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<\/a><\/p>\nMark it down, November 10th, 2015, was the day the United States Senate voted to<\/p>\n
approve medical marijuana for veterans. The U.S. Senate voted unanimously to approve the<\/p>\n
FY2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Bill. This is<\/p>\n
significant since a bi-partisan amendment sponsored by Senators Steve Daines (R-Montana)<\/p>\n
and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) was attached to the final spending bill after being approved earlier<\/p>\n
this summer by the Senate Appropriations Committee. It allows the Veterans Administration (VA)<\/p>\n
doctors to recommend\u00a0medical marijuana\u00a0to their patients in states where medical marijuana is<\/p>\n
legal. A similar amendment sponsored by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) was<\/p>\n
narrowly defeated 210-213 in April by the U.S. House of Representatives. So many might ask,<\/p>\n
what\u2019s next?<\/p>\n
Next the House and Senate versions of the appropriations bills go to conference<\/p>\n
committee in order to reconcile the differences in each chambers appropriations bill. There is a<\/p>\n
high probability that the Veterans Equal Access Amendment will be in the final version. Once<\/p>\n
out of conference, each chamber will take a final vote before going to President Obama\u2019s desk<\/p>\n
for signature.<\/p>\n
This is both historic and significant in the fight for safe access to cannabis therapy,<\/p>\n
especially for our brave servicemen and women. The Veterans Health Administration currently<\/p>\n
does not allow its physicians to discuss marijuana as a treatment option with patients in the<\/p>\n
nearly two dozen states with medical pot laws, forcing veterans to turn elsewhere for guidance<\/p>\n
and the paperwork necessary to acquire the drug. Even, more veterans in states that have yet<\/p>\n
to legalize are losing their medical benefits for utilizing cannabis therapy.<\/p>\n
Cannabis has been shown to be a promising treatment for a variety of conditions.<\/p>\n
Acting as a pain remedy, anti-inflammatory, and anti-depressant, medical marijuana saves the<\/p>\n
lives of thousands of veterans each day. Yet, more needs to be done. An average of 22<\/p>\n
veterans commit suicide in America and many more suffer addiction to prescription pain<\/p>\n
medications and anti-depressants. Cannabis has been utilized by many vets as an effective<\/p>\n
treatment for both PTSD and battlefield injuries. States with legal cannabis have seen lower<\/p>\n
suicide rates and lower occurrences of opiate overdoses. These results cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n
Medical cannabis therapy must be tackled by Congress. Re-scheduling marijuana in<\/p>\n
order to provide safe access to plant-based therapy must be a priority. Contact you member of<\/p>\n
Congress and U.S. Senators and ask them to support the CARERS Act as well as the Ending<\/p>\n
Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act. Furthermore, many states have citizen initiatives and<\/p>\n
constitutional amendments to re-legalize cannabis. In Florida, United For Care is sponsoring a<\/p>\n
constitutional amendment to provide medical marijuana for debilitating medical conditions and<\/p>\n
Regulate Florida is sponsoring a petition to allow adults 21 and up to grow six plants as well as<\/p>\n
protect their 2Nd Amendment rights to possess a firearm. Many people don\u2019t realize that even if<\/p>\n
you follow all the laws related to medical cannabis, you are still committing a crime by owning a<\/p>\n
gun. These amendments complement each other\u2019s shortcomings and can create a great<\/p>\n
patient-oriented system in Florida.<\/p>\n
Get involved, America! You owe it to our troops, our veterans, our loved ones who<\/p>\n
suffer every day to ensure they have safe access to this life-saving treatment. 80 years of<\/p>\n
political prohibition is enough.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
By Christopher Cano\u00a0|\u00a0Executive Director, Central Florida\u00a0NORML<\/p>\n