Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder would likely benefit from the use of medicinal marijuana. (Photo credit: Flickr user Fort Rucker)

The fight over medical marijuana is heating up in Colorado, as police associations, corrupt drug rehab centers, and hospitality industry moguls have pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat Amendment 64, which would legalize the adult possession of small amounts of marijuana.

But Amendment 64’s backers received a boost late last week, as a new group of military veterans announced their support for the measure.

Earlier this year, veterans petitioned the Colorado Department of Health to include post-traumatic stress disorder as an allowable condition to purchase medical marijuana in the state. The state failed to act, so now veterans are organizing to pass Amendment 64 under the banner of “Veterans for 64.”

“The state’s failure to act is an effective denial of this compassionate petition,” said group founder and Vietnam vet Bob Wiley. “Our only option is to support Amendment 64, which will ensure that Coloradans 21 and older who suffer from PTSD will no longer be subject to arrest and prosecution for using marijuana to alleviate their suffering.”