Jared Hunter: Why the Senate Needs to Pass the Veterans Equal Access Amendment

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment that will allow Veterans Administration (VA) doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where it is legal.

Shortly after this bill was passed, the Senate was given a reason as to why they need to pass this bill. That reason is Jared Hunter. Jared was suffering from PTSD after serving two tours in Iraq and was contemplating suicide. One of Jared’s friend said he should try using marijuana and just like that, Jared felt better.

 “It calmed the anxiety. I wasn’t having near as many anger problems. The suicide stuff went away. I didn’t really feel that desperate to do anything like that again. I’ve got a bad back and a bad neck; it relieved any kind of pain that I had. It just helped so tremendously that it was unbelievable. Nightmares I could actually go to sleep. I didn’t have insomnia. I wasn’t scared to go to sleep. I could actually lay down and get a halfway decent night’s rest.”

Last year, Jared was arrested for growing marijuana for personal use and he found himself facing five years in prison. The prosecution offered Jared a deal, however, he would not accept it because he would have to plead guilty and therefore be branded as a criminal for the rest of his life. Jared recently accepted a deal that cost his less than $1,000 and left him with a clean record.

The Veterans Equal Access Amendment will help people like Jared

The Veterans Equal Access Amendment was sponsored by Republican Senator Steve Daines and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley. The approval of this amendment marks the first time that the United States Senate has ever moved marijuana law reform legislation forward.

Currently, the VA is the only federal healthcare program that prohibits physicians from discussing and recommending medical marijuana to their patients. Medicare is a federal healthcare program and patients can openly discuss medical marijuana with their doctor. Veterans who have served our country, however, are currently denied this right.

Many veterans return from service and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries. In 2014, researchers found that people who suffer from PTSD saw more than a 75% reduction in the severity of their symptoms when using marijuana to treat their illness.

Outlook

Jared got off pretty easy (which is great) but that is not the case for every veteran. This bill will make things easier for veterans but it is still not enough. Now that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved one element in the CARERS Act, the Senate Judiciary Committee should hold hearings on the full bill.

Currently, 27 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, decriminalized marijuana, or both. Also, 4 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 14 states have legalized a limited form of marijuana by allowing patients access to cannabidiol (CBD). It is time for change!

http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2015/05/25/medical-marijuana/27786935/

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Michael Berger is Managing Partner of StoneBridge Partners, LLC and Founder of Technical420.com. Prior to entering the cannabis industry, Michael was an Equity Research Analyst at Raymond James Financial covering the Energy Sector. Michael has been featured in publications such as The Street, Bloomberg, US Money News, and hosts various cannabis events across North America.

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