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Veterans and Military Personnel Band Together To “ Get It Done ”
Helping neighboring Kansas pass legalization is next !
by Todd Scattini , contributing writer
When veterans and military personnel band together , with their eyes firmly fixed on an objective , there is very little that can be done to stop them . We recently saw the power of the veteran voice in Washington , D . C ., with the passage of The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics ( PACT ) Act . This new law expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits , Agent Orange , and other toxic substances . It adds to the list of health conditions that the VA presumes are caused by exposure to these substances , which was long overdue . This law will now provide generations of veterans — and their survivors — with the care and benefits they ’ ve earned and deserve .
Passing The Pact Act seems like it would have been a simple , respectful , and common-sense legislative decision to pass , especially for legislators who clamor for a photo op with veterans and leave them with a simple “ Thank you for your service .” However , it was not an easy battle to win . At one point , both chambers of Congress had previously approved the bill , with the Senate voting 84-14 in June of this year in favor . But the bill was forced into another vote after “ administrative issues ” were found in its text . After changes were made , it was expected to breeze through Congress and be signed into law by the President . However , opposition from 25 Republican senators who changed their vote , citing concerns over how the measure was funded , stymied the bill . Predictably , veterans were more than disappointed . They were furious . Thankfully , so was comedian Jon Stewart , who joined hundreds of veterans on the steps of Congress to demand answers and action . Those Republican senators changed their votes back to yes , and
A selfie of me ( Todd Scattini ) in DC with SC Representative Nancy Mace who submitted Federal legalization . She is also the first female graduate of the Citadel .
now millions of veterans can receive the care they deserve after serving in far-off lands where they were exposed to high levels of known toxic chemicals .
That should be a message for politicians that they take very seriously . Veterans don ’ t quit , and we won ’ t give up until we have access to safe , effective healthcare and medicine , which includes cannabis . Oh yeah , and WE VOTE !
Veterans have been leading the charge for the legalization of cannabis since the creation of the Controlled Substances Act in 1971 . It was two Army veterans in California , Denis Peron and Jack Herer , who led the campaign to legalize medical cannabis in California , which passed in 1996 . The commitment and energy that veterans bring to the cannabis legalization conversation and into the industry is because of the “ get it done ” attitude that we cultivated in service to the nation . It is also due to our commitment to our brothers and sisters who have served to help them safely treat the wounds of war , both visible and invisible .
Numerous veteran organizations and non-profits are operating in the U . S . to help advance this conversation . I am proud to be part of several of these organizations , especially the Hemp For Victory Foundation and the Veterans Action Council .
Hemp for Victory board members from KS and MO traveled there to support Texas veterans who don ’ t have access . In photo is me ( Todd Scattini ) with Major General Tod Bunting ( USAF Ret ., the former Adjutant General of the Kansas National Guard ), Frank Kirby retired CW4 and owner of Zo CBD , Chris Wolfenbarger , and Corey Martin of Kansas City Cannabis , U . S . Army ret .
I am a co-founder of the Hemp For Victory Foundation , which we formed in 2022 to host the conversation whenever and wherever veterans , active duty military leadership , and cannabis expertise intersect . We are named after a USDA Program established during