Army Vet Who Replaced Pills With CBD Oil For Chronic Insomnia Says 'High' Not Necessary For Relief

“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” Douglas McArthur 

Numbers don’t lie. And numbers say that there were upwards of 6,000 veteran suicides annually between 2008 and 2017, according to the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. While suicide, PTSD and depression are constant issues for veterans, others can be equally damaging, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance use disorder and interpersonal violence.

Research published this year in the journal Clinical Therapeutics asked 510 veterans about cannabis use and its effects and found that 38% were dealing with chronic pain, 26% PTSD, 9% anxiety and 5% depression. More than half of the veterans who took part in the survey had served in Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea. As many as 91% of respondents confirmed that medical marijuana helped them achieve a better quality of life.

Benzinga wanted to learn more about how medical marijuana helps veterans, so we spoke to Asad Shalami, a former US Army member who was diagnosed with chronic insomnia due to PTSD. Shalami is a co-founder of ZAR Wellness, a cannabis brand offering both CBD and THC products. He co-founded the company after CBD helped him with his insomnia.

“At ZAR Wellness, we focus on the medicinal value of the plant for ailments such as sleep, pain, anxiety, PTSD, and many more,” Shalami told Benzinga. “We focus on bringing out high-quality products that are effective for mentioned ailments. We take our time with our clients to understand what they're dealing with and recommend the appropriate products and dosages for them. We also follow up with our clients to make sure they're receiving the optimal benefits from their regimen.”

Helping Veterans 

ZAR Wellness runs 24 retail locations across Texas and ships all over the country. It has certified cannabis consultants at its retail locations as well as online. Over the last three years, the company has given more than $2 million in veteran discounts, and it gives a daily 22% discount for 1/3 of its clients who are veterans. 

“22 is specific and important to us because unfortunately, twenty-two veterans take their lives every day. I have lost four young friends and colleagues in the Army to suicide myself,” Shalami said. “Not to mention, I almost became part of this statistic.” 

The company is working on a cannabis dispensing machine (the ZAR BOX) which is equipped with AI technology that ensures the individual making the purchase is the same one on the ID inserted in the machine and is of legal age. Shalami says it's in the testing phase, but once finalized it will be introduced to bars, restaurants, arenas, airports and other venues. 

ZAR Wellness is close to rolling out a franchise model. 

“Our ultimate goal is to provide high-quality and affordable cannabis therapy to every veteran in the nation who would enjoy the benefits of the cannabis plant for their mental and physical challenges,” Shalami said. 

Full Spectrum Tincture For Chronic Insomnia

Shalami got his training as a combat medic, after which he was stationed in Germany where he worked in the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center on Ramstein Airbase. The hospital cares for wounded service members mainly from Iraq and Afghan wars who need to be stabilized before returning to the U.S. 

“It was in 2011 when I was working twelve-hour night shifts that I developed and got diagnosed with chronic insomnia,” Shalami recalls. “I was given several different pills which were becoming more and more ineffective over time and causing other issues due to their side effects.”

Discharged in 2018, Shalami heard about CBD in 2019 in the local news report about an ex-cop who'd opened a CBD shop in Fort Worth that the local DA was trying to close down. At that time, hemp was legal on the federal level, but not in Texas. 

“This man was pleading with the authorities not to shut his business down because his products were helping his colleagues who were still on the force with their stress, anxiety, pain, and sleep,” Shalami said. “At that point in my life, I had tried everything over the counter and prescription for my sleep to no avail.” 

Though initially skeptical, he tried sublingual full spectrum tincture morning and evening simultaneously with his prescribed meds. After about a week, he slowly went off the drugs and took only the tincture.

“I stopped taking any of the pills soon after and was getting a much restful night of sleep on my hemp-derived full-spectrum oil,” Shalami said. “The beauty of a full-spectrum oil is that it contains many beneficial compounds from the hemp plant to provide that entourage effect to build that balance or homeostasis to your endocannabinoid system.” 

No Need To Get High

Shalami noted that finding relief in cannabis does not necessarily mean getting high. 

“This could not be further from the truth,” he said. “We have many non-psychoactive products that our clients who are working professionals or moms taking care of their kids utilize during the day for their anxiety, stress, pain, PTSD /depression, etc without the psychoactivity. The hemp plant has over two hundred compounds, each of which has its own healing abilities and properties, and only a handful of them are psychoactive,” Shalami said.

“At ZAR Wellness, our goal is not to get you high but to improve your daily quality of life and help you live your best life."

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal feelings, the Military/Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7: Dial 988 then Press 1, chat live, or text 838255.

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