http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/house-rejects-medical-marijuana-for-veterans/
In about as close a vote as you can get, the House rejected an amendment Thursday that would have allowed veterans to seek medical marijuana through the Veterans Affairs health system.
The amendment, offered by Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer, was rejected 210-213.
"While there is no single approach to aiding our nation's veterans," Blumenauer wrote in a press release earlier this week, "medical marijuana is proven to help in treating post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries frequently suffered by veterans."
Blumenauer noted that 36 states — in addition to D.C. and Guam — have passed laws providing legal access to medical marijuana in some form. "States are listening to their residents on the benefits of medical marijuana, including veterans, and are changing their laws," Blumenauer wrote. "It is unacceptable for our wounded warriors to be forced out of the VA system to simply seek a recommendation on whether or not medical marijuana is a good treatment option."
Current law forbids veterans from getting a medical marijuana prescription through a VA doctor. But Blumenauer has been trying to change that. For one, he's offered this amendment before. Last year, the proposal fell short by 26 votes. For another, Blumenauer has offered a similar standalone bill that would make it easier for veterans to get medical marijuana where it's legal. He's also been pushing for a new Drug Enforcement Administration chief with a more open view of drug enforcement.
In a joint letter with Jared Polis of Colorado, Blumenauer wrote to President Barack Obama asking him to appoint a DEA head who would end the agency's "resistance to the changing public consensus on marijuana use and stop expending its limited resources to prosecute individuals who are not a threat to public safety."
"Instead," Blumenauer and Polis wrote in the letter, which was also signed by four other California Democrats, "focus on drug activity that poses a more serious risk."
As for Republicans, 35 members of the House GOP voted for the Blumenauer amendment, which — written in the byzantine language of an appropriations amendment — would have prohibited federal funds for the use of implementing a ban on VA providers completing forms related to participation in a state marijuana program.
Republicans like Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said veterans "deserve the right to have an open dialogue" with their doctors about marijuana. Virginia Republican Morgan Griffith told U.S. News and World Report he voted against the amendment because it didn't go far enough, while California Democrat John Garamendi, one of eight Democrats to vote against the amendment, said he mistakenly voted against it.
In short, the House is likely right at the tipping point for supporting a similar amendment next year, with more and more lawmakers embracing more liberal views on marijuana.
Well hopefully vets get the support they deserve!
Missed it by that much... Rats!! Hoping and praying that they reverse their decision and get vets the help they so richly deserve.
First time = way low support. Second time = almost made it. Third time (next year hopefully) = passing? They say, third time's the charm. :smiley praying:
:jawdrop:
I cant believe that they will allow doctors to prescribe thousands of pain suffers the addictive residue from the poppy plant, proof in the explosion of herion users, trying to escape their pain. but they want a society hooked on the opiates, :insane: crazy man. Do drug manufacturing companies lobbyist have this much money to buy the "No Go", vote for medical marijuana????? unreal
So many soldiers are coming back with injuries, PTSD, and the such, a government ruled for the people by the people ,,,,,,has disappeared from the earth,, Drug companies with fist full of dollars are afraid of losing all their dang profits from prescription pain and antianxiety medications, once they have a poor soldier hooked , its a guaranteed income :emomad2: With the problem being ,one cannot easily grow the poppy plant and manufacture the opaiates, but pot is just a matter of putting a seed in the ground and a few months , grow ones own reilief!
Shame. Shame on these men who are allowing the drug problem grow and grow and simutaniously, are sitting back watching their profits grow.. :emomad2: Picture the fat boys kicked back reading the morning paper and headlines read "pain pills epidemic proportions......" Fat boy kicksback ,has a sip of coffee and a bite of his truffle, thinking to him/herself,$$$$$$ "Im in the money da, da da da ta. the song plays in their head, Same as when they read the above note , Oregon failed to pa$$, the song plays louder and louder. They want addicts////addict$ mean$ more monie$$$$$
SHAME SHAME SHAME :emorant:
Where is this epidemic in pain pills? I sure can't get any! It's like pulling teeth to get a script at my VA.
Don't believe everything you read.....
The few times I've asked for a SMALL amount of narcotics for when the tramadol isn't enough, I've been denied. I don't have any obvious injury, just this invisable one. Because I don't have the tender spots fewer docs believe me anyway. :emowall:
Due to stomach problems I have stopped taking otc pain meds in the am. My pain levels are through the roof but my stomach is a wreck and needed to try anything to help. Any otc advice?
Have you looked into herbal supplements? Avoid the processed pills and such, research, then buy whole herb to avoid false labeling (It's more rampant than anybody wants to admit. Supplements are not regulated like "Big Pharma" Many have been tested and so little labeled ingredients are present they are hard to detect). If your interested I can look some of them up. This is my quick check before bed, and my brain is already in neutral. Plants in general, and herbs are one of my hobbies.
I think that if you check your references you will find that Oregon did pass the law that pot can be sold as a recreational drug starting in just a few weeks. They sure are scrambling to do all the back ground checks on those that have applied for a license to sell. Kind of like a jar full of grass hoppers. Love this State. Those that have had the medical mj cards probably won't need to sell them now. :)
The "HERBZ" I was refering to are the ones not regulated or illegal. Those ones too (pot), work grear too if you get the ones high in CBD and low in THC (unless you want to get high, nothin wrong with that IMHO).
I mixed em.
Works great!