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Continued...
However, I also believe active-duty members should be well-informed about cannabis as a part of their
transition training, so they comprehend what alternatives they have once they get out. PTSD is a serious medical issue but what most people are not aware of is that many who come into the military already have some form of PTSD. The average person cannot see the symptoms even though they are clear to diagnosticians. I think the VA needs to conduct more inquiries and bring VHS on board to educate our veterans about the medical value of cannabis which needs to be articulated clearly.
How optimistic are you about your work? What do you think the landscape for veterans will look like in five years?
I am very enthusiastic about what I am doing. I get up at 4:30 a.m. every day to start working just like when I was in the military. I figure if I could provide my fellow veterans with professional service as a VA staff member, I can provide them superior service now as an advocate assisting them in new ways especially in the cannabis space.
I do see a changed landscape for veterans as more of us are coming together to stand for what is right as it relates to access. In 2016, the House and Senate committee approved an amendment to the military appropriations bill that would have allowed military veterans in legal cannabis states to access cannabis medicine. Not less that two weeks later, they decided to remove the amendment via the so-called Zika Virus. The Veterans Equal Access amendment was introduced again this year and it pass the Appropriations Committee on a 24 to 7 vote. Republican lawmakers blocked the amendment again but despite this setback there is a fiscal bill in the Senate which contains a similar provision that ould allow veterans access in the states where is is legal. In the next five years, you will see more veterans with access and living more productive lives while working in the cannabis industry.
Keep in mind we now have a new President, in a new world, with new rules via the law and many things are becoming more automated. We veterans who fought for freedom based on the interest of the U.S.A. must fight for our own interests now by thinking and doing things differently.
Connecting with VETERANS