According to a new survey, a strong majority of military veterans support expanding access to medical marijuana.
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According to the new Ohio State University survey, published by the Social Science Research Network, 79% of veterans want federal law to be amended so that Veterans Affairs doctors are legally authorized to prescribe medical marijuana to their patients. Federal legislation to do just that recently gained its 29th sponsor in the House of Representatives.
According to the survey, family members of veterans support expanded access to medical marijuana at an even higher rate, with 92% in support of the move.
The specific question asked: “Veterans Administration doctors should be legally allowed to recommend marijuana to veterans if the doctor believes the patient could benefit from it – Yes, or No”.
Under current law, physicians at the VA are prohibited from even discussing marijuana with their patients, and veterans who receive care from VA facilities cannot receive the forms required to participate in medical marijuana programs – regardless of whether the state they reside in has legalized it for medical use. H.R. 2431 would change this by providing federal protection to VA doctors who discuss and recommend medical cannabis.
According to a study published in July, 91% of veterans “reported that medical cannabis helped them to experience a greater quality of life”, and a considerable percentage say it reduced their use of opioids and over-the-counter medications.
