Can Cannabis Help with Pain Management & PTSD?

Veterans have been using marijuana for decades to help with pain management and Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) symptoms. The problem is the Veterans Affairs (VA) follows governmental, not state guidelines concerning marijuana. Since marijuana is a schedule 1 drug according to the federal government, the VA is not allowed to help veterans attain, suggest, or prescribe marijuana. A schedule 1 drug is defined by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as a drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Sounds a little antiquated with it being considered equal to heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

I have worked with and known hundreds of veterans with PTSD, I can honestly say it appears that cannabis helps them. With so many states now allowing the use of medical and recreational marijuana the federal government appears to be unwilling to authorize or extensively study cannabis even though it appears to be helpful to so many veterans. From what I can tell, there have been, or are doing limited studies on marijuana but not the extent that is needed. It is also possible the VA is studying it in secret because of the stigma. The only reason I can see for the government’s unwillingness to de-criminalize marijuana is because of how it looks and the stigma. To the government, marijuana is worse than opioids because opioids can be and are prescribed, therefore controlled. People are going to use pot if they want, it makes no sense in trying to stop it, it has and always will fail, and it is a waste of resources and money. I have seen where several veterans have used marijuana instead of opioids, and it has worked for them. Marijuana is often called a gateway drug. If you want to talk about a gateway drug… prescription opioids it is. Just ask someone who has beaten the opioid addiction.

I know some will disagree with me, but I honestly believe marijuana is better than alcohol or opioids. If you look at it from a logical point, allowing the legal use and distribution of marijuana makes sense. How many bar fights have been caused by using marijuana?  How many domestic violence cases have you heard of from marijuana use? There are very few if any. How much damage has marijuana done to families compared to alcohol or opioids? In my opinion pot appears to be a better than either.

The VA states on their website that they encourage veterans to tell their primary care physician that they use marijuana, and by telling their primary care physician it will not cause the veteran to lose their benefits. The VA will put the information in the veteran’s medical records, and it will remain confidential and protected by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).  The VA also states that VA providers can talk about marijuana use with clients as a part of their planning and adjust treatment, but may not recommend its use. It is possible that the use of marijuana could interfere in the effectiveness of prescribed medications. The VA doctors are not allowed to write prescriptions for medical marijuana even if it is legal in the residing state.

I can see where having marijuana use in medical records could cause an issue for the veteran. The VA is always changing the rules, I don’t think I would want marijuana use in my medical records for fear of it being used against me in the future. Even though possessing marijuana in some states is legal, it is not allowed on VA property. You can be arrested for possession of a controlled substance if you’re caught with it on VA grounds, even if it’s prescribed by a civilian doctor. VA grounds are federal property, and marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug to them.

There have been several civilian studies that show marijuana can replace opioids for some pain management. A study done in 2014 shows that one state that legalized cannabis has had a decrease in opioid overdose deaths by 25%. The VA says their scientists may conduct research on marijuana benefits, risks, and potential for abuse under regulatory approval but the funding needed is not available. The limited funding for marijuana research mainly comes from the government, yes, the same government that has labeled marijuana a schedule 1 drug. Most of this research focuses on addiction, abuse, and other potentially detrimental effects of marijuana. Little research focuses on the positive aspects of marijuana causing the research to be skewed toward the negative. 

Marijuana acts differently in everyone, what works for one might be a problem for another, just like prescription medication. I also would like to point out that over use of marijuana can cause problems just like any drug.  I’m not going to suggest you quit your medication and use marijuana. If you want to try cannabis, talk to your doctor to see if it is an option. I believe the VA should be doing an extensive research study to see if marijuana works as a replacement for some prescription medication applications for pain management and PTSD symptoms. If the study finds marijuana works, it will save millions of dollars of tax money spent on opioids. If you feel marijuana should be studied by the VA, contact your congressman and demand an unbiased study.

For questions or comments, you can contact me at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit my website at www.afterdutyvets.com, and subscribe to my YouTube channel After Duty Vets or like us on Facebook at After Duty Vets.