Patients Out of Time is led by veterans and is and will always be sensitive to veterans issues. As Afghanistan and Iraq veterans return physically and mentally wounded, cannabis should be a first use and universally approved therapeutic agent within the Veterans Administration for Post Traumatic Stress, chronic pain etc..

In response to requests from the federal government the Chief Legal Counsel of the Veterans Administration  was tasked to clarify the VA hospital's legal responsibility concerning the medicinal use of cannabis which are:

VA physicians, nurse practitioners and other licensed clinicians are not authorized or permitted to participate in the recommendation for treatment of or prescribing Cannabis [medical marijuana] to a VA patient that would otherwise be legal by state law. Furthermore, the VA will not dispense, prescribe or store Cannabis , and its possession on VA property remains illegal and a criminal offense.

However, it is acknowledged that testing positive for Cannabis in a patient, based upon a random drug screening, will not serve as a breach of the current pain management agreement if the patient submits documentation in support of the Cannabis being recommended and dispensed in conformity with state law.

The above withstanding, veteran patients and visitors who are registered users of Cannabis must follow all laws and regulations for the possession and use of the Cannabis and shall not bring Cannabis on the grounds of the VA medical center. Possession on federal grounds remains illegal and may subject the possessor to appropriate criminal charges.

Our recommendation to Vets that reside in the 13 states and the District of Columbia where medical cannabis is in use to insist that the resident VA hospitals and clinics abide by state cannabis law. There are individuals available to ask for help if you are being discriminated against, see the link to VMMA below.

For veterans in states not covered by medical cannabis law or regulation please contact your local state representative and request an immediate science based review of existing medicinal cannabis research and a change from cannabis prohibition to therapeutic use under medical supervision. [A state medical marijuana bill which then can become law]

Veterans seeking more information on the ongoing efforts to engage the VA on medical Cannabis issues or on pain contract / drug testing issues are encouraged to check out VMMA or Veterans For Medical Marijuana Access at:

Veterans For Medical Marijuana Access:

http://www.veteransformedicalmarijuana.org