Rising rates of medical cannabis use among Canadian military veterans is associated with a parallel decline in the use of prescription opiates and benzodiazepenes, according to federal data recently provided to The Globe and Mail.
According to records provided by Veterans Affairs Canada, the number of veterans prescribed benzodiazepines (e.g. Xanax, Ativan, and Valium) fell nearly 30 percent between 2012 and 2016, while veterans’ use of prescription opiates declined almost 17 percent. During this same period, veterans seeking federal reimbursements for prescription cannabis rose from fewer than 100 total patients to more than 1,700.
Canadian officials legalized the use of cannabis via prescription in 2001.
While the data set is too small to establish cause and effect, the trend is consistent with data indicating that many patients substitute medical cannabis for other prescription drugs, especially opiates.
Prior assessments from the United States report that incidences of opioid-related addiction, abuse, and mortality are significantly lower in jurisdictions that permit medicinal cannabis access as compared to those states that do not.
When Canada makes cannabis legal will the Fudds build a wall?
Imagine every soldier smoking weed
And bein freed
From the greed
Of the opiate pharmaceuticals
The VA feed
Whose the biggest dealer on the block?
Pfizer pumpin pills or the crackhead slingin rock?
Through playin knock-knock
Congress,
Were through with the talk
So many veterans commitin suicide
Too many still on lock
Ain’t got all afternoon to read
The side effects that they bleed
Like a politician mislead
When all we need
We concede
Is some love
And some marijuana seed
Congress take heed,
About to start a stampede
they hate breed
Until we vote in the true creed
Let the Wounded take the lead
We march in peace
But we might give Chuck a nosebleed
Demoralizing war
Insurgent conflict
When the war at my door
Turns me into a convict
The insurgents are us
And the war is within
We demand marijuana
N let the healing begin
We made the sacrifice
Took the bomb,
Took the oath,
Let’s turn this PTSDisorder
Into PTSGrowth
Selah
Revision;
We’re through playin knock-knocks
While Congress plays talk-talks
It’s time we walk the real walks
Weve got whole blocks on cell-locks
When the capitol we should hot-box
So many Veterans on opiate suicide
Even Washmoney-Shultz can’t hide
Investors cashing in on treatment
While prevention takes a slow ride
We’ll tell the Sherriff’s Associations
Drop the prison populations
In all the police stations
NORML chapter compensations
With margarita machines
Just legalize the greens
Union prison-guard fiends
Can work for dispensareens
Controlled Substance Act
Turns cops into criminals
With visions subliminals
For this capitalist contract
These are minimals
See, vultures
Break cultures
With drug wars,
Thats not yours
Asset Forfeitures
Fit the scriptures
The evidence are legislatures
Were still developing the pictures
It’s time to unite
Fight
N stand up for our right
Don’t take the gains for granted
For the green light is in sight
Quite refreshing..La Buscador=me.
If everyone taking pain killers and antidepressants switched to grass the healthcare system would be far less burdened; fewer overdoses and fewer addictions. Duh
Julian the poet – well said! The love money is the root of all evil! That’s why cannabis is not legal. – yet.
Just say “duh”.
“Why do you think they call it dope?” –80’s anti-cannabis ad
Edward Kennedy Ellington or somebody said something similar to: “If it sounds similar, it means similar.” Why does “dope” sound similar to “opiate” if it doesn’t mean similar?
Opiates are designed to make your body more stupid so you don’t feel the pain. As a commentator said last week on this blog, cannabis didn’t deaden his pain, rather it helped him manage it, by perceiving more accurately where the pain was and applying appropriate measures to address root cause!
Which may include doing some Massage– I urge everyone to try a moderate-bristle-strength hairbrush or two, several times daily as needed, or right after a toke. To hell with pills!
I was reading something talking about the DEA changing the SCHEDULE Classification of POT..iS THIS TRUE?? pLease help me to confirm
[Editor’s note: On June 30th the DEA is expected to release a self-directed report on whether or not they’re going to recommend a down scheduling of cannabis.]