In 2014, Congress approved a bipartisan budget amendment that prohibits Justice Department funds from being used to prevent states from implementing medical cannabis laws. Recently introduced in Congress is the Veterans Equal Access Act that will authorize VA physicians to recommend medical cannabis to veterans who live in medical cannabis states. In 2011, the VA issued a directive stating that patients in pain control treatment who are participating in state cannabis programs must not be denied VHA services adding that decisions to modify treatment plans in those situations need to be made by individual providers in partnership with their patients. At our Veterans Club meeting on Saturday, we enjoyed speakers from California NORML and Americans for Safe Access who spoke on the recent policy enacted by the director of VISN22 (Southern California and Southern Nevada). In short, the policy restricts the use of opiods with medical cannabis. They’re even going so far as to drug test the patients to ensure it. The director is doing an end-around of the intentions of Congress and the VA to allow pain patients the relief they need from their doctor-prescribed medications. In essence, he’s saying, “If you want to exercise your state-protected right to use medical cannabis, you can’t have your Tramidol.”
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 18:40:02 +0000
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