A couple dozen servicemen and women marched to the White House this Veterans Day and dumped a large box of empty pill containers, calling on the president and other federal officials to make medical marijuana accessible to veterans.
“Here’s what the over-medication of our veterans looks like,” they said as they spilled the canisters onto the floor. “We don’t want it.”
The veterans and protesters — affiliated with various veteran and marijuana advocacy organizations — argued that Veterans Affairs hospitals are over-medicating veterans, prescribing them a large number of psychoactive medications to treat PTSD. They marched from McPherson Square to the Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters, then to the White House, some smoking joints along the way, which is illegal in D.C.
VA health-care providers can’t talk to their patients about medical marijuana options, even in states where there are legal medical marijuana programs. A bill in Congress, the Veterans Equal Access Amendment, would allow doctors to provide recommendations about participating in such state programs.
“There’s something seriously wrong going on. It’s disgusting,” said Jose Martinez, 27, a triple amputee who stepped on a bomb while serving in Afghanistan in 2012. Martinez, who lives in California and works with the Weed for Warriors Project, said he was prescribed a cocktail of pills and had a debilitating pain pill addiction.
He now uses marijuana and says he no longer takes those prescribed pills.
Why not? If you lose 3 limbs serving your country, I think you are entitled to a little legal medical weed. You have earned your right to make that decision for yourself.
I find it especially disturbing that VA doctors aren’t allowed to discuss the medical marijuana option with patients. There is just something about proscribed speech that is frightening. Those using services from the VA aren’t children. Many of them have been given prescription drugs that are not meeting their needs, are causing contra-indication issues, and are franking creating addicts.
As for walking down the street smoking a joint–well, you do that at your own risk. I have never found DC cops to be all that alert to wafting Mary Jane however, just thinking about those concerts on the mall, Hell I used to come home high just from being there.
I think I will stand with the vets on this Veterans Day. Listen to them.
“I find it especially disturbing that VA doctors aren’t allowed to discuss the medical marijuana option with patients. There is just something about proscribed speech that is frightening. ”
I believe the reason they can’t discuss it is they are representatives of the Federal government, and Marijuana remains prohibited under Federal narcotics law.
You shouldn’t be prevented from talking about things though. I understand why they can’t prescribe it. We are still in a state of limbo there with medical marijuana. But talking about it? that is first amendment all over the place.
@Moon-howler
“that is first amendment all over the place.”
Someone acting in an official capacity as an agent of the government, does not have 1st Amendment protection.
Oh how well I know. Remember what I did for a million years. However, medical marijuana has significant studies behind it and it should be discussed. Telling someone not to discuss something….no. I can even understand saying not to push it or offer it, but not discussing it if that’s what the patient wants to talk about.
I guess I don’t like first amendment rights being denied medical personnel. I am well aware that happens with reproductive rights also under conservative administrations. There should not be any topics off limits for discussion when treating patients. Sorry, I just think that is wrong.
I guess I feel that providing treatment for our vets really shouldn’t be political.
Not saying medical Marijuana shouldn’t be studied further. What I am saying is current federal law doesn’t carve out a medical Marijuana exception. Then again, when you look at how so many agencies blatantly violate federal laws causing far greater societal harm, VA doctor’s advising patients to find some medical marijuana is a tiny sin. The IRS actually encourages illegal aliens to commit fraud and ID theft, and then forces the victimized taxpayer to prove they didn’t under-report their income. So many other examples of federal government law-breaking are much worse.
If nothing else, the VA doctors could gather information from those who do use medical marijuana. I think there is an entire body of evidence being discussed in the underground. It should be part of mainstream medicine. I guess I think discussion isn’t breaking the law. Prescribing medical mj might be but talk?
How is the IRS encouraging illegal aliens to commit fraud and ID theft? I thought they could use tax ID numbers? Not saying they aren’t…asking for more information.
A journalist (appears to be a real one) out of Indianapolis has done a hole series of stories on this, and it has hit the national news. Here’s just one segment: http://www.wthr.com/story/18616411/irs-workers-cite-pressure-to-ok-phony-documents-from-illegal-immigrants