A cautionary tale about VA

jcliff

New Member
I am a patient at the St. Cloud, Mn VA. While seeing a psychiatrist, I answered her question about use of "weed", by telling her I have a card and am legal in Arizona. She did no further testing, inquiry or attempt at any form of "therapy", but, unbeknownst to me, placed an entry in my records of "Cannabis Dependence - Episodic". This notation cannot be justified unless it fits the criteria of DSM IV or V (The officially recognized list of diagnostic criteria for various conditions). While this may sound trivial, it isn't! A federal law (18 usc 922G) makes possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives etc a felony for persons who fit these catagories:

(g) It shall be unlawful for any person - (1) who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; (2) who is a fugitive from justice; (3) who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)); (4) who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution.

When I discovered this notation, I immediately protested and demanded a change of providers, and a removal of the notation. I got the change or providers, and the new one removed the unwarranted diagnosis.

I mention this because I don't for a moment think the government would honor any sort of medical confidentiality if it decided to screen veteran's medical files to compile a list of suspects, or persons to monitor. If one is convicted, the penalty is ten years, and if your probation gets revoked for possession of a prohibited item, INCARCERATION IS MANDATORY!

I believe there is good reason to suspect that many veteran's may make admissions about using Marijuana, and thereby putting themselves in danger of prosecution because they are not aware of this statute. BEWARE!
 
This is just one of many reasons why I will not tell employees of the VA anything that they do not absolutely need to know.
 
Thought I read recently the va approved mmj for treatment of ptsd/tbi certain things... Could be wrong,, I'm not a fan of the va,, but,,

Here ya go,, it'll get deleted,, news week article..
Congress Considers Medical Marijuana for Veterans

I think,, this might help,, if they allow vets to smoke a fatty maybe they won't need fifteen pills... Lots of change comes or is helped via the military...But, theyll, the va/giv,, will screw the pooch I'm sure...
 
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