Veterans Administration and MMJ in New Mexico

[Sandia]

Hi folks,

Several members are vets here and this was just on the news at KOB channel 4 in Albuquerque.

KOB.com - VA prohibits medical marijuana prescriptions

VA prohibits medical marijuana prescriptions

Posted at: 02/23/2010 7:08 PM | Updated at: 02/23/2010 8:04 PM
By: Jeremy Jojola, Eyewitness News 4; Taryn Bianchin, KOB.com

There are more than 1200 New Mexicans legally using medical marijuana under state law, of those, about 25 percent of them are veterans returning from war with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

But at VA hospitals nationwide, doctors are being told not to give out prescriptions because medical marijuana is still illegal under federal law.

A memo sent out to VA doctors has stated if they were to help patients get medical marijuana by filling out forms, it â??could mean their license to prescribe drugs could be revoked and could even result in criminal charges.â??

"Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact the federal government still has medical marijuana as an illegal substance, and there's nothing we can do about federal law," said Deborah Busemeyer of the state's Department of Health.

She says veterans with VA doctors will have to go somewhere else to get a medical cannabis prescription.

"The best our patients can do is try and find resources within the state of New Mexico to take advantage of state law," said Busemeyer.

A spokesperson for the VA hospital in Albuquerque says veterans who participate in the state's medical cannabis program won't be refused other treatment at the VA hospital.

Currently, the state says there are about five non-profits in New Mexico providing medical marijuana with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder the most common illness claimed by New Mexicans with prescriptions for the medicine.

According to the State Department of Health, cancer patients have received the second highest number of medical marijuana prescriptions with about 200 people getting them. HIV and AIDS is the third most common condition among medical marijuana users.

The newsclip can be viewed here.....

KOB.com - VA prohibits medical marijuana prescriptions

Sandia

Sandia Reviewed by Sandia on 02-24-2010. Veterans Administration and MMJ in New Mexico Hi folks, Several members are vets here and this was just on the news at KOB channel 4 in Albuquerque. KOB.com - VA prohibits medical marijuana prescriptions The newsclip can be viewed here..... Rating: 5

[bedrockbob]

Hi folks,

Several members are vets here and this was just on the news at KOB channel 4 in Albuquerque.

KOB.com - VA prohibits medical marijuana prescriptions



The newsclip can be viewed here.....

KOB.com - VA prohibits medical marijuana prescriptions

Sandia

It is too darn bad that vets have to deal with that. It is a long enough road to get to see Medical Cannabis allowed, and then getting that kind of crap from Uncle Sam. It is kind of a sick paradox.

I figure that once someone has shot at your ass, you get to smoke whatever the hell you want from then on out. Shouldnt that be a law?

[pepurr]

Funny this is brought up now. A friend of mine and I were debating this just two days ago.

He said that he figures they would because they are just drones of the government, and some other thing I can't remember right now (damn this memory loss).

I told him that I figured they wouldn't because marijuana is against federal law and the VA is run by the feds. I was so sure of this I never even looked it up. Also I figured that if they found out I was using MMJ that they wouldn't treat me for HCV.

We both thought it would be a good idea to look it up. Low and behold, I was right on one count and wrong on the other.

Isn't it weard that the feds won't write a script for a Vet to get MMJ, when they are providing 5 people with it, and have been for 30 years.

The federal government provides medical marijuana to five U.S. patients | Michigan Medical Marijuana Association | News and Information for Michigan's medical marijuana patients and caregivers

[grfxdsnr]

Yep, knew this all along. While we live in Illinois, for now, Jim's spinal cord doctor has already told us of this. Because he is a federal employee he cannot legally prescribe it even if Illinois passed the law. He's a huge advocate of medical mj. Jim's records even state he uses medical mj as a relief for his ms. Never refused treatment.

What I find even more disturbing is if you need a transplant and are legally (statewide) smoking medical marijuana you can be refused a transplant. So, how does that work? If I drink myself to the point of needing a new liver I can get one? But if one smoke medical mj you cannot? I am sure anyone who smokes for medicinal reasons would give it up if they needed an organ. Stupid rules.

[coolslayer]

Funny this is brought up now. A friend of mine and I were debating this just two days ago.

He said that he figures they would because they are just drones of the government, and some other thing I can't remember right now (damn this memory loss).

I told him that I figured they wouldn't because marijuana is against federal law and the VA is run by the feds. I was so sure of this I never even looked it up. Also I figured that if they found out I was using MMJ that they wouldn't treat me for HCV.

We both thought it would be a good idea to look it up. Low and behold, I was right on one count and wrong on the other.

Isn't it weard that the feds won't write a script for a Vet to get MMJ, when they are providing 5 people with it, and have been for 30 years.

The federal government provides medical marijuana to five U.S. patients | Michigan Medical Marijuana Association | News and Information for Michigan's medical marijuana patients and caregivers

Two of them must have died......last I heard,there were 7 patients in the fed."program".

[coolslayer]

Yep, knew this all along. While we live in Illinois, for now, Jim's spinal cord doctor has already told us of this. Because he is a federal employee he cannot legally prescribe it even if Illinois passed the law. He's a huge advocate of medical mj. Jim's records even state he uses medical mj as a relief for his ms. Never refused treatment.

What I find even more disturbing is if you need a transplant and are legally (statewide) smoking medical marijuana you can be refused a transplant. So, how does that work? If I drink myself to the point of needing a new liver I can get one? But if one smoke medical mj you cannot? I am sure anyone who smokes for medicinal reasons would give it up if they needed an organ. Stupid rules.

I used to live in Schiller Park, IL. I didn't care for it much,so I took a bus all the way from there back to here(Ruidoso).I agree with your view on alcohol vs.MMJ being stupid.

[DrNick]

&@$^**aIAAceUO?

[grfxdsnr]

&@$^**aIAAceUO?

Tell us how you really feel DrNick.

[coolslayer]

Yeah,come on,man.

[DrNick]

&@$^**aIAAceUO?

Wtf? Dude, lay off the booze. Wait a minute. That's me. Do I really sound like that? How embarrassing. Cool. Aqua teen is on. Gotta love the Meatwad! And Karl. Or is it Carl? He's one hairy mothereffer. I use to live next door to a guy who looked like K(C)arl when I lived in Lisle. He wasn't as cool as Karl tho. He did have one cool ridin mower. He thought he was Tim Taylor. Know what I mean? Now I'm just rambling, so must sleep.