"In Historic Vote, Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Veterans Medical Marijuana Amendment"

RallyPoint Shared Content — Fri, 22 May 2015 11:25:58 -0400

This article was originally published on drugpolicy.org:
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The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bipartisan amendment today (5/21/15), 18 to 12, allowing Veterans Administration (VA) doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. The vote is the first time the U.S. Senate has ever moved marijuana law reform legislation forward.

“Veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident, and should be able to discuss marijuana with their doctor and use it if it’s medically necessary,” said Michael Collins, policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance. “They have served this country valiantly, so the least we can do is allow them to have full and open discussions with their doctors.”

The Veterans Equal Access Amendment was sponsored by Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon. It was added in committee to a must-pass military construction and veterans affairs spending bill. The bill is certain to pass on the Senate floor.

“Veterans see this victory as a major step forward in restoring our first amendment rights within the VA,” said TJ Thompson, a disabled Navy veteran. “This will allow for a safe, open dialogue between providers and patients, and allows veterans to be treated the same as any other patient.”

Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state medical marijuana program. The Daines / Merkley amendment authorizes VA physicians and other health care providers to provide recommendations and opinions regarding the use of medical marijuana to veterans who live in medical marijuana states.

In 2002, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in Conant v. Walters the right of physicians to recommend medical marijuana, regardless of its illegality under federal law, as well as the right of patients to receive accurate information. The Daines / Merkley amendment supports that first amendment right and restores a healthy doctor-patient relationship.

There are numerous federal healthcare programs besides the VA such as Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP – but only the VA prohibits physicians from discussing and recommending medical marijuana to their patients. A Medicare patient may freely discuss medical marijuana use with her doctor, while a returning veteran is denied the same right.

Studies have shown that medical marijuana can help treat post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, illnesses typically suffered by veterans. A 2014 study of people with PTSD showed a greater than 75% reduction in severity of symptoms when patients were using marijuana to treat their illness, compared to when they were not.

Last year the U.S. House voted five times in favor of letting states set their own marijuana policies. One of the amendments, prohibiting the Justice Department from spending any money in Fiscal Year 2015 undermining state medical marijuana laws, made it into the final spending bill signed into law by President Obama. Advocates of the veterans amendment believe it has a very good chance of making it into the final military construction spending bill that President Obama signs.

A legislative version of the Daines / Merkley amendment was included in groundbreaking Senate medical marijuana legislation introduced in March. The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act is the first-ever bill in the U.S. Senate to legalize marijuana for medical use and the most comprehensive medical marijuana bill ever introduced in Congress. The bill was introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and generated enormous interest.

With the Appropriations Committee approving one element in the bill, supporters say it is time for the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the full bill.

“The politics around marijuana have shifted in recent years, yet Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley hasn’t held a hearing on the issue,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “We will move the CARERS Act piece by piece if we have to but now is the time for the Senate to hold a hearing on the bill as a whole.”

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2015/05/historic-vote-senate-appropriations-committee-approves-veterans-medical-marijuana-amend

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 22 at 2015 11:33 AM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Fri, 22 May 2015 11:33:06 -0400

I cannot deny my surprise at this announcement!

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made May 22 at 2015 12:40 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Fri, 22 May 2015 12:40:12 -0400

I will ask my VA doc about it next time I see her. The proof will be in the putting...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2015 3:24 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 May 2015 15:24:06 -0400

I think this is great for Veterans, especially those who suffer from chronic (see what I did there?) pain and mental health issues. As more research is done, more uses for marijuana is found. A quick Google search for "benefits of marijuana" turn up reports from reputable scientific and medical research. This one, for instance:
http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/marijuana/nida-research-therapeutic-benefits-cannabis-cannabinoids

Allowing veterans the ability to be prescribed cannabis may end up saving a lot of money in pharmaceuticals, as marijuana can treat multiple issues.

NIDA Research on the Therapeutic Benefits of Cannabis and Cannabinoids | National Institute on...

Developing the Therapeutic Potential of the Endocannabinoid System for Pain Treatment (PA-15-188) - The purpose of this NIH Pain Consortium-endorsed funding opportunity announcement is to support projects examining the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and endocannabinoid system across a variety of pain conditions

Response by LCpl Josh McNeill made May 22 at 2015 6:14 PM

LCpl Josh McNeill — Fri, 22 May 2015 18:14:00 -0400

I am the first to say I was skeptical a first when my doctor recommended it so I gave it a shot. It is the best decision I could have made my bad dreams have slowed down. I also have not laid into my wife while sleeping in quite some time and I know she is greatful not to get decked in her sleep anymore it was so bad at one point I was scared to sleep in the bed with her so I slept on the couch.best thing I ever decided to do!!

Response by PFC Nathaniel Thedford made May 23 at 2015 12:04 AM

PFC Nathaniel Thedford — Sat, 23 May 2015 00:04:55 -0400

This is the right thing. Too many Veterans are addicted to Opiates and Nerve medication and too many suicides and accidental deaths are attributed to it. We all need to stop acting like an herb is such a bad thing and accept the fact that marijuana can be cultivated into medication and not only in smoke form but also oils, butters, lotions, etc. Marijuana can be used for pain as well as an anti-anxiety.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made May 23 at 2015 12:27 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Sat, 23 May 2015 00:27:08 -0400

Well kiss my grits. Didn't see that one coming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8CmvbZBM8Y

Candy bars

Super troopers

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 23 at 2015 12:28 AM

SPC Charles Brown — Sat, 23 May 2015 00:28:55 -0400

I would much rather see veterans be able to use medical marijuana in any form than to have them fall victim to opiates and other pain medications or the medications prescribed for TBI and PTSD. There is no chance of dying from an overdose of Marijuana as compared to the other medications used for these treatments.

All I want to know is what the hell took them so long?

As an addictions treatment and counseling provider I can honestly say that Marijuana is the least lethal substance being used today. No other substance, natural or man made has side effects as safe as Marijuana. Yes reaction times, and other critical issues can be impaired, and need to be considered, but over all it is safer than the majority of people think. The problem lies in the ability to monitor whether an impaired driver is on Marijuana or alcohol as the impairments are similar. There is a breathalyzer that can detect if a driver is under the influence of Marijuana so that is helpful to law enforcement.

Response by CPL Steve Brady made Jun 22 at 2015 11:41 AM

CPL Steve Brady — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 11:41:54 -0400

about time I dont care who disagrees, it worked wonders for me for pain,depression,appetite,while undergoing chemo

Response by SSG Donald Mceuen made Oct 10 at 2017 10:05 PM

SSG Donald Mceuen — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 22:05:31 -0400

that's all good but what about us that live in states that so no