Feature Story
Veterans and Medical Cannabis in Missouri
The Frontier of a Medical Revolution
Editorial by Todd Scattini , LTC , U . S . Army ( Ret .).
One of the quotes I recall from my time hosting a monthly video live series with The EVOLUTION Magazine is , “ I ’ m tired of burying my friends ,” made by SGT ( Ret .) Chris Wolfenbarger , Veterans on Cannabis Podcast . I don ’ t recall exactly which episode it was . It could have been while hosting Missouri ’ s only living Medal of Honor recipient , COL ( Ret .) Doc Ballard . Or it could ’ ve been while hosting retired U . S . Air Force Major General Tod Bunting , former Adjutant General of the Kansas National Guard , or when speaking with national leadership from AMVETS , Cherissa Jackson . But , that quote about “ funeral fatigue ” and burying our friends defines much of the reason veterans have begun to raise their voices on the subject of cannabis . Many veterans experience Memorial Day — EVERY DAY . And many of us have found cannabis to be something that can be lifesaving and life-changing . Some of us have even made it our careers and the focus of years of activism .
Memorial Day this year takes place on Monday , May 20 , 2022 . This is a day we take a moment to remember and honor the men and women who died while serving in the U . S . military .
Both the veteran and active-duty communities find themselves in the midst of a suicide and substance abuse crisis .
“ We as military leaders will all be judged one day by how we addressed the suicide
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and substance abuse crisis among our ranks in the active duty and veteran community .” ~ Tod Bunting , Major General ( USAF , Ret .), Former Adjutant General , Kansas National Guard , Veterans on Cannabis Podcast .
As we celebrate Memorial Day this year , I invite everyone to ponder the question of medical cannabis access for veterans . Imagine how Missouri could serve as a medical cannabis research platform for the Veterans Administration ( VA ) and the Department of Defense ( DOD ,) facilitated by the incredible academic backbone that runs along I-70 , often dubbed the human and animal health corridor .
The option to access medical cannabis for all veterans is of great importance , not only to veterans themselves , but to families , friends , coworkers , and the communities that care about them . Today we are at a crossroads of opportunity on the Federal and the State level that must be recognized and energetically pursued for the betterment of our society . Uniquely , Missouri sits , as it did in the mid-1800s , on a frontier looking West to neighboring Kansas , where today cannabis is still heavily prohibited , harshly punished , and veterans are driven to more dangerous drugs such as alcohol and pharmaceuticals to treat the wounds of service .
In the aptly named “ Show-me-State ,” we have an exceptional medical cannabis program marked by recognition of a long list of qualifying conditions that include PTSD , chronic pain , and about anything your doctor thinks may be treated better by cannabis . We have
accessibility across the state to high-quality cannabis products that are tested and measurable in terms of dosage .
Additionally , Missouri has a 4 % sales tax on cannabis products , which is meant to address issues of importance to veterans . These funds go to the VA to promote education , prevent homelessness , increase employment among the veteran populations , and so forth . As a bonus to the Missouri medical cannabis market , patients are allowed to grow cannabis at home . I have seen remarkable evidence of the therapeutic benefits of growing AND consuming cannabis on health and wellness — both the physical and mental health levels .
Recently , the Secretary of the VA stated that he seeks to “ normalize the conversation between veterans and the VA on the subject of cannabis .” 1 According to the report in Oregon , the Portland VA Hospital is now working with the Oregon Health and Science University to educate VA doctors on the most recent research and make doctors aware of terminology regarding the use of cannabis as medicine . This is a great first step but does not go nearly far enough , in my opinion .
I believe that the VA and the DOD should be on the leading edge of medical cannabis research . I am certain that Missouri could serve as an ideal platform for a cuttingedge program that could help lead the way into the future of medical cannabis . I have long said that the VA is the ideal Federal organization to lead medical cannabis research . The VA has the largest patient population in