The state of New York just made a huge leap forward with medical marijuana – and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, or VA, is not happy about it.
But it doesn’t matter. The VA stands no chance against medical marijuana’s insane trajectory.
Over the weekend, NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed new legislation that allows those in the state with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to use marijuana to treat symptoms. The bill has been touted as a boon for veterans in particular.
“Our veterans risked their lives in order to defend the ideals and principles that this nation was founded upon, and it is our duty to do everything we can to support them when they return home,” said Cuomo, according to The Associated Press.
New York is the 28th state to legalize medical marijuana for PTSD, and this legislation is in direct opposition to the VA’s negative stance on weed.
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In fact, the VA would rather push highly addictive prescriptions, like opioids, on veterans struggling with PTSD than grant them access to medical marijuana.
Here’s the thing…
The VA is on the wrong side of history – and everybody knows it.
Medical marijuana is saving lives all across the country. And with the help of states like New York, it’s only getting bigger – and more profitable – for investors…
U.S. Veterans Want Legal Marijuana – and They Want It Now
Thousands of soldiers return from duty each year and head to VA clinics to seek help for physical pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, only to find themselves prescribed myriad opiates and other addictive medications.
In fact, VA prescriptions of four major potent opiates – hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone, and morphine – more than tripled between 2001 and 2013, according to a report by the Center of Investigative Reporting.
The consequences of this mass increase in prescriptions are astonishing: Last year, the VA treated 66,000 ex-servicemen and women for opioid addiction.
“It is a travesty,” said U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) in a recent speech. “They are given opiates instead of maybe something they can derive from marijuana…. And our veterans end up killing themselves because now they are addicted to an opiate.”
But now, veterans and legislators alike are increasing awareness of – and access to – medical marijuana…
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