“This Veterans Day, let’s measure our support in more than ceremonies and dispensary discounts.”
Every Veterans Day the nation honors service members with meals, discounts and public events, yet veterans returning home often confront fragmented health‑care systems that hinder access to needed treatments.
Barriers to Medical Cannabis for Veterans
Americans for Safe Access founder Steph Sherer called the federal registration of over 900 medical cannabis dispensaries a landmark win for patient access, but registration alone does not erase the obstacles veterans face.
In Utah, roughly 130,000 veterans live among 1,000 annual PTSD patients treated at the Salt Lake City VA clinic; state law requires a PTSD diagnosis confirmed by a licensed professional, ongoing therapy documentation, and a separate medical cannabis provider recommendation—essentially two letters from clinicians.
Insomnia, a frequent PTSD symptom, is not a qualifying condition in Utah or states such as Colorado, forcing veterans to pursue an exception through the Compassionate Use Board or qualify under another ailment.
Other states compound the problem: Alaska excludes PTSD, Arizona demands proof of ongoing conventional treatment, Georgia limits eligibility to trauma‑exposed adults, and Alabama requires documented failure of standard therapies plus in‑person physician visits.
VA clinicians can discuss cannabis and record PTSD diagnoses, yet federal restrictions bar them from recommending it or completing the paperwork needed for state program enrollment, leaving veterans to seek care outside the VA.
The VA and DoD caution against cannabis for PTSD due to limited evidence of benefit and known risks, while Schedule I classification has hampered research, creating a scientific vacuum that fuels clinical uncertainty.
With a 36 % rise in Utah’s homeless veteran count and one‑fifth of male unhoused individuals being veterans, each additional appointment, paperwork step or expense can become a decisive barrier to consistent care.
Policymakers can streamline care by allowing electronic transfer of diagnostic records, clarifying documentation rules, eliminating duplicate visits, and expanding telehealth follow‑ups that coordinate VA, community mental‑health providers and state cannabis programs.
Federal officials should revise rules that prevent VA clinicians from completing state cannabis documentation when they deem it clinically appropriate, ensuring veterans receive honest information about all treatment options without compromising professional judgment.
Narith Panh, chief growth officer of Dragonfly Wellness, brings a family‑driven perspective to cannabis advocacy, focusing on expanding access and outcomes for veterans.
This Veterans Day, move beyond ceremonies and discounts; build health‑care systems that respect scientific uncertainty, trust clinical judgment and simplify pathways for veterans to receive continuous, compassionate care.
