Acting Right: Operation Grow4Vets

Roger Martin, founder of a Colorado organization aptly named Operation Grow4Vets believes that, “anyone who would deny treatment with marijuana to a seriously or terminally ill person is either incredibly uniformed, or simply lacks any measure of compassion for his or her fellow human beings.”

What does Martin do to support his belief? He gives free cannabis to Colorado veterans. Better than that, he offers free home-grow classes for vets as well. This is great news in and of itself, but it’s even more poignant when seen in the light of recent events. I am, of course, talking about a congressional vote earlier this month that failed to pass. Had the vote been successful, veterans would have (finally) been permitted to discuss medical marijuana with their doctors. To clarify, this vote was not a vote on whether vets could/should have access to cannabis. It was simply to allow VA doctors the ability to discuss it with their patients.

I find this borderline sickening. Beyond the gross violation of doctor/patient confidentiality, these men and women willingly enlist in a career that carries the very real possibility of serious injury, disability and death. Ostensibly, they do this in service of America and its people. Whether you agree with a particular war or political agenda, there is something dignified and honorable about serving your nation in such a fashion. This sentiment is echoed in the idea of despising war, but not the soldier.

Many of these vets are exposed to a deeper horror and pain than they ever imagined upon enlisting and surely a greater level of suffering than most of us will ever encounter. That horror can leave profound wounds on a person physically and, in what I would think is almost worse, mentally.

I have no idea what it is like to serve in the military and I’ll be honest and say that I never once had the intention of joining (they wouldn’t take me for medical reasons, anyway). But I do harbor a sense of gratitude for all they do. Whether or not history proves their actions justified, they faced a terrifying experience while following someone else’s orders. Too often, these men and women are treated like a racehorse who’s gone lame. They just get written off, scuttled from the cameras, left to wither in solitude and replaced with fresh new bodies.

The absolute least that your government can do to say thank you is give you the freedom to seek whatever treatment you believe will offer a balm to your traumas. Worse than being unhelpful, the government has actively tried to prevent cannabis as treatment for PTSD. They seem to have no issue whatsoever allowing our vets to slowly rot away as pharmaceutical zombies.

As Martin puts it, “As is too often the case in civilian medical care, the easiest answer for treating pain and emotional and mental conditions is pharmaceuticals. Most of these prescription medications are debilitating and many are extremely dangerous, highly-addictive narcotics. Far too many veterans feel that current treatment regimes are designed to keep them in a drug induced stupor for the rest of their lives. Operation Grow4Vets believes that the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration need to make a commitment to providing injured and wounded service members and veterans with non-life threatening forms of treatment. The use of medical cannabis is a rational alternative.”

Can’t say it better than that. There is nothing preventing this amazing plant from helping our veterans except bullshit, selfish politics and anachronistic policies that didn’t even make sense in their own time.

Your move, Congressional A-Holes. I appreciate those politicians who are on the good side of this issue. When are the rest of you going to act right?

Source: Reason