V.A. Issues New Medical Marijuana Policy For Military Veterans

[knucklehead bob]

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 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."

However, the policy reiterates the department's long-held position that "to comply with Federal laws such as the Controlled Substances Act...providers are prohibited from completing forms or registering Veterans for participation in a State-approved marijuana program."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2017/12/19/v-a-issues-new-medical-marijuana-policy-for-military-veterans/#359dbf0d5b90

[bobandtorey]

Thank you Knucklehead bob for posting this i have a V.A Doctors appointment  coming up Jan 

[blackhorse]

I got a January appointment with the VA also, but do not plan on talking with the doc about marijuana. Just my thought on this.

[mibrains]

ive been shoving it down my VA doctors throat since the first day i got my card...

she used to be quite opposed...not so much any more...

 

 

[knucklehead bob]

15 hours ago, blackhorse said:

I got a January appointment with the VA also, but do not plan on talking with the doc about marijuana. Just my thought on this.

 

8 hours ago, mibrains said:

ive been shoving it down my VA doctors throat since the first day i got my card...

she used to be quite opposed...not so much any more...

 

 

My primary care Dr. is aware of my cannabis use with no issue . 

[mibrains]

this part bugs me-

V.A. Misstates Federal Law

In fact, no provision of federal law blocks the department from allowing its doctors to fill out medical cannabis recommendation forms in states where it is legal, even under continued federal prohibition.

In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a federal ruling finding that doctors have a First Amendment right to recommend medical cannabis to patients, as long as they don't actually provide 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 the department's Veterans Health Administration just extended with the new directive.

V.A. Sec. David Shulkin has repeatedly tried to pass the buck to Congress when asked about the issue in interviews.