Osteopathic Physicians, VA Policy, and Medical Cannabis: What 2025 Proposals Could Mean for Veterans
Education only. Not medical or legal advice. If you’re in crisis, call 988 (Veterans: press 1) or 911. BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Current VA policy: VA clinicians can talk with you about cannabis use and document it in your record. Your care will not be denied because of cannabis use. What VA providers cannot […]
Federal Cannabis Policy & Veterans (2025): Access, Rules, and What Could Change
Education only. Not medical or legal advice. If you’re in crisis, call 988 (Veterans: press 1) or 911. BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Here’s where things stand today: VA clinicians can talk with Veterans about cannabis use and record it in the medical chart. Importantly, care is not denied if a Veteran uses cannabis. That […]
Dual Roles, Clear Lines: How Osteopathic Providers Can Serve Veterans in VA Community Care and Offer Medical-Cannabis Evaluations—Including Telehealth
This article is for general education only. It is not legal or medical advice. Current VA policy allows clinicians to discuss and document cannabis use but does not allow recommending cannabis, completing state certification forms, or paying for marijuana. Cannabis evaluations or certifications (where permitted by state law) must happen outside VA-authorized care and are […]
Veterans and Caregivers: Osteopathic Cannabis Care
How VA Community Care Fits—Step-by-Step Short version: Your very first visit with a qualified, state-authorized osteopathic physician (DO) will almost always be out-of-pocket. That’s because VA cannot certify patients for state medical cannabis programs or pay for cannabis itself. After that initial certification, though, many veterans continue follow-up care with a DO for conditions like […]
Osteopathic Care for Veterans: 2 Separate Lanes
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) can legally serve Veterans in two different ways: by participating in the VA Community Care Network (CCN) and, separately, by offering state-authorized medical cannabis evaluations in private practice. This model works when the two roles are kept completely separate—different encounters, documentation, billing, locations, and marketing. Inside VA care, you […]
How Expanded Medical Cannabis Access Impacts Texas Veterans with PTSD and Chronic Pain
What Texas Changed (HB 46) Texas passed HB 46, the most significant update to the Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) since its start in 2015. Effective September 1, 2025, the law brings these key changes: Bottom line: HB 46 isn’t just about adding diagnoses—it reshapes eligibility, dosing, delivery, and supply so clinicians can better match products […]
Exercise + Osteopathic Care + Cannabis Literacy
Information only. Decisions about diagnosis, treatment, exercise, or cannabis use belong to you and your licensed care team. Veterans Desk is brand-neutral, does not endorse products or vendors, and does not collect protected health information (PHI). If you are in crisis, call 988 (Veterans: press 1) or 911. What this guide addresses—plain languageVeterans Desk Many […]
Pediatric Medical-Cannabis Care Managers—and Where Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fits
A plain-language guide for veteran families: roles, safety, and real-life coordinationEducation only. Not medical or legal advice. If your child is in crisis, call 911 or 988 (Veterans: press 1). BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) For a small number of pediatric seizure disorders, a purified cannabidiol (CBD) medicine—Epidiolex—has FDA approval (Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and […]
Medical Cannabis & Chronic Pain: A 2025 Roadmap for Veterans
Understanding the Crucial Role of Your Osteopathic Doctor in Chronic Pain Management Plain language. Veteran-first. Education only.If you’re ever in crisis, call 988 (Veterans: press 1) or 911. Remember: decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, or cannabis use are yours—made in partnership with your licensed clinicians. Your role isn’t just important; it’s empowering when it comes […]
Veterans, Surgery, and the Opioid Dilemma
A neutral guide to roles after surgery: Osteopathic physicians (DOs) and Surgical-Recovery Medical-Cannabis Care Managers (SR-MCCMs).Plain language. Veteran-first. Education only. In case of a crisis, remember: help is only a call away. Dial 988 (Veterans: press 1) or 911 for immediate assistance. Decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, medications, or cannabis use are always yours—made together […]