The bipartisan Congress has expressed “deep concern” about a newly updated U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs marijuana directive which continues to prevent its doctors from giving medical cannabis recommendations for veterans who live in states where the drug is legal.
Three co-chairs from the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Reps. Barbara Lee (D) (CA), Earl Blumenauer D-OR), and Dave Joyce R-OH–said VA “has denied the reality of Medical Marijuana as a treatment option for veterans with PTSD, chronic pain and other conditions.”
The decision to continue the “harmful” policy on cannabis recommendations was deemed “alarming”, especially in light of the latest VA clinical guidance for PTSD which strongly discourages the use of medical cannabis as a form treatment.
The lawmakers wrote: “We urge that you reconsider this misguided ban, which prevents health professionals from discussing the full range available treatment options with their patients.”
The letter points out that before the VA released the directive earlier in the month, they had successfully lobbied for an amendment to the House Appropriations Bill that would permit the department’s physicians to recommend medical marijuana. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a reform similar to as part of , its version of appropriations legislation .
The letter states that “Giving VA provider discretion to recommend or recommend medical marijuana as they see fit would improve veterans’ service and stop them from self-medicating or seeking care outside the VA system,” It would not expose providers to federal prosecution by the Department of Justice or its agencies.
They said that many veterans have already reported using cannabis as a medical substitute to prescription drugs.
VA is alone in its refusal to provide this treatment for veterans. The letter continues: “No one is more qualified to make recommendations for care of their patients than veterans who work with their VA healthcare providers.”
“We applaud VA for its continued protection against retribution of veterans who use medical marijuana. Reaffirming the ban on referrals, forms, and recommendations for state-authorized marijuana places stigma at the VA before the needs of veterans.
VA must become a more active partner on the issue of veterans’ health. VA should not block veterans’ access to this treatment, but instead participate in additional research and education that we owe patients and the general public. We urge you not to continue the harmful prohibition of providers who are able to serve their patients as best they can in states where medical marijuana has been legalized and regulated.
The VA has previously updated its cannabis guidelines, adding to its 2017 version language that encourages VA doctors, for instance, to discuss veterans’ marijuana usage .
According to the most recent update, VA providers may continue “to discuss relevant clinical information about marijuana use with Veterans that request information or report marijuana usage and document this in the Veteran’s Electronic Health Record.”
The agency continues to resist congressional attempts to allow doctors to prescribe medical cannabis or to mandate clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of marijuana in treating various health conditions which commonly affect veterans.
Below, you can read the letter that the VA secretary sent to the VA Secretary about the cannabis directive:
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Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
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