Patients Out of Time is a pro-cannabis reform group led by Al Byrne, a retired Naval officer, and MaryLynn Mathre, a Vietnam era nurse. Al survived two catastrophic events in which others died and over the years he's had to deal with post-traumatic stress. He calls it PTS not PTSD. He says, "It's not a disorder, it's a rational response to what you've seen."
Al's a big tall man who played outfield for Notre Dame before he went off to war. He has spent years counseling vets in Appalachia for the Department of Veterans' Affairs Agent Orange Class Assistance Program. MaryLynn, who goes by ML, is an addictions consultant. Her publications include "Cannabis and Harm Reduction: A Nursing Perspective," in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics. They are married and based in Virginia.
Al and ML had been active in NORML but split off in 1994.(Everyone's faction fights seem oh so avoidable but one's own.) In 1995 they formed their own group, with participation from Irvin Rosenfeld, Elvy Musikka, George McMahon, and several other surviving patients from the federal Investigation New Drug program. They could have called it Patients Out of Patience but the abbreviation wouldn't have worked.
