Senate Greenlights Greater Medical Weed Access for Veterans

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Rolling Stone

Senate Greenlights Greater Medical Weed Access for Veterans

The measure would keep the VA from interfering with a veteran's attempt to access medicinal marijuana

By Tessa Stuart
November 11, 2015

Veterans are typically the ones being celebrated on Veterans Day, but this year they will have something to celebrate themselves: greater access to medical marijuana in states where it is legal.

Doctors with the VA have been expressly forbidden from filling out the forms their patients need to participate in a state medical marijuana program. But on Tuesday the Senate passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs budget for fiscal year 2016. Tucked in the appropriations bill allocating money toward things like veterans' benefits and military construction is a provision that prohibits the department from spending any of the money on efforts that would interfere with a veteran's attempt to participate in a state-approved medicinal marijuana program. The amendment also forbids the VA from denying that vet any services.

The provision bars the money from being used to "limit or interfere" with a VA doctor's ability to recommend a patient participate in the program or to offer advice on therapeutic weed.

"Veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident, and should be able to discuss marijuana with their doctor," Michael Collins, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement. "It makes no sense that a veteran can't use medical marijuana if it helps them and it is legal in their state."

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/senate-greenlights-greater-medical-weed-access-for-veterans-20151111

[James48]

1. Still a serious issue

with many of my fellow veterans.

[giftedgirl77]

2. They need to hurry up & legalize it here.

It helps me soooo much with my PTSD & anxiety.

[bvf]

3. A great step forward for common sense. n/t

[Unknown Beatle]

4. Then way the fuck is it still

a Schedule 1 drug? Makes absolutely no sense.

[sorefeet]

5. Where is the law suit

the VA is federal, this is discrimination. Why is it legal for say Montana to treat their Vets but Wyoming Vets are not eligible. Remember it's federal, how can they treat Vets different???
This was a directive issued in 2010 for all states that had medical marijuana laws and it was set to expire in 2015. They just renewed it. But it excludes Vets from non-legal states. DISCRIMINATION.
What, the Vets in the other states don't deserve the same respect???

[tecelote]

6. Wow! Introduced by a Republican...

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2029/