We, the undersigned veterans and allies, strongly urge Congress, President Biden, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide veterans with access to safe, legal cannabis as a treatment option they want and deserve.
Service members are coming home with the visible and invisible wounds of war. Facing issues ranging from chronic pain to PTSD at double the rate of the average American, veterans are prescribed a cocktail of medications, often including two or more opiates. This approach has caused veterans to battle opioid, sedative, and benzodiazepine addictions – leaving veterans twice as likely as civilians to die from an opioid overdose and leading to 20 veterans committing suicide daily.
Studies and veteran experiences demonstrate that medical cannabis is a life-saving treatment option that can help address many of the debilitating conditions veterans battle today, without the negative side-effects associated with opiates and other prescriptions.
And yet, the more than 9 million veterans who receive their health care from the Veterans Health Administration are barred from access by federal law, even in states where medical cannabis is legal.
Veterans overwhelmingly believe this must change: The American Legion found that 82% of veterans support legalizing medical cannabis. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) found that 81% of IAVA members agree cannabis should be legal for medical purposes.
It’s time for Congress to authorize VHA doctors to recommend and assist veterans in accessing medical cannabis, provide legal protections to ensure veterans can access cannabis without fear of losing their jobs or benefits, and require the VA to research the impacts of cannabis on common veterans’ health issues.
Veterans bravely served our country and it is time for our nation to serve them by providing the medical treatment options they need.
