Republicans Blocks Medical Marijuana For Military Veterans

[+Malamute]

 Republicans Blocks Medical Marijuana for Military Veterans

 

 

Despite strong bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate to allow military veterans to receive medical marijuana recommendations through the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.), Congressional leadership is blocking the change from becoming law.

 

Last month, the House approved an amendment to let veterans get medical marijuana recommendations from V.A. doctors by a vote of 233 – 189. On the same day, the Senate passed its version of legislation to fund the V.A. through 2017, which included a medical marijuana provision that had already been attached to the bill by the body’s Appropriations Committee in a vote of 20 – 10.

 

After bills pass both the House and Senate, leadership appoints a conference committee made up of members from either chamber who then meet to reconcile the differences into a final package to be sent to the president for enactment.

 

Marijuana policy observers expected that the conference committee would include protections for veterans who need medical cannabis since the measures passed so handily through bipartisan votes in both chambers.

 

But the final V.A. spending package released late Wednesday night is totally silent on the issue, forcing veterans who want medical marijuana to continue to seek recommendations from doctors outside the V.A., which can be costly and time-consuming.

 

The news comes just one day after Congressional Republicans blocked amendments that would allow state-legal cannabis businesses to access banking services and let Washington, D.C. spend its own money to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana sales from being considered on the House floor.

 

The veterans medical cannabis language approved by the House and Senate differed somewhat.

 

The Senate bill read:

 

None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act may be used in a manner that would—

 

(1) interfere with the ability of a veteran to participate in a medicinal marijuana program approved by a State;

 

(2) deny any services from the Department to a veteran who is participating in such a program; or

 

(3) limit or interfere with the ability of a health care provider of the Department to make appropriate recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to comply with such a program.

 

 

Whereas the House bill said:

 

 

None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement, administer, or enforce Veterans Health Administration directive 2011-004 (or directive of the same substance) with respect to the prohibition on “VA providers from completing forms seeking recommendations or opinions regarding a Veteran’s participation in a State marijuana program”.

 

 

But neither version made it into the conference committee’s report, which the House passed at 3:10 AM Thursday morning by a vote of 239 – 171.

 

The V.A. policy disallowing its doctors from recommending medical marijuana in states where it is legal actually expired on January 31 but, under the department’s procedures, the ban technically remains in effect until a new policy is enacted.

 

Advocates expect a new policy soon, but aren’t sure what it will say. In February 2015, a top V.A. official testified before a House committee that the department is undertaking “active discussions” about how to address the growing number of veterans who are seeking cannabis treatments.

 

The final V.A. bill now heads back to the Senate for an up-or-down vote and, if passed, to President Obama for his signature.

 

[Kingdiamond]

This is why id never let my kid or grandchild ever serve in the military you risk  your life fighting wars then come back to stonewalling Republicans refusing  you the proper care to get back to a normal life.

[phaquetoo]

This is why id never let my kid or grandchild ever serve in the military you risk  your life fighting wars then come back to stonewalling Republicans refusing  you the proper care to get back to a normal life.

I didnt let my son become a marine!  He had to be 18 to sign in himself!  How do you stop an adult from doing stupid things?

 

If you have the answer to that please share, because now that he has been in for 11yrs I would love to make him stay untill he gets 20 and a pension at 38 yrs old, and luckily he is  a drum major in the marine band and not in the wars!

 

He is going to get out after 11 yrs!  His wife got her master's all paid for by the marines!  they dont owe one penny for any of their schooling and he still has a 50k gi grant he can pass on to his kids!

 

I honestly did not want him to join, now I dont want him to quit!

 

Peace

[+Malamute]

Wtf do we need drum majors and marine bands for? Waste of money.

[mibrains]

Moral.

 

Extremely important.

 

Music is the key to life.

[+Malamute]

I thought it went out with the civil war.  Drum majors were for conveying battlefield tactical orders.  We have headsets now.

 

And how many even care about the crappy music. They listen to music on their ipods.  ;-)

[phaquetoo]

Wtf do we need drum majors and marine bands for? Waste of money.

bawahahahahahahaha!

 

I hear ya!  Thats why I say he should stay!  He actualy makes pretty darn good money and they live in on base housing!

 

I beleive the government should most def treat our vets way better than they do!

 

Vetrans that were drafted should be treated even better than the volunteer's but that is just my opinion!

 

He is in the marine band at the marine boot camp in san diago, They play for the graduating boot camp marines, they play for the head of the base when ever some one important visits, they play in the rose bowl parade!  If your a foot ball fan maybe it would be cool to see your son on t.v for the last 11 yrs in the rose bowl parade

 

I agree though, it is nonsense, but hey I didnt raise a dummy!

 

Peace

[solabeirtan]

Republicans Block Medical Marijuana for Military Veterans

 

 Link to your  material... Thanks Mal  and your Welcome!

 

Just another sign that these folks are like a plague that eat away at the heart of our Country.  Even as evidence shows suicide rates for Veterans are steadily increasing. Point of fact, evidence that their current ineffective therapies which include massive amounts of opiods are playing a large part in this largely unnecessary tragedy.

 

 'Voice of Federal Medicine' 

 

"... • The majority of veterans who have a suicide event were last seen in an outpatient setting, with a high prevalence of nonfatal suicide events resulting from overdose or other intentional poisoning."

 

....now who might be behind such a sinister plot? ...hmmm maybe the Pharmies? 

[+Malamute]

bawahahahahahahaha!

 

I hear ya!  Thats why I say he should stay!  He actualy makes pretty darn good money and they live in on base housing!

 

I beleive the government should most def treat our vets way better than they do!

 

Vetrans that were drafted should be treated even better than the volunteer's but that is just my opinion!

 

He is in the marine band at the marine boot camp in san diago, They play for the graduating boot camp marines, they play for the head of the base when ever some one important visits, they play in the rose bowl parade!  If your a foot ball fan maybe it would be cool to see your son on t.v for the last 11 yrs in the rose bowl parade

 

I agree though, it is nonsense, but hey I didnt raise a dummy!

 

Peace

 

 That's cool phaq.

 

 :-)

[imiubu]

Son in law of a friend is in the Army Band.  He is/ was a Jazz bassist.  He does the same type 'gigs' as phaqs' son does.

[phaquetoo]

Son in law of a friend is in the Army Band.  He is/ was a Jazz bassist.  He does the same type 'gigs' as phaqs' son does.

band is not an easy job, and they get promoted faster than the poor guys/gals in war!

 

Peace

 

edit= you can call me Jim lol

Edited June 25, 2016 by phaquetoo

[Wild Bill]