Virginia Marijuana Card Addresses Veterans’ Concerns Related to Medical Marijuana Use
Medical marijuana may be able to help thousands of Virginia veterans, but many are hesitant to try it because they are concerned about losing the benefits they get through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Depending on length of service, rank held, and circumstances at discharge, veterans may depend entirely on these benefits to support themselves and their families. Their income, medicine, and even dental care are all provided by the VA, and no one wants to lose their insulin because they ate the wrong kind of gummy.
As a result, fewer veterans are participating in Virginia’s medical marijuana program, despite the fact that nearly any veteran in the state likely has one of the many conditions that qualify for treatment with cannabis.
In this post, we are going to look at the top health conditions among veterans that medical marijuana can treat, address concerns about losing benefits, and give you the information you need in order to start taking control of your therapeutic plan.
How Can Medical Marijuana Help Veterans in Virginia?
In Virginia, a doctor can recommend medical marijuana to treat any condition that would benefit from cannabis. Cannabis is becoming recognized all over the world as a legitimate medicine to treat a wide range of conditions and symptoms due to the fact that it works with multiple systems in the body, and veterans could potentially get a big boost in wellness from a little bit of THC.
Which Conditions Common Among Veterans Can Medical Marijuana Help?
Musculoskeletal Ailments
According to a Department of Defense study on healthcare utilization by veterans, the VA’s most frequent diagnosis between 2008 and 2015 was musculoskeletal ailments. Medical marijuana has been recognized as a potentially effective treatment for chronic pain, including nerve pain and musculoskeletal pain.
Cannabis may not be a cure for any musculoskeletal ailments you have, but it can certainly be a powerful part of the pain management portion of your treatment.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The third most frequent diagnosis among veterans between 2008 and 2015 was mental disorders. Between 11 and 30 percent of all US veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD, and 55% of women in the military have reported sexual harassment—which often results in PTSD.
Psychedelics have been getting all the headlines lately when it comes to treating PTSD in veterans, but actual accessible therapies using mushrooms or MDMA are still years away. Medical marijuana is an easily accessible treatment for veterans who are suffering, and there is a growing body of evidence indicating that it may provide relief from some of PTSD’s most troubling symptoms.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) are more common among combat veterans. TBI is a more acute problem that can cause a great deal of pain, whereas CTE may lead to a degeneration of functioning over time.
Cannabis is used in an FDA approved medication to treat certain severe forms of epilepsy, and it has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties that may help alleviate symptoms and injuries related to TBI and CTE.
Cannabis May Help Prevent Opioid Use Disorder
The US opioid crisis has affected nearly all of us. Though Virginia has been a leader in dealing with the tragic epidemic that has come mostly as a result of corporate greed, there has still been a sharp rise in the number of veterans that are diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD).
We still don’t understand all the factors that go into who develops OUD and who does not, but cannabis may play a key role in preventing it. If veterans who are experiencing chronic pain can incorporate cannabis into their pain management strategy, they may be able to avoid taking opioids altogether.
Additionally, there have been some indications that people with OUD experience fewer and milder withdrawal symptoms, when they used cannabis as part of a medication assisted therapy plan to stop using opioids.
Will Virginia Veterans Lose Their Benefits if They Get a Marijuana Card?
Virginia veterans will be relieved to learn that having a marijuana card does not disqualify them from receiving VA benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs has clarified that no VA employee is permitted to use medical marijuana, no clinician may recommend it, and no one can help veterans fill out the paperwork for a marijuana card.
However, VA patients are encouraged to discuss their therapeutic choices with their doctor. Doctors are required to make note of a patient’s cannabis use, and to incorporate it into their future treatment plans.
Get a Virginia Marijuana Card and Start Getting Natural Relief Legally!
No more hiding in the shadows while you use cannabis to treat your pain, your PTSD, or any of the other conditions you’ve found to benefit from medical marijuana use! With medical marijuana, your treatment is legal and protected.
You will not lose your VA benefits, and having an open conversation about your use with your practitioner may open the door for a greater sense of control and well-being.
Give Virginia Marijuana Card a call at (888) 633-5808, or schedule a marijuana evaluation with one of our doctors today!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Virginia Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to MMJ. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (888) 633-5808, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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