BOSTON — Iraq War veteran Steve Mandile was injured during a deployment and has struggled with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
He uses marijuana to treat his symptoms, unlike many veterans with similar problems who struggle, he said, because the state doesn’t recognize PTSD and other chronic illnesses as medical conditions that qualify them to get a state-issued medical cannabis card.
That would change under a proposal heard Tuesday by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy, which would add PTSD, cancer, opioid use disorder and other illnesses to the list of qualifying conditions.
“Massachusetts is the only state in New England that doesn’t list PTSD as a qualifying condition,” Mandile told lawmakers. “This bill would remove the out-of-pocket cost veterans are required to pay to get a medical marijuana card.”
The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Michael Soter, R-Bellingham, said the measure would put Massachusetts in line with other states with medical marijuana programs and provide an alternative for veterans who suffer chronic pain and other ailments related to their service.
“The Legislature has an opportunity to save the lives of veterans who wish to use medical cannabis to treat their disabilities,” Soter told the panel.
At least 33 states and the U.S. territory of Guam have listed PTSD as a qualifying condition for obtaining a medical marijuana license, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Because marijuana is still illegal under federal law, Veterans Affairs providers cannot prescribe the drug, even in states where it is legal.
Veterans also risk losing access to other medications if they test positive for marijuana use, advocates say.
Soter’s proposal would allow veterans to get a medical marijuana card if they can show a VA doctor’s certification of their disability, which advocates say would save time and money.
Unlike recreational marijuana, which is also legal in Massachusetts, medical pot is tax-free, and many dispensaries cater only to patients with state-issued medical marijuana cards.
Shaleen Title, a former member of the state’s Cannabis Control Commission, said expanding access to medical marijuana would improve veterans’ lives.
“It’s a matter of patient benefits: not paying taxes, wider variety of access to products, and not having to stand in line,” she told the panel. “If anyone deserves that, it is our disabled veterans.”
A similar proposal was filed in the previous legislative session but failed to gain traction.
Grant Ellis, president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, said opposition to the change has largely been driven by medical marijuana card providers trying to prevent the loss of business.
“They want to make money off of disabled veterans so they’re throwing anything they can at the wall to stop this from moving forward,” he told the panel. “They’re doing this to protect their profits, which is disgusting.”
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites.
