V.A. issues new medical marijuana policy for military veterans
Doctors with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs still can’t recommend medical marijuana, but they are being encouraged to talk more about it with military veterans. That’s what a new V.A. policy being rolled out this month (December 2017) says. The directive urges government doctors to “discuss with the Veteran marijuana use, due to its clinical relevance to patient care, and discuss marijuana use with any Veterans requesting information about marijuana.”
The only thing standing in the way of government doctors recommending medical cannabis to veterans is the V.A.’s own internal policy, which the department’s Veterans Health Administration just extended with the new directive … In addition to the “prohibition on recommending, making referrals to or completing forms and registering Veterans for participation in State-approved marijuana programs,” the new V.A. directive continues a policy that the government won’t pay for veterans’ medical cannabis … It also specifies that the directive only prohibits use of medical marijuana by V.A. employees, not patients who don’t work for the department. “Veterans must not be denied VHA services solely because they are participating in State-approved marijuana programs,” it says. Those patients just have to get their cannabis recommendations from physicians outside the V.A., which can be costly and confusing for some veterans.
Original Article (Forbes):
V.A. Issues New Medical Marijuana Policy For Military Veterans
Artwork Fair Use: Faith Drescher