Osteopathic Physicians, VA Policy, and Medical Cannabis: What 2025 Proposals Could Mean for Veterans
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 do under current rules is prescribe cannabis or fill out state certification paperwork (VHA Directive 1315; VA public […]
Federal Cannabis Policy & Veterans (2025): Access, Rules, and What Could Change
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 said, VA clinicians currently do not prescribe cannabis or complete state certification forms under existing policy (VHA Directive […]
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, […]
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
What this guide addresses—plain languageVeterans Desk Many Veterans live with chronic pain, poor sleep, and limits on daily tasks like driving, lifting, standing, or carrying. Exercise is often recommended, but pain, fatigue, uncertainty, or even billing hassles can make it hard to stick with. This guide organizes three key elements—osteopathic medical care, exercise planning, and […]
Pediatric Medical-Cannabis Care Managers—and Where Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fits
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 tuberous sclerosis complex). Beyond these conditions, top pediatric organizations urge caution when it comes to cannabis use in children and adolescents. Because state rules vary and families often face mountains […]
Medical Cannabis & Chronic Pain: A 2025 Roadmap for Veterans
Understanding the Crucial Role of Your Osteopathic Doctor in Chronic Pain Management 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 to managing chronic pain. The problem in front of us-chronic pain—and the practical hope beside it […]
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). Decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, medications, or cannabis use are always yours—made together with your licensed clinicians. Your active participation is central to recovery. Why recovery feels bigger than stitches The first weeks after surgery can bring sharp or […]
Autoimmune Disease, Veterans in Pain, and the Osteopathic Advantage
Remember: this is your journey. Decisions about diagnosis, treatment, medications, or cannabis use are yours, in consultation with your licensed clinicians. Your voice matters. The big picture (without the jargon) Autoimmune conditions—like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and thyroid disorders—rarely affect just one body part. They ripple outward, touching sleep, work, […]