The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Thursday an amendment that would allow Veterans Affairs doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where using medicinal cannabis is legal—like Arizona.
The amendment was attached to a military appropriations bill. The Senate approved a similar amendment in a spending bill that would go into effect in 2017, according to The Huffington Post.
The Veterans Equal Access Amendment, introduced by U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon, and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, strikes down a Department of Veterans Affairs prohibition on VA doctors recommending medical marijuana as treatment for veterans who have chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions, the HuffPost writes.
Under current regulations, veterans had to seek these recommendations outside of the VA system and pay out of pocket for the related expenses.
The VA has an opiate prescription epidemic, which has led to a number of overdoses among veterans, according to a 2013 report by The Center for Investigative Reporting.
Jeffrey Waggoner’s end and easy access to the narcotics that killed him have become tragically common, The Center for Investigative Reporting has found.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the agency charged with helping veterans recover from war instead masks their pain with potent drugs, feeding addictions and contributing to a fatal overdose rate among VA patients that is nearly double the national average.
Prescriptions for four opiates – hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and morphine – have surged by 270 percent in the past 12 years, according to data CIR obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. CIR’s analysis for the first time exposes the full scope of that increase, which far outpaced the growth in VA patients and varied dramatically across the nation.
Many veterans have turned to weed as an alternative to painkillers and antidepressants. But, as the HuffPost writes, the Drug Enforcement Agency still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, the most dangerous category, saying that there is no accepted medical use.
In April, the DEA announced that it may reschedule weed some time this year. The agency recently approved former UA researcher Sue Sisley’s study on marijuana as a treatment for PTSD.
Medical weed is legal in a total of 24 states and the District of Columbia.
This article appears in May 19-25, 2016.
It takes the sting out of waiting 3 months for an appointment to see a doctor. How caring.
Thanks so much Maria, For the continuation on awareness to the situation with cannabis today.
There is a Thunder Storm ahead which way is the wind going to blow ? Is there enough hands out to make an umbrella of protection. Or are the hands collecting much needed resources to make a parched land?
WA State Univ. has done a study a compiled sociological overview of support of illegal underground economies. Underground ground economies that exist solely because of burdens put on the product. This has been a ongoing study in Washington since prohibition. Simply put in all conclusions done over 70+ years is this when heavily taxed and regulated the underground and residual economies thrive. In several cases illegal dealers stood between dispensaries, fast food. With a dispensary with in 2 miles of 2 blocks of a dispensary opted for the illegal trade. To compensate dispensaries were underreporting sales exasperating the legal markets viability for profit.
http://lcb.wa.gov/publications/Marijuana/BOTEC%20reports/BOTEC-MMJ-Report.pdf
I say we need so much for PTSD, I would like to mention pima county has the Highest amount of diabetes anywhere in the world. Partly because of the native people’s change in diet. I would much rather see cannabis used feely on the Nations to combat obesity , Alcoholism , it is a proven fact Cannabis lowers blood sugars. This is taught in the Department of Corrections training. A Officer will know marijuana in in the cell block when the prisoners have the munchies. ” it lowers blood sugar”
I so do hope that veterans can take the help to manage their own lives as so many with varied diverse and complex needs. As well as so many other we need to go at this slowly. Not a Curious George Buffoon run to the market finish line. We cant spend proposed monies with heavy burden with out a cost what is that?
I was at a Dispensary in Issaquah WA. I was helping a relative do some repairs and a run to the home depot. I happened to be Friday around 5ish. Hit the Weed Maps found the closest one. I had material & tools hanging out of the back of my cousins short bed. Wearing my paint worn wellingtons and pants I went past the open door.. There was a attendent that looked at me glanced at my ID and away I went into a room with about 20 people fluctuating for service. Wheelchairs and walkers was a lot so I stood in the back not wanting to hinder their them and check out, the place.
It was not long till I had a few other construction workers hanging waiting for service. Once I let it out I was looking for some labor on the weekend I had 5 phone numbers. Just standing in common talk like all complaining about the prices.
(which is less than our medical here)
I was told of 4 dispensaries that were within 10 miles that had equal quality better prices. So most were there picking up small quality till they had the time to go elsewhere. I went to another in Belleview it was better all around.
The kicker is this between I was told of 3 place in between that sold in between on the street. I was told it was ok but 10% of the price. I went to another dispensary in Renton, Ikea run. I talked with this gentleman who said he managed the place. I told him my 1 week experience so far and the competition he had. He told me with this 45% total encumbered state tax applied to just sale price. With the additional business required license we need to sell more or go more after the competition. So I asked him you can get more out a broke medically user ? His response HELL NO !! but somebody got to go under the buss to keep the taxes up the prices high and the distribution to the kids.
Like the joker said to batman. I need you meaning the heavily taxed market. What would I do without you ? You complete me the illegal market. This is part and Parcel the market control and enforcement CRMLA wants beware.