Helping Veterans Access Medical Marijuana

Did you know that there are more than 20 million living US veterans?

Veterans who have returned from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the Middle East experience a wide range of debilitating medical conditions at a higher rate than the rest of the population.

Veterans support medical marijuana

According to the American Legion, 92% of veterans and their caregivers support research on medical cannabis, and 82% favor legalizing medical cannabis. With such high percentages of veterans speaking out, it’s time to listen.

Cannabis’ classification by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule 1 drug is an obstacle for veterans. This classification prohibits the VA from prescribing cannabis. It also prevents veterans from using their insurance to cover it as a medical treatment.

Organizations like the Veterans Cannabis Project fight for veteran access to marijuana while allowing them to keep their benefits as heroes of our country. While they rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) to help them cope with life after military service, it’s still difficult for veterans to feel safe about their medical marijuana use.

Some veterans have received communication from the armed services stating that their benefits are under review because they worked at a cannabis company. The irony? Veterans are often passionate advocates of cannabis because they have experienced its benefits. Many think they are the perfect candidates for jobs in the cannabis industry.

The future of cannabis for members of the military

The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018 was created to help veterans get the care they need. If passed, this act would promote research into the effectiveness of medical cannabis in veterans diagnosed with PTSD, chronic pain and other conditions.

Surterra Wellness supports our veterans with a discount with every purchase. If you’re a registered medical marijuana patient in Florida, bring your Military ID to the nearest Wellness Center and your discount will be applied to your patient ID.