Veterans Affairs Canada considers expanding cannabis vaping reimbursement program despite health concerns

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More than five years ago, the federal department classified vaporizers used cannabis as medical devices and began reimbursing veterans and former RCMP officers for their purchase

A vape kit, available for authorized retailers, is displayed at the Ontario Cannabis Store in Toronto on Jan. 3, 2020. Vaporizers were approved by the department in 2014, a few years after it began paying for medical marijuana for vets.Veterans Affairs Canada is considering adding disposable vaping pens to a reimbursement program that has spent more than $2-million on cannabis vaporizers for military vets since 2015, despite growing health concerns around those products.

In the U.S., there have been more than 50 deaths in the past four months that officials suspect are tied to cannabis oil vaping products. Public health officials across Canada are investigating multiple cases of severe lung disease linked to vaping. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is urging people not to use vaping products, while Health Canada warns more tests need to be done.

Former soldiers who use the federal vaporizer program say they feel it’s still a safer alternative to smoking a joint and argue vaping – whether using oils or dried cannabis flower – remains a better way to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans Affairs acknowledged the emerging health concerns around vaping, and said former soldiers or RCMP officers should talk to their doctors if they want medical advice. The department said it would consult with Health Canada on the safety of vaping pens before making any decision to add them to the reimbursement program.

 

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