Veterans Administration — Ending Its Own Addiction

It appears as though the health service of the Veterans Administration is finally beginning to move off its dependency upon the crutch of prescription medicines.

The standing operational policy at VA clinics has long been to send patients directly to the pharmacy.

After all, there’s a pill for whatever ails the veteran, and writing a “scrip” is far simpler, not to mention a damn site faster, than actually wasting time attending to a medical issue.

Besides, while the Government spends uncountable taxpayer dollars on the tools of destruction, it makes a sham attempt at “fiscal responsibility” by procuring only meds that have passed their patent expiration dates.

Thus, the vet is typically being treated not with the latest, state-of-the-art remedies, but with mendicants that are, in many instances, nearly two decades behind current scientific proficiency.

When in doubt, or unable to provide something approximating proper treatment, the VA doctor will prescribe ibuprofen or aspirin in large doses.

The aforementioned are precisely the reasons why I steered clear of VA healthcare for 30 years, until there was no choice.

Now, it would seem, the VA is attempting to wean itself off the teat of laboratory cures in lieu of Mother Nature.

Oh, ‘tis but a wee step, to be sure, but one in the right direction, nevertheless.

In direct contradiction to archaic Federal laws that have stood for more than 70 years, the VA has announced that it will recognize the legitimacy of cannabis as a bona fide curative – at least for veterans in states that have passed medical marijuana laws.

Currently, there are 14 states with “medical marijuana” laws on the books:  Alaska; California; Colorado; Hawaii; Maine; Maryland; Michigan; Montana; Nevada; New Mexico; Oregon; Rhode Island; Vermont; and Washington.  Despite being Federal territory, Washington, D.C. is also on the list.

An already passed law in New Jersey will take effect this January.  Voters in Illinois will decide on the issue this November, while in California all-out legalization is on the ballot.

One might find it somewhat surprising that several of the states on the list are bastions of conservatism that rarely vote Democrat.

Despite the deep pockets of Big Pharma, along with those of gargantuan chemical-industrial conglomerates (such as DuPont and Dow) and the liquor industry, even these megacorporations’ worst efforts can no longer impede education of the public regarding the medical benefits and manufacturing possibilities of hemp.

Vilify the “noble weed” as these entities might try, there is no way to dance around the facts that marijuana use is non-addictive, and there is nothing on record to indicate that anyone has ever died as a direct result of “pot.”

The only reason violence has any association whatsoever with cannabis is because, although being extremely popular, it remains illegal, making profitability a prime motivator for traffickers.  As with booze, prohibition hasn’t worked – it’s time to repeal the Stamp Act.

But, I digress…

The VA has for years withheld medication, specifically painkillers of the narcotic, or opioid, variety (morphine, oxycodone, methadone), from patients who use illegal drugs; such insipidness will no longer be the case.

Lumping marijuana with hardcore narcotics is, by itself, one of the major flaws in drug policy, as they emanate from wholly disparate families.

Calling pot a “narcotic” is akin to comparing your juicy, medium rare rib eye steak to the sprig of garnish placed atop it by the chef.

In accepting its use by vets who have legal access to cannabis, the VA has concluded that the system will ultimately save money on prescription drugs – most of which are potentially dangerous and highly addictive.

This new directive is also vindication of marijuana’s potential for catharthis.

This may only be a baby step, but it’s a giant stride in flushing out our corporate-sponsored Government-controlled habit.

In a world that’s increasingly far too overmedicated, the VA fighting off its own addiction is a welcomed remedy.

For more information, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs:  <; or Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access: http://www.va.gov>; or Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access:  >.

Shalom.

Jerry Tenuto has earned a BS in Radio-Television and an MA in Telecommunications from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.  In addition to some 25 years in broadcasting, he is a seven-year veteran of the U.S. Army.  Since 1995, Jerry has found himself trapped in a “Red” enclave within the middle of the “Blue” state of Illinois, which he refers to as “slow death hell.”