Medical Cannabis and Veterans’ Well-Being

Pursuant to the motion adopted at its meeting on November 9, 2017, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs is undertaking a “study on the implication of veterans’ mental health as it relates to medical cannabis through the medical cannabis program administered by Veterans Affairs Canada.”

The study topics include:

• Veterans Affairs Canada policies and service delivery on reimbursements for medical cannabis, including the approval process for reimbursement exceeding 3 grams a day and the costs of the reimbursement program;
• Current research and knowledge about cannabis use for the treatment of medical conditions that are common among veterans, such as PTSD and chronic pain;
• Experiences and opinions of veterans who use or have used cannabis for medical purposes, and their family members;
• Considerations associated with access to health care practitioners to obtain a medical authorization;
• Considerations associated with access to licenced producers and with the products available; and
• Possible effects of the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes on the use of medical cannabis by veterans.