Ottawa – More research is needed to assess changes to the policy governing veterans’ access to medical cannabis, the Senate’s Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs said in a report released Wednesday.

The Canadian Armed Forces demand a lot from its members. Two out of five veterans experience chronic pain. One out of five has depression, while almost as many live with post-traumatic stress disorder. Although medical research on the therapeutic value of cannabis is still in its infancy, the subcommittee heard that use of cannabis has had beneficial effects for many veterans and that the number of veterans using opioids dropped significantly as medical cannabis prescriptions rose.

In 2016, Veterans Affairs enacted a new policy reducing the amount of medical cannabis eligible for reimbursement to three grams a day from 10 grams. It also capped the reimbursement rate at $8.50 per gram. This came about after the Office of the Auditor General of Canada recommended that Veterans Affairs try to contain costs for the medical cannabis program, which had climbed from $400,000 in 2013-14 to over $12.1 million in 2015.

One psychiatrist told the subcommittee that patients who had been stable became symptomatic again after the three-gram limit was imposed, though other witnesses said the limit is appropriate. With regard to the reimbursement cap, witnesses noted that cannabis oils — which allow for more exact dosage — are priced above $8.50 per gram and that potent strains for relief of severe and chronic pain are also more expensive.

The subcommittee makes five recommendations, including that Veterans Affairs periodically examine the $8.50-per-gram reimbursement rate. The subcommittee also recommends that the federal government make significant investments in research on the use of medical cannabis and on its potential effect on veterans’ consumption of prescription pharmaceuticals so as to better inform Veterans Affairs policies regarding medical cannabis.

Quick Facts

• Between 1998 and 2015, 26% of regular force members were released from the Canadians Armed Forces for medical reasons.
• In 2016-17, Veterans Affairs spent $64 million on medical cannabis reimbursements — 5.7 million grams for 4,474 clients. After the new policy was implemented, spending dropped to $51 million in 2017-18 — but this paid for 6 million grams of cannabis for 7,298 clients.
• As of August 2018, Veterans Affairs Canada was reimbursing 8,175 veterans for medical cannabis.
• The Globe and Mail reported in May 2018 that 43% fewer veterans were using benzodiazepines (sedatives) and that 31% fewer were using opioids compared to 2012, when medical cannabis prescriptions spiked. Just a few days earlier, a Veterans Canada official had told the subcommittee that the department had found no decrease in the use of such drugs.

Quotes

“While there is still much to learn about the effects of cannabis on human health, anecdotal evidence suggests it has helped some of our veterans through difficult times. More research is needed so the government can put in place a responsible, evidence-based policy that meets the needs of every veteran.”

- Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, Chair of the subcommittee

“There are positive indications that medical cannabis may be an effective substitute for opioids, which are far more dangerous and addictive. Yet access to appropriate quantities of medical cannabis may cost more than some veterans can afford. Our veterans deserve better.” 

- Senator Mobina S.B. Jaffer, former Deputy Chair of the subcommittee

Associated Links

• Read the report: Canadian Veterans’ Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes.
• Follow the subcommittee on social media using the hashtag #VEAC.
• Sign up for the Senate eNewsletter.

For more information:
Sonia Noreau
Public Relations Officer | Senate of Canada
613-614-1180 | sonia.noreau@sen.parl.gc.ca