TRENTON -- Medical marijuana relieves the spasms in Army veteran Leo Bridgewater's knees that serve as a daily painful reminder of the multiple tours he served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Equally as important is the plant's ability to manage the anxiety and depression caused by post traumatic stress disorder, said Bridgewater, a 41-year-old Trenton resident. But the rules of New Jersey's medical marijuana program do not recognize PTSD as a "qualifying condition."

For the sake of his "battle buddies" who live with the same daily struggle, state officials must add PTSD to the list, Bridgewater told a panel of doctors and other medical professionals Wednesday.

The panel will take recommendations to acting state Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett, who will decide whether the program should help a larger group of people than the 6,636 registrants.

"Please -- we are dying. We are killing ourselves," Bridgewater said, revealing two of his friends have committed suicide. Every day, 22 war veterans commit suicide, according to federal data. "I'm shocked PTSD has not been added."

People were given the chance to speak at the inaugural meeting of the state Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel held at the Trenton War Memorial building.

In the coming weeks, the health department will formally seek suggestions from the public about which conditions should be added to the list, said the panel's chairman and anesthesiologist Alex Bekker.

Patients now qualify for the program if they are diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; multiple sclerosis; terminal cancer; muscular dystrophy; inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease; and a terminal illness with a prognosis of less than 12 months of life.

Patients may also qualify if conventional medicine has failed to treat seizure disorders; intractable skeletal muscular spasticity, and glaucoma, or the treatment of HIV, AIDS and cancer causes chronic pain, nausea or wasting syndrome.

Jim Miller from the Coalition for Medical Marijuana for New Jersey, a patient advocacy organization that has been critical of the Christie administration's handling of the program, pointed out more than 600 participants in the program have already died. It's a sign that people who signed up for the program were severely ill and needed it.

Before the meeting was over, it was likely that at least two veterans will have taken their lives, he added.

"Whatever can be done to expedite this would be appreciated," Miller said.

Meagan Glaser, deputy director of the Drug Policy Alliance of New Jersey, echoed the sentiment. "PTSD is definitely an issue. I hope this medical review panel is willing to take up it up in the coming months."

Peter Rosenfeld, a registered patient and a coalition member, asked the panel to keep an open mind when considering new conditions. The federal government's decision to classify marijuana as an illegal drug has prevented "high quality studies" on the cannabis plant.

Members of the eight-member panel selected Bekker as chairman and Psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist Cheryl Kennedy as vice-chair. Other members include Stewart A. Berkowitz, president of the State Board of Medical Examiners; psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist Petros Levounis; pediatric oncologist Jessica Ann Scerbo; Mary L. Johansen who holds a PhD in nursing; pharmacist Mary M. Bridgeman; and pain management pharmacology specialist Stephanie Zarus.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.