Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Banned From Prescribing Medical Marijuana

April 5, 2010 - Medicinal marijuana may very well be the safest and most useful treatment for veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among other conditions. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) however, has put the kibosh on prescriptions for the drug despite 14 states legalizing medical marijuana. Marijuana has been proven to be very effective in treating both chronic pain and symptoms of PTSD.

Many of the prescription drugs currently used to treat PTSD result in serious and sometimes life-threatening side effects. Indeed, some of these drugs have even been blamed in the overdosing deaths of veterans from our current wars. To date, there has been very little evidence to suggest medical marijuana has any of these unfortunate side effects.

The VA maintains its ban on allowing VA physicians to prescribe medical marijuana is due to threats made by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Despite it not being a crime to do so, the DEA has threatened to prosecute any VA physician either:

• Recommending medical marijuana to VA patients; or
• Aiding a VA patient in enrolling in state medical marijuana programs.

 Approximately 30% of veterans from the current Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts return from deployment suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), or other mental health issues. Should these returning veterans not receive treatment for their symptoms, it is likely they will face:

• Substance abuse and/or addiction;
• Overdose;
• Homelessness;
• Trouble with the law;
• Incarceration; and
• Suicide.

Under VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's direction, all veterans will one day receive the absolute best health care this nation can provide; the care they deserve to receive. Whether this care will one day include treating veterans with medical marijuana can only be answered in time and with a very large shift in thought process at the highest levels.