley's abrupt firing. They provided no information to Sisley, other than to note the university's ability to fire contract employees at will. (iow, she's not a tenure track professor.)

Speculation is that a powerful Republican Senator is behind the firing. So much for university research integrity, Arizona - what an embarrassment you are to the educational/research community if this is the reason Sisley was fired WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. Who is this Senator? Most likely the same one who has tried to block medical marijuana for the state: Kimberly Yee (Phoenix).

Here's what she did in April:

After 22 years of hard-fought efforts, the non-profit pharmaceutical company MAPS has finally obtained approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for a FDA clinical trial to examine the medical safety and efficacy of marijuana. The trial would study military veterans suffering from treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet the study’s ability to receive Arizona state funding is in jeopardy due to State Senator Kimberly Yee.

Arizona has collected millions of dollars from its medical marijuana program. Under Arizona’s medical marijuana law, that money is reserved for furthering the provisions of the law and should include research and education – but none of it has been spent. A bill being considered by lawmakers would give the Arizona Department of Health Services discretion to use some of this surplus funding to study the medical benefits of marijuana. On Mach 10th, the bill HB 2333, sponsored by State Representative Ethan Orr of Tucson, passed the Arizona House 52-5, with strong bi-partisan support. But State Senator Kimberly Yee (Phoenix), who chairs the Senate Education Committee, refused to put the bill on her committee’s agenda before the March 20th deadline – saying only that she wanted the funds to be directed for drug abuse prevention.

Veterans like Ricardo Pereyda of Tucson, who fought in combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom 2, are angry that Senator Yee wouldn’t allow the bill to be heard in her committee. “Being able to treat multiple symptoms from post-traumatic stress with cannabis has been instrumental in my ability to lead a full and productive life,” said Pereyda, “Senator Yee is placing politics before science, and doing so at the expense of our combat veterans.” Pereyda served in the U.S. Army and Military Police Corps, and is the Veterans Liaison for Arizona NORML.

https://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2014/03/arizona-state-senator-blocks-funding-long-sought-medical-marijuana-research

WHAT A SCUMBAG. Yee is trying to halt studies into the efficacy of medical marijuana for Vets. PTSD is really, really difficult to treat. While it shares symptoms with depression and anxiety, PTSD has a lower rate of relief of symptoms from any currently known medication for either anxiety or depression, and some of these medicines may be used to commit suicide. Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide.

Yee is SUCH A REPUBLICAN SCUMBAG to obstruct medical marijuana for veterans. I am, honestly, disgusted.

If you live in Arizona and would like to support research for Vets suffering from PTSD, you can contact Yee here: http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=90&Legislature=50&Session_ID=107

...While older veterans saw a slight decrease in suicides, male veterans under 30 saw a 44 percent increase in the rate of suicides. That’s roughly two young veterans a day who take their own life, most just a few years after leaving the service.

“Their rates are astronomically high and climbing,” said Jan Kemp, VA’s National Mental Health Director for Suicide Prevention. “That’s concerning to us.”

Reasons for the increase are unclear, but Kemp said the pressures of leaving military careers, readjusting to civilian life and combat injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder all play a role in the problems facing young male vets.

Female veterans saw an 11 percent increase in their suicide rate over the same span. Overall, suicide rates for all veterans remain significantly above their civilian counterparts.

http://www.stripes.com/report-suicide-rate-spikes-among-young-veterans-1.261283

This nation needs to get rid of these drug warriors at EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, IN EVERY STATE.

Yee is also a reactionary anti-woman Republican who sought to ban all abortions after 20 weeks, no matter the medical situation or recommendation of a doctor. WTF is the matter with women in Arizona? How can women vote for someone like this?

When Yee tried to block funding for this research, colleagues of Sisley's started a recall effort. Sisley was not involved, but, obviously, Yee is such a (word I can't say here) that she has taken another route to interfere with research into the health benefits of marijuana for veterans with PTSD.

Yee demonstrates what happens when religious assholes have power. The ACLU is looking into options to fight Sisley's firing.

Kimberly Yee is a scumbag. I hope we can help google know what a total scumbag Kimberly Yee really is. Veterans who defend this nation don't need scumbags like Kimberly Yee in office to further harm them.