Veterans Groups Ask Biden To Ensure Marijuana Scheduling Review Is Completed In ‘Timely Manner’ And Push For Broader Reform
A coalition of military veterans organizations is pushing President Joe Biden to ensure that the ongoing administrative review into marijuana’s scheduling status is completed in a “timely manner” and also take steps to “counter” misinformation while pursuing broader reform.
In a letter sent to the president last week, multiple veterans-focused groups expressed appreciation for his directive initiating the marijuana review last year, which led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to recommend that cannabis be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
“This process represents a significant opportunity for our nation to lead with science over fear, and begin righting the wrongs of prohibition,” the groups, which include Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, wrote. “The actions taken by your administration and HHS have been historic, and lay the groundwork for the significant work ahead, including the need to ensure that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) expeditiously accepts the scientific and medically founded recommendation.”
DEA is currently completing its part of the review before making a final determination. While the scientific findings of HHS are binding, the law enforcement agency is not required to abide by the Schedule III rescheduling recommendation.
“As representatives of our nation’s Veterans communities, these issues of safe access and research could not be more important,” the letter says. “The individuals who work every day to protect our great nation deserve every ounce of support as they tackle the physical and psychological impacts of their service as they return from active duty.”
The groups included anecdotes from members in the letter, detailing how cannabis has helped them transition away from certain pharmaceuticals and improved symptoms of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
“While we are seeing incredible success through access to cannabis, these positive outcomes are limited by the stigma associated with admitting use and the fear associated with lost opportunities as a result of federal restrictions on cannabis,” the coalition said.
“We understand that misinformation, driven by fear and misunderstanding, is common when it comes to cannabis,” they continued. “And we ask that your administration work diligently to counter this misinformation, and to listen when your Veterans say that something is not only important, it’s potentially life saving.”
The letter also talks about the benefits of going beyond simple rescheduling by moving to federally legalize marijuana. Doing so would improve military readiness by addressing cannabis-related recruitment issues and broadly resolve state and military policy conflicts, they said.
“As a community, we see the reclassification of cannabis as a first step in evolving our national understanding of a plant that thousands of veterans rely upon for chronic pain and other serious service-related ailments,” they said. “There is more progress to be made post-rescheduling and we will look to you, Mr President, to continue supporting and prioritizing access to the benefits of plant-based medicine for all of our active duty and Veterans communities.”
The letter contains two specific asks for the president: 1) to ensure that the scheduling review process “is concluded in a timely manner” and 2) to see to it that Congress “builds on this historic progress to ensure our Veterans communities are not left behind.”
“While the significance of cannabis rescheduling is unique to each community, as Veterans, reclassifying cannabis means a better future for those who chose to serve our country,” they said. “To us, it means access to life-changing medicine, to economic opportunity, to healthy futures—free of opioids, and to wellness without the weight and stigma of unscientific restrictions.”
“Thank you Mr President for initiating this process. We look to your leadership in ensuring this action is just the beginning—laying the groundwork for a better tomorrow,” the letter concludes. “The undersigned organizations are with you in the fight for safe access, scientific research, and a better future for our Veterans communities.”
Signatories on the letter include Hemp for Victory, Balanced Veterans Network (BVN), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Realm of Caring, Hero Grown, Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance and Texas Veterans for Medical Cannabis.
The veterans groups aren’t the only ones proactively pushing for administrative support amid the ongoing scheduling review.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) recently called on DEA to act with “great urgency” to reschedule marijuana in line with a recommendation from HHS, for example.
source
