FEATURE
US:
VETERANS
PROHIBITED
from accessing medical marijuana
programmes amid opioid epidemic
M
ore than 115 Americans die from
an op i oi d ov erd o s e e v e r y d a y,
according to the National Institute of
Drug Abuse (NIDA). A 2014 report by the
US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)
revealed that veterans are twice as likely
as non-veterans to die of an accidental
opioid overdose.
As the stateside opioid epidemic rages
on, state governments are looking for
alternative treatments for conditions
commonly affecting veterans.
A 2018 study published by the JAMA
Network found that states with active
medical marijuana dispensaries had 3.7
million fewer daily opioid doses filled
under Medicare Part D.
But while the general population in
medical marijuana states benefits from
liberalised drug laws, veterans are
prohibited from accessing the opioid
alternative.
The conflict stems from marijuana’s
Schedule I classification under the
Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I
is the most restrictive category, reserved
for substances like heroin and MDMA
that have high abuse potential and
‘no currently accepted medical use in
treatment in the United States’.
By comparison, the list of Schedule II drugs
includes cocaine, methamphetamine and
fentanyl.
Low-THC hemp was removed from
Schedule I of the Controlled Substance
Act with the implementation of the Hemp
Farming Act (Farm Bill) in December. But
marijuana, medical or otherwise, is still
federally illegal.
VA guidelines state that providers and
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pharmacists can discuss how medical
marijuana works, how it interacts
with other medicines and how it can be
used to treat pain management, PTSD
or substance use disorder, but they can
neither prescribe it, nor provide funding
for programmes.
Now, initiatives to allow veterans to
access medical marijuana programmes
are crossing state and party lines.
The VA Medical Research Act 2019 is
bipartisan legislation that would compel
the VA to research the safety and efficacy
of medical cannabis to treat symptoms of
PTSD and chronic pain among veterans.
Californian Congressman Lou Correa
said:
“Throughout my district, I meet veterans
who depend on cannabis to manage their
pain. Numerous veterans attest to the
treatment benefits of medical cannabis.
“It’s time the VA did a formal study. Rather
than risk becoming dependent on
opioids, these veterans find relief in
medical cannabis.”
A congressional bill introduced in the
House on March 3 would allow the VA to
recommend veterans residing in medical
marijuana states.
US Representative for Oregon and
Democrat Earl Blumenauer said in a
press release:
“For too long, our veterans have been
denied access to highly effective medical
marijuana treatment for conditions like
chronic pain and PTSD.
“Medical marijuana has shown proven
benefits for treating these conditions and
denying our veterans access to them is
shameful.”
“This simple bill would align veterans VA
treatment with their very popular state
laws, usually approved by the voters.”
Meanwhile, the World Health
Organization (WHO) has recommended
that whole-plant marijuana and cannabis
resin be formally rescheduled under the
1961 international Single Convention
on Narcotic Drugs. They’ve also called
for THC to be removed from a 1971
treaty and into the purview of the 1961
convention.
The recommendations take into
account the growing body of evidence
demonstrating the therapeutic potential