The government has until November to help veterans

Soldiers have returned with PTSD and other serious ailments. The AMA and the scientific community believe medical marijuana can help – but time is running out.

In a statement from the medical community, the American Medical Association supports the reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III because it has proven medical benefits. Some of the medical benefits are helping soldiers who return from service with physical and emotional scars. Unfortunately, we are running out of time to help.

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Both the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have conducted the research and approved the rescheduling. These important organizations are making it clear that it will help our war veterans. PTSD is so real that over 30,000 active duty soldiers and veterans who have served in the military since 9/11 have committed suicide. That's about the number that would wipe out all of Fairbanks, Alaska. More veterans committed suicide after Vietnam, nearly 100,000, than during the war (about 58,000). Opioid addiction, which can be combatted by medical marijuana, is common among veterans with PTSD and chronic pain. But politicians like Mike Johnson (R-LA) have worked hard to block help.

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Although veterans facilities are federal property and therefore marijuana is not allowed on the premises even in states where it is legal, they have come to support medical marijuana. There have been significant changes in treatment, including:

• Veterans are not denied VA benefits because of marijuana use.
• Veterans are encouraged to discuss marijuana use with their VA providers.
• VA healthcare providers record marijuana use in the veteran's VA medical record so that the information is available for treatment planning. Like all clinical information, this is part of the confidential medical record and is protected by laws and regulations designed to protect patient privacy and confidentiality.

Science has clearly shown that medical marijuana is useful, but for veterans, it is an important step to help them return to civilian life. Representative Johnson has called for greater oversight, marijuana could be banned again, and the new Republican vice president has said he is not a fan of cannabis. The DEA must follow the recommendations and act quickly to make this happen and help soldiers.

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Bipartisan members of Congress want to remove a controversial section of a Johnson-passed appropriations bill that would prevent the Justice Department from reclassifying marijuana.