Cannabis Reclassification: What This Means for Veterans
July 07, 2024
What if a veteran uses medical marijuana? Are they still entitled to VA Disability Benefits? While they are encouraged to discuss marijuana use with VA providers, veterans will not be denied benefits for using the drug. VA health professionals, however, are unable to prescribe the drug due to its federal status.
Marijuana has been a topic of intense debate over the past few years. Although it has been fully legalized in many states such as those listed in the image below, in the eyes of the federal government, it is still a Schedule I drug. Other states have mixed laws on the substance, for example, allowing CBD oil but not THC.
There are efforts to change the status of marijuana on the federal level. In the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana stands as a Schedule I drug. This means the drug has a high potential for abuse, has no current accepted medical treatment use in the U.S., and lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision. The schedule I classification is also used for LSD, heroin, ecstasy, and psilocybin “magic” mushrooms.
The Department of Justice has proposed to transfer marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III drug. Schedule III drugs include Tylenol (with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone. These drugs have accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S. and have moderate to low potential for abuse.
This means regulatory controls would change, allowing marijuana to become legal nationwide for prescription as well as open the medical field to more research on the drug. However, if it is changed to a Schedule III the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and possession of marijuana would remain subject to the applicable criminal prohibitions of the CSA.
As of now, marijuana is still a Schedule I drug so the VA cannot recommend it for medical use, but it is important to report any use to your VA caregiver. Other medications and treatments could react to the drug, so you must be honest with health professionals about any usage. Veterans should also be aware that because of its legal status they may not bring marijuana into any VA facility. Even if a state-sanctioned medical marijuana program provides the drug, its legal status prevents it from being allowed in VA locations.
If you have any questions on your VA disability rating, send us a message or give us a call at (800) 693-4800!