Canadian Veterans' Views on Medical Cannabis
URL:
Journal:
Canadian Journal of Pain
Authors:
David P Storey, Natalie R Keeler-Villa, Nick Harris, Jennifer Anthonypillai, Gregory K Tippin, Vikas Parihar, Joshua A Rash
Published:
Sep 8, 2023
Qualitative focus group study exploring Canadian veterans' perspectives on medicinal cannabis for chronic pain management, sleep, and emotional distress
12 Canadian veterans with chronic pain participated in focus groups to discuss their experiences with medical cannabis.
The VAC Cannabis Program Growth
Program Stats | Data |
|---|---|
Veterans reimbursed (2021-22) | 18,388 veterans |
Total cost (2021-22) | $153 million |
Growth since 2011-12 | From 37 veterans to 18,388+ |
Daily limit | 3 grams (up to 10g with specialist approval) |
Reimbursement rate | $8.50 per gram |
Study Participants
Demographics | Details |
|---|---|
Total veterans | 12 (8 men, 4 women) |
Age groups | 33% aged 20-39, 50% aged 40-59, 17% aged 60+ |
Years of service | 25% under 20 years, 50% over 20 years |
Military branches | 42% Army, 17% Navy, 33% Air Force |
Cannabis use duration | 1-10 years (most common: 4 years) |
Race | 100% White |
When Veterans First Used Cannabis
Timing | Finding |
|---|---|
Before military | 33% used cannabis before joining |
During military | Almost none used during service |
After military | 25% started after discharge |
Current duration | Most using 3-7 years (average 4 years) |
How Veterans Use Cannabis
Method | Veterans Using | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Capsules/pills | 5 veterans | 42% |
Edibles | 3 veterans | 25% |
Oils | Multiple veterans | Common |
Smoking | Some veterans | Less preferred |
Topical creams | Some veterans | For targeted pain |
Why Veterans Use Cannabis
Condition | Veterans | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Chronic pain | 8 veterans | 67% |
Musculoskeletal injury | 6 veterans | 50% |
Sleep disturbances | 5 veterans | 42% |
PTSD | 4 veterans | 33% |
Depression | 4 veterans | 33% |
Anxiety | 3 veterans | 25% |
Multiple conditions | 7 veterans | 58% |
What Veterans Replaced with Cannabis
Previous Medications | Problems Veterans Experienced |
|---|---|
Prescription opioids | Stomach pain, addiction risk, flat affect, suicidal thoughts |
Gabapentin | Suicidal thoughts, mental fog, worsened PTSD symptoms |
Antidepressants (SSRIs) | Emotional numbness, sociopathic feelings |
Multiple medications | Taking "long lists" of different drugs |
Benefits Veterans Reported
Improvement | Veterans | What They Said |
|---|---|---|
Replaced multiple medications | 10 veterans (83%) | "Strictly on cannabis now" |
Overall quality of life | 7 veterans (58%) | "Having the best day of my life" |
Sleep quality | 6 veterans (50%) | "Helps with nightmares" |
Relationships | 5 veterans (42%) | "Able to enjoy my grandkids" |
Mood improvement | 4 veterans (33%) | "Really helps calm me down" |
Symptom management | 3 veterans (25%) | "90% of tremors gone" |
ide Effects Veterans Experienced
Negative Effect | Veterans | Details |
|---|---|---|
Unpleasant taste/smell | 4 veterans (33%) | Cannabis oils particularly |
Anxiety/paranoia from high dose | 4 veterans (33%) | "Finding that perfect sweet spot" |
General side effects | 4 veterans (33%) | Dry mouth, weight gain, increased appetite |
What Helped Veterans Access Cannabis
Facilitator | Veterans | Experience |
|---|---|---|
VAC coverage | 5 veterans (42%) | "Super easy" - "$1000 of cannabis easier than driveway repair" |
Private cannabis clinics | 7 veterans (58%) | Handle paperwork, prescriptions, VAC coordination |
Mental health professionals | 4 veterans (33%) | Psychiatrists and psychologists supportive |
Peer information | 4 veterans (33%) | "We all use each other" for advice |
Barriers Veterans Faced
Barrier | Veterans | Impact |
|---|---|---|
Difficulty finding family doctor | 8 veterans (67%) | Major access problem |
Travel restrictions | 6 veterans (50%) | Can't travel internationally with cannabis |
Healthcare system lack of knowledge | 5 veterans (42%) | Doctors "looked like deer in headlights" |
Supply chain issues | 4 veterans (33%) | Difficulty getting consistent products |
Lack of dosing guidance | 4 veterans (33%) | Forced to use trial-and-error |
Driving restrictions | 3 veterans (25%) | "12-hour bottle to throttle" rules |
Stigma Veterans Experienced
Type of Stigma | Veterans | Examples |
|---|---|---|
General societal stigma | 7 veterans (58%) | "War on Drugs mentality" - family seeing cannabis as worse than multiple narcotics |
Healthcare system stigma | 3 veterans (25%) | Treated "like an addict" when disclosing cannabis use |
Self-stigma impact | Mixed results | Some delayed starting cannabis, others "could care less" |
Questions Veterans Still Have
Concern | Veterans | What They Want to Know |
|---|---|---|
Proper dosage | 6 veterans (50%) | How to find right dose without trial-and-error |
Long-term effects | 6 veterans (50%) | "What will daily use do to my mind in 30 years?" |
Treating specific symptoms | 3 veterans (25%) | What works best for PTSD vs pain vs sleep |
Terpene profiles | 3 veterans (25%) | How different compounds affect the body |
Key Quotes from Veterans
On replacing medications: "I feel good on this. I have stopped over-the-counter meds, have stopped other medications, so I'm just strictly right now on cannabis. I think that's good."
On quality of life: "When I'm coming along good and I'm walking, I'm out with the dog and doing my yard work and having ... the best day of my life, I'm really happy that the CBD is working its magic."
On VAC coverage: "Weirdly enough, getting coverage was super easy. It's three months of struggle to get my driveway clean, but $1000 bucks of cannabis a month was not even hard."
On healthcare knowledge gaps: "Went back to my family doctor, said, 'What about this cannabis stuff, would that help me?' And she kind of looked at me like a deer in the headlights."
Bottom Line
Veterans reported overwhelmingly positive experiences with medical cannabis:
Most veterans replaced multiple problematic medications with cannabis and saw significant improvements in sleep, pain, mood, and relationships
Veterans found VAC coverage easy to obtain, but struggled with healthcare system knowledge gaps and societal stigma
Major barriers include lack of medical guidance on dosing, travel restrictions, and supply chain issues
Despite some side effects, veterans consistently reported better quality of life with cannabis than with traditional medications
Study Credibility
Research Quality | Details |
|---|---|
Ethics approval | Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board |
Funding | Government of Canada & Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence |
Methodology | Qualitative focus groups with detailed thematic analysis |
Publication | Peer-reviewed in Canadian Journal of Pain |
Transparency | Detailed methodology and veteran quotes provided |
What This Means
For Veterans: Other veterans have successfully replaced multiple problematic medications with cannabis and found significant quality of life improvements.
For Healthcare: There's a critical need for better medical education about cannabis dosing and effects.
For Policy: The VAC program is working well for coverage, but veterans need better guidance and fewer bureaucratic barriers.
The research shows that Canadian veterans are finding real benefits from medical cannabis, but the healthcare system needs to catch up with better education and support.
Read More Blogs
Academic Journals & Research Papers
A cross-sectional examination of choice and behavior of veterans with access to free medicinal cannabis
Academic Journals & Research Papers
Canadian Veterans' Views on Medical Cannabis
Government Sources - Veterans Affairs Canada
Cannabis for Medical Purposes - Background Report