(Source: MAPP) – CalNORML is reporting that veterans receiving VA services in VA Hospitals in Loma Linda and Long Beach are being kicked out of pain management programs if they use medical marijuana. If you are a vet and have been denied services of any kind at a VA facility, we want to hear from you so that this discriminatory practice that is so dangerous and debilitating can be documented.
Many vets find marijuana to be of significant help in treating their chronic pain as well as PTSD. Their decision to use marijuana is more than just choosing one medicine over another – marijuana works where other medicines fail and/or cause significant negative side effects.
Many doctors, including Frank Lucido, a Berkeley-based MD who specializes in cannabis therapy, have publicly acknowledged that many vets find that cannabis consistently helps mitigate their seriously disabling symptoms, allowing them to function, hold jobs, keep their relationships intact and raise families.
But some vets require prescription pain meds, as well as cannabis. Studies estimate that 50% of veterans experience chronic pain, and nearly half of these patients receive prescription opioids. Two documents have been issued by the VA regarding medical marijuana use by veterans receiving medical services at VA facilities.
The first was a letter written in July 2010 to Michael Kravitz, Executive Director of Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access. The second was a VA directive issued in January 2011. Both the letter and the directive indicate that patients in pain control or other VA programs who are participating in state marijuana programs must not be denied VA services adding that decisions to modify treatment plans in those situations need to be made by individual providers in partnership with their patients. To see the letter CLICK HEREand to see the VA directive CLICK HERE.
This upshot of this letter and directive would seem to leave the matter to individual doctors; however many patients are reporting that their doctors are making them choose between their prescription drugs or their medical marijuana stating this is VA policy.
Doctors and administrators at VA facilities just plain “assume” that the use of marijuana along with opiates is unsafe. You know what they say when you “assume.”
Recent studies have shown that the number of opiate overdoses is down in states with medical marijuana programs, and suicides in those states are also down. With veterans committing suicide at the rate of 22 every day, it is distressing beyond comprehension that doctors continue to allow their patients to die of opiate overdoses and end their lives at their own hand rather than do a little research into the efficacy of marijuana and then possess the backbone to defy the VA’s administrators and tell their patients to try marijuana.
Veterans are actively working to change this situation. On Veteran’s Day November 12, veterans from across the country delivered a legal petition to the Attorney General’s office requesting that marijuana be rescheduled within the Controlled Substance Act. Current scheduling of “marihuana” is stripping veterans of their constitutional rights and dismantling the patient-doctor relationship within the VA. Removal of marijuana from Schedule I will allow VA doctors to recommend its medical use for many of the debilitating conditions veterans suffer from. Michael Krawitz, Executive Director of Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access has stated “It is sad that over the years my medical needs have been best met when I was outside of the United States under the care of doctors in Europe. Here in the country where I was born and honorably served in the military, I am denied basic medical needs as well as the ability to freely discuss my medical options with my VA doctor.”
As of this writing, Michael and other veterans are in discussion with VA officials to change this horrendous policy. (Michael will be a guest on our Internet radio show Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense on Monday, December 7.) If they succeed great – if they do not we must utilize other avenues as denying veterans the use of medical marijuana is cruel, inhumane and counter to what they were conscripted to protect in the first place.
Unfortunately Congress is not going to be a likely source for support. Not to be “unseemingly” partisan, but I would point out that the recent takeover of Congress by Republicans has significantly reduced the chances of reforming VA practices through legislative action.
On April 30, 2014 the U.S. House of Representatives considered a measure that would allow VA doctors to discuss what they know about medical marijuana with their patients and to provide recommendations in states where doctors are legally allowed to do so. The bill failed on a relatively close party line vote of 195-222, with Democrats 173-18 in favor and Republicans 22-204 against. Except for Karen Bass, who was absent, all California Democrats voted in favor. With the exception of Dana Rohrabacher and Duncan Hunter, all Republicans voted against.
If you are a vet and you have been denied pain medication or treatment in any VA program because of your use of medicinal marijuana, send me an email to [email protected] or give me a call at 760-799-2055.
If the VA does not enforce their own policy that purportedly allows veterans to use medical marijuana, then we need to take what action we can locally. Loma Linda is in our neck of the woods and this is a head’s up that we will be doing something about it. Are you up to telling the local VA a thing or two about marijuana and veterans?
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
Beach are being kicked out of pain management programs if they use medical marijuana. If you are a vet and have been denied services of any kind at a VA facility, we want to hear from you so that this discriminatory practice that is so dangerous and debilitating can be documented.
Many doctors, including Frank Lucido, a Berkeley-based MD who specializes in cannabis therapy, have publicly acknowledged that many vets find that cannabis consistently helps mitigate their seriously disabling symptoms, allowing them to function, hold jobs, keep their relationships intact and raise families.
reporting that their doctors are making them choose between their prescription drugs or their medical marijuana stating this is VA policy.
