In a letter Va's Sec Shulkin wrote to US House of Rep's lawmakers, he addressed the inconvenience that current laws caused the administration. He stated that Marijuana, despite being legal in some states is still illegal federally which prevents the VA from conducting 'official' research into the "Wonder Drug." He also testified in front of the veterans' Affairs Committee in the U.S. Senate and told them that since the drug is a Schedule 1, it means, in that classification, none of the drugs have any medical use and creates a number of headaches that the Veterans Administration must defeat in order to retrieve and do any productive research with them.
Veterans backing the cause
Currently, the fight continues in order for the veterans administration to well "be allowed" to conduct research on marijuana. Therefore, there is a lack of information linked directly to veterans as to what marijuana does to their benefit - or rather a lack of official information. At the moment there is hope that proof of improvement in PTSD patients will arise due to the research.
Despite the restriction the VA has federally, this hasn't stopped independent studies from popping up all over the nation.The Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) in Arizona, did begin studies on how marijuana can help veterans and are hoping that once the study is complete, it will show whether or not it can help veterans suffering from PTSD.
The fact of the matter is Veterans are ready for change. They want healthier more effective medications or rather one safe, working, and in this case hopeful medicine. For example, founder of “Veterans Cannabis Project" and Navy Seal veteran, Nick Etten, expressed that both the VA and lawmakers, need to look at the medical marijuana topic as a healthcare policy matter and to get the politics out of it, change the law, to help veterans in need.
There are many veterans like Etten across the nation who would be interested in the new medicinal methods. However, some are simply not conveniently geographically located and the lack of support from their local VA's is becoming more and more of a problem.
A waiting game
There is no clear future of Shulkins request's however, with the addition of more and more veterans to come searching for and open to today's booming "natures way out," I can strongly see changes in the making. Information will be reported as I am updated. Here's to a "higher", "uplifting" future for America and its soldiers.