Allow veterans access to medical marijuana

Government agencies and legislative bodies, which usually move at a slug-like pace, can act quickly, especially if no one is particularly seeking the change. The Department of Justice announced last week that Indian tribes can grow and sell marijuana on their lands as long as they follow the same federal conditions laid out for states that have legalized the drug, the Associated Press reported. Never mind that many tribes oppose legalization and only a few have expressed interest in the marijuana industry. But the choice is there, just in case. (Which is a good thing.)

In contrast, for several years now, veterans, advocacy and medical groups have petitioned the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a drug with medical benefits, from its current Schedule 1, which means marijuana is not recognized as having any medical benefit. A reclassification would allow doctors to recommend it, veterans to use it and researchers to legally study it.

The schedule change can come from the president, the attorney general, the DEA or Congress. As it happens, a bill introduced in Congress in November sidesteps the classification dilemma altogether, RT.com reported. The Veterans Equal Access Act — introduced with bipartisan support — would remove a ban on Veterans Administration doctors giving opinions or recommendations on medical marijuana to veterans who live in states where it is legal.

It’s not an ideal bill, since all veterans should be able to take advantage of such a change, (as well as active duty personnel) regardless of where they live, but it is a start.

More and more veterans are calling for access, according to the Washington Post. Veterans report that cannabis is effective for conditions related to military service — from chronic back pain and neuropathic issues to panic attacks and insomnia — and often preferable to widely prescribed opioid painkillers and other drugs.

Extremely preferable, in fact, to addiction and overdose, whether by accident or suicide. The opioid epidemic that is so prevalent in society is even worse in the military, whose members are prescribed narcotic painkillers three times as often as civilians, public radio station KPLU (94.9 FM) reported.

The prescriptions often make problems worse.

In 2012, researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center published a paper showing that VA doctors prescribed significantly more opiates to patients with PTSD and depression than to other veterans — even though people suffering from those conditions are most at risk of overdose and suicide. Scientific studies have demonstrated the benefits of cannabis for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, some of whom were on the brink of suicide, making the option a godsend.

In the absolute best interests of our veterans, Congress needs to pass the Veterans Equal Access bill, and in the interest of science and reality, go ahead and change Schedule 1 classification of cannabis as well.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Wednesday, Aug. 20

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Rep. Suzanne DelBene and South County Fire Chief Bob Eastman chat during a tour and discussion with community leaders regarding the Mountlake Terrace Main Street Revitalization project on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at the Traxx Apartments in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Editorial: Gerrymandering invites a concerning tit-for-tat

Democrats, among them Rep. Suzan DelBene, see a need for a response to Texas’ partisan redistricting.

Welch: Ignoring primary ballot saps your voice in government

Low turnout in the county’s Aug. 5 primary should concern those who want responsive local government.

Stpehens: Trump just reminded me why I’m still a neocon

The only way to guarantee an end to this conflict is steadfast opposition to Putin, not Trump’s glad-handing.

Comment: Ukraine, Europe got a reprieve in D.C.; not an escape

It’s important that Trump sees the need for security guarantees; but he must convince Putin of that.

Comment: Falling crime stats alone won’t make people feel safe

Democrats need to acknowledge people’s concerns and offer better solutions than Trump’s military show of force.

Comment: End to vote by mail would hurt GOP more than help it

Republicans made notable gains in mail voting during the 2024 election, especially in battleground states.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Tuesday, Aug. 19

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Comment: CDC shooting shows contagion of misinformation

And that misinformation was and is promoted by those now running the national health agency.

Dowd: What Trump gets right about crime in Washington D.C.

His purpose is suspect, but Democrats shouldn’t play down perceptions on crime, accurate or not.

Saunders: Is Newsom ‘gerry-meandering’ for 2028 attention?

His bid to counter Texas’ redistricting seems an opportunistic ploy for national Democratic attention.

Comment: Brace yourself for Trump’s L.A. ‘MAGAlympics’ in 2028

The president and vice president already are angling to turn the event to their advantage.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.