Michigan Leading the Way for Veterans and Medical Cannabis

The very serious problem for veteran patients who qualify for the MI State Medical Marijuana Program, is that they are caught in a "Catch-22" trap.

Courtesy: michiganmedicalmarijuana.org

(DETROIT, Mich.) - Michigan citizens demonstrated overwhelming support for medical cannabis in the November election in 2008. Since then, three VA Medical Center directors, with the determination by the VA Regional General Counsel, have made the use of medical cannabis an acceptable adjunct therapy.

These are three VA Directors that we all need to thank... out of the approximately 150 VA medical center directors in the U.S., only Michigan VA has done this.

Michigan's veteran patients are very grateful to our VA Directors for their compassionate, rational decision to allow the responsible use of medical cannabis.

Over the past 10 years I have been discussing the medical value of cannabis with many VA doctors in several states, and most of them say they support it, and they wish they could prescribe it to some of their own veteran patients.

Unfortunately, the DEA recently advised the Veterans Administration that a physician who acts with the specific intent to provide the means by which his/her patient may obtain marijuana does so in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and is subject to its enforcement provisions.

As a service connected disabled veteran, I have used cannabis medically, on and off, for various conditions I live with, such as some of the symptoms of chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD. Over the past several years, while I was the executive director of Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access (VMMA), hundreds of veteran patients have thanked me for my work helping them get the VA directors in Michigan to change the rules for us. This has brought a tremendous positive effect on the quality of our lives here in Michigan.

According to the U.S. Census, there are more than 5,000 veterans here in Kalamazoo County alone, and approximately 900,000 veterans in the state of Michigan.

All of these veterans deserve the right to use medical cannabis as patients in Michigan’s VA medical centers, just as thousands of non-veterans are allowed to use it in our state. Why would any level of government want to deny veterans the same opportunities as everyone else?

Yes, it is controversial at this time, and opposed by some, but I say "so what?" If it helps some of us, and it does, allow us to have it. The science community continues to do research around the world showing the positive effects cannabis can have as a medicine.

Now, if the politicians and doctors would only catch up with the science, we could resolve many questions more easily, and get on with the research in the United States. I simply cannot understand, this day, and at this time, what it is about the irrational fear that overtakes their sometimes rational minds.

I am very grateful for those who have had the courage to open their minds, and change their opposition to support. At this point in time we veterans would like to express our thanks to our U.S. congressman, Fred Upton, for finally seeing the medical value of cannabis and stating in two letters to me that he will now support it in the U.S. Congress.

The very serious problem for veteran patients who qualify for the MI State Medical Marijuana Program, is that they are caught in a "Catch-22" trap. The VA doctors are prevented from signing the MI State forms for their veteran patients by the DEA.

At the same time, here in Kalamazoo and Portage, there is not ONE doctor who will sign veterans MI State forms, even though they are totally protected by the law. The doctors apparently are not at all patriotic, and have no interest in helping us veterans. They seriously need to think about their irrational fear, or ignorance of the law. It also appears they need a lesson on compassion, beyond their self interests. Why did they become doctors? And did they all forget “do no harm”? You are harming veterans, by not helping them.

Martin H. Chilcutt, founder of the VMMA, and now on their Advisory Board.

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Jason R. December 22, 2009 9:53 pm (Pacific time)

I think its really sad that the DEA wants to play doctor without going to medical school. Seems like just yesterday that they were picking on the nerds in school and now they are picking on Veterans as they greedily grit their teeth at the thought that Cannabis is a valid medicine that will cut into their funding. I wish they could step aside and let smart, educated people with integrity decide what is right for America. How greedy can they get? They failed the drug war and are just wasting our money. How much do you want to bet that they accept protection money from the big time criminal enterprises as well as Tobacco, Pharm. and Alcohol Companies. Trying to steal freedom from the very same veterans that gave them freedom. This country is so backwards and greedy. I really hope I get the job I interviewed for in Canada. Screw Amerikkka.

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Mark M. December 22, 2009 8:26 pm (Pacific time)

As a father, teacher, Vietnam veteran, and concerned American it has been very hard for me to witness the damage and destruction that the past 40 years of U.S. drug policy has wrought upon our country and its citizens. Let's hope that we're beginning to see the end to this mind-boggling irrationality.

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Mark M. December 22, 2009 8:20 pm (Pacific time)

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_mark_mcv_061201_drug_wars.htm

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solabeirtan December 22, 2009 1:19 pm (Pacific time)

I think it's very sad that the DEA has any authority over veterans affairs, especially their health care. Somebody needs to set priorities or limits on their authority. They sure dont have any business dictating to veterans. They should show some gratitude and respect for Americas real heroes.

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Jeff K - December 22, 2009 8:11 am (Pacific time)

Hopefully the bill cited in this Ohio publication, http://www.ohiopatientsnetwork.org/ which President Obama quietly signed into law, will help clear the muddied waters of the US Government's position on medical applications of cannabis. This sounds like, or rather calls for - a renaming of the nation's "Drug Czar" to something more appropriate like "Drug Manager" so that he can cut through the red tape and get veterans and everyone else who needs it, the safest and most effective medicine in existence. Cannabis' placement on Schedule I is farcical in this age of "modern medicine" where science supposedly takes precedence over irrational ideology, ignorant intolerance and greed. Bottom line: reschedule now.

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