By Canadian Press

Veterans officials highlighted cons, few pros on medical marijuana

Sep 15, 2016 | 12:00 PM

OTTAWA — Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr was briefed on many of the concerns and questions about medical marijuana use in a presentation earlier this year, including fears that paying for injured ex-soldiers’ pot could actually make matters worse.

Noticeably absent, however, was any discussion about the potential positive benefits of medical marijuana, despite many veterans claiming it has helped them deal with physical and mental injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

The documents, obtained by The Canadian Press through Access to Information, have puzzled one researcher and reinforced concerns among some veterans that the government is about to put more restrictions on their access to cannabis to save money.

The government is expected to unveil a new policy on medical marijuana for veterans in the coming weeks, after Auditor General Michael Ferguson’s report in May that Veterans Affairs spent more than $20 million in 2015-16, up from $5 million the previous year.

Ferguson said the department, which will cover up to 10 grams of weed per veteran per day, had lost control of the program. But some veterans’ groups have pushed back, saying Ferguson was wrong to focus only on cost, and that any reduction to the benefits will have a detrimental impact on injured ex-soldiers.

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In an emailed statement, Hehr described medical marijuana as “an emerging field and a complex issue with many facets to consider.” He said officials have been meeting with medical professionals, experts and veterans “to get the fullest picture possible of how any policy developed will impact veterans.”

In her presentation to Hehr on March 2, Veterans Affairs chief medical officer Dr. Cyd Courchesne quoted a number of authorities and researchers that had questioned the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

“The CMA (Canadian Medical Association) still believes there is insufficient scientific evidence available to support the use of marijuana for clinical purposes,” reads one slide.

Another noted that a literature review by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health Canada had found “no relevant evidence to support the use of dried cannabis for medical treatment for any medical condition including PTSD.”

Courchesne cited two studies from the U.S. that had found marijuana could actually make matters worse for people suffering from PTSD.

A discussion section near the end of the presentation noted that Veterans Affairs is the only organization that pays for marijuana, adding: “Funding the purchase of marijuana for veterans could be detrimental to recovery and well-being (e.g., second-order effects, such as drug-use disorders).”

Zach Walsh, co-director of the University of British Columbia’s Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law, said there is also research that suggests cannabis is helpful for those suffering from PTSD — and he questioned why Veterans Affairs didn’t include it.

Walsh also wondered why Veterans Affairs did not make any mention of the claims from dozens if not hundreds of veterans about the benefits of marijuana.

Walsh, who recently launched a clinical research project on the medical effects of marijuana, said the reality is that there hasn’t been enough research to determine either way. But he said to dismiss it outright is wrong.

“If we’re going to respect the veterans and respect people with PTSD, we have to test it before we say that it’s no good,” he said. “They say this is tremendously effective. Let’s try to improve that knowledge.”

Sylvain Chartrand, director of Canadian Veterans Advocacy, said the presentation raises concerns that officials are trying to steer the minister and government toward severely restricting access to medical marijuana for veterans.

“It highlights that they want the minister to go one way,” said Chartrand, who says he uses about eight grams of marijuana per day. “The research may not be there, but it’s a fact that it does work.”

Veterans Affairs has paid for medical marijuana for veterans since 2008, following a court decision requiring reasonable access when authorized by a health-care practitioner.

The number of clients — and the associated cost — has exploded since 2014, when regulatory changes at Health Canada and a new Veterans Affairs policy allowed up to 10 grams per veteran per day, double the amount recommended by Health Canada.

— Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter.

Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press