Support our troops is a common refrain —- urging such support regardless of one’s views of the military’s policies and actions — particularly when soldiers are at war.

However, eighteen to twenty year olds are treated as responsble enough to carry and shoot weapons in war, but not mature enough to drink alcohol back in the United States.

Worse, slews of soldiers have suffered physically and psychologically debilitating ailments from being wounded, seeing people wounded and killed, and wounding and killing others themselves, but are denied federal government help in obtaining medical marijuana. Clearly, film and words cannot capture being out in those killing fields, let alone being on the offensive and defensive in the killing process. Yet, the federal government thus far denies access to medical marijuana — which is a natural and highly effective medicine for physical pain and psychological ailments — even to soldiers and veterans, except for the handful of people still receiving federal medical marijuana starting over two decades ago.

Here are links about the federal government’s, including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (“VA’s”) approach to medical marijuana:

– "VA will not provide marijuana nor will it pay for it to be provided by a non-VA entity."

– In 2012, the Obama administration declined to support making marijuana available to soldiers and veterans with post traumatic stress disorder.

– Using medical marijuana in accordance with the law of the relevant state will not deprive veterans of health care benefits.

– "It is VHA policy to prohibit VA providers from completing forms seeking recommendations or opinions regarding a Veteran’s participation in a State marijuana program."

– "Independent living services may not be denied based on a Veteran’s participation in a state medical marijuana program."

– Nearly two months ago, the U.S. House rejected a bill allowing VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to veterans in medical marijuana states.

With so many veterans wishing access to marijuana as medicine, shot to pieces is the canard that marijuana is merely the drug of choice for stoners.