Injured Veterans Turning to Medical Marijuana in Increasing Numbers

Article by Annie Bergeron-Oliver, CTV News

The number of injured veterans using medical marijuana has skyrocketed, according to Veterans Affairs Canada, while opioid use has decreased.

A cocktail of pills and prescription drugs was once the only option for struggling veterans dealing with painful, life-changing injuries.

Retired Army Maj. Mark Campbell lost both legs after an explosion during his last tour in Afghanistan. He had been given opioids and other prescription drugs to reduce the pain.

But it was only when his doctor prescribed him medical cannabis that Campbell said he felt real relief. He now calls weed “magic.”

“[It] allowed me to reduce my own opioid [use and] my own consumption of pills by about 50 per cent,” he told CTV News. “Veterans wouldn’t turn to marijuana if it didn’t work for them. That’s the bottom line. No one is looking to get high all the time.”

Campbell is part of a growing number of Canada’s veterans who are turning to cannabis for help.

New data from Veterans Affairs Canada found that around 10,000 vets used medical marijuana last year — compared to only 1,700 vets in 2015. And that surge is costing the department $65 million in prescription payouts.

Although there is no proven direct link, the increase in medical cannabis use has coincided with a decrease in reimbursements for traditional painkillers.

In the last five years, payouts for veterans’ opioid prescriptions for fentanyl have dropped 85 per cent, while payouts for oxycodone have dropped by 75 per cent.

Read the full article here.