Soldiers have returned with PTSD and other serious ailments. The AMA and science said medical marijuana can help – but time may be running out.

In an acknowledgement from the medical community, the American Medical Association supports the rescheduling of cannabis to a Schedule III because it has proven medical benefits. A portion of the medical benefits help soldiers returning from service with both physical and mental scars. Unfortunately, time may be running out to help.

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Both Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did the research and agreed to the rescheduling. They are important organizations being clear it will help are military veterans. PTSD is real to the point of over 30,000 active duty personnel and veterans who have served in the military since 9/11 have committed suicide. That is the roughly the same amount of wiping out all of Fairbanks, Alaska.  More veterans committed suicide, almost 100,000, after Vietnam, than in the war (roughly 58,000). Opioid addiction, which medical marijuana can combat, is raging among veterans with PTSD and chronic pain. But leaders like Mike Johnson (R-LA) have worked hard to block help.

While veteran facilities are federal property and therefore do not allow marijuana on premise, even in legal states, they have become supportive of medical marijuana. There have been significant treatment changes including:

• Veterans will not be denied VA benefits because of marijuana use.
• Veterans are encouraged to discuss marijuana use with their VA providers.
• VA health care providers will record marijuana use in the Veteran’s VA medical record in order to have the information available in treatment planning. As with all clinical information, this is part of the confidential medical record and protected under patient privacy and confidentiality laws and regulations.

The clear case for medical marijuana has been proven by science, but with veterans, it is an important step to helping them in a return to civilian life. Representative Johnson has indicted with more control, marijuana could return to the outlaw status and the new GOP VP has stated he is not a fan of cannabis. The DEA must follow the recommendations and make a move quickly for this to happen and to help soldiers.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are seeking to remove a controversial section of a Johnson approved spending bill which would block the Justice Department from rescheduling marijuana.

The Presidential debate has fed the news cycle for almost two weeks…but is the real winner marijuana?

In a break from tradition, the two presidential candidate agreed to a new debate format hosted by CNN. Historically, the Commission on Presidential Debates ran the show, but both the leaders for the Republicans and Democrats went with a new, untested format for a 90 minutes, live debate. Since the June face off, media online along in person conversations continue to buzz about the results. But in a surprise, the presidential debate may have helped marijuana – making it a winner of the evening.

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After promising to do more for the marijuana industry, the Biden administration waited until the almost last year of his term to make a major move. At the end of 2023, he encouraged federal agencies to consider rescheduling. The Federal Drug Agency (FDA) and Health and Human Service’s (HHS) recommended cannabis to be rescheduled to Schedule III, with Schedule III drugs defined as having a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence (Schedule III drugs include ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone). It now sits with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which isn’t the biggest fan.

This rescheduling will have a significant impact on state-legal cannabis businesses and consumers. Which is key to marijuana success.  Roughly 85% believe marijuana should be legal in some form, but Congress and the Biden administration has been slow to act. But wit key young voters balancing weed along with political and economic issues….it is an easy win.

While the process is slowly moving, uncertainty remains. The DEA is currently in a feedback phase. The DEA has not be overly excited and some congress members have been lobbying against the change. Noticeably, the medical community has backed rescheduling.

RELATED: Americans Want It, Some Politicians Prefer a Nanny State

Once the DEA publishes its proposed rule, it will be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget (“White House”) and if approved, it would then proceed to a public comment period. Notably, the DEA could reschedule cannabis by issuing a final order and bypass the notice and comment period which would allow the change to become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

The current administration needs a big win with younger voters and to show strengthen and relevancy. This could help push him and the VP to be more decisive.