Change.Org- Petition for Medical Marijuana for Veterans in CA

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Petitioning Jeffrey T. Gering Stop denying veterans access to the medicine they need. Petition by San Diego Americans for Safe Access 12,524 Supporters Sign the petition Veterans in California are being denied services because one man disagrees with medical marijuana. The director of my local health care system, Jeffrey T. Gering, has chosen to deny veterans the medicine they need based on his personal opinion about the drug. Marijuana for medical use is legal in California, and many veterans use it to help deal with various health issues, including pain. They should not be penalized for using a drug that is legal. Tell Jeffrey T. Gering to stop discriminating against veterans who use medicinal marijuana and follow national VA policy.  Opiates are often used as a last resort when other pain relievers, including marijuana, have proven to be too weak. National VA policy states that patients participating in State marijuana programs must not be denied VHA services, yet Gering refuses to change his policy and by doing so puts many veterans at risk. My name is Marcus Boyd. I am the Vice Chairperson of San Diego Americans for Safe Access and a service related disabled veteran. I use marijuana as my prefered pain reliever and I have been working to achieve safe access to medicinal marijuana for others for the past five years. While I make a conscious choice not to use opiates, if my pain gets worse, I want that option. Some vets, however, have no choice.  Often times those who use marijuana also need the more powerful opiate option to deal with their pain. In November of 2014 after pressure from groups like mine, and his own ethics committee Director Gering promised to restore the local VA policy to align with national policy. However, this has yet to happen and every day he stalls, more vets are having to suffer. Veterans have earned high quality health care and should not be discriminated against for using marijuana legally. If VA national policy allows for vets to have access to both opiates and marijuana then Director Gering shouldn’t take it upon himself to decide otherwise. Tell Director Jeffrey T. Gering to stop putting his personal beliefs ahead of the health of veterans. Vets should have access to the medicine they need. Sign the petition

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