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A new Department of Veterans Affairs policy will go into effect next week allowing patients in its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal. V.A. doctors will still not be able to prescribe medical marijuana, but patients who use it will no longer lose their access to other pain medication.

“When states start legalizing marijuana we are put in a bit of a unique position because as a federal agency, we are beholden to federal law,” said Dr. Robert Jesse, the principal deputy under secretary for health in the Veterans Department.

At the same time, Dr. Jesse said, “We didn’t want patients who were legally using marijuana to be administratively denied access to pain management programs.”

I’ve never met Dr. Robert Jesse, but he seems to have a bit too much sense for a position in government. Think about it: a bad government policy, amended to reduce the pain of those it effected. Honestly, how often does that happen?

Though veterans of the Vietnam War were the first group to use marijuana widely for medical purposes, the population of veterans using it now spans generations, said Michael Krawitz, executive director of Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access, which worked with the Veterans Department on formulating a policy.

Veterans, some of whom have been at the forefront of the medical marijuana movement, praised the new policy. They say cannabis helps sooth physical and psychological pain and can alleviate the side effects of some treatments.

“By creating a directive on medical marijuana, the V.A. ensures that throughout its vast hospital network, it will be well understood that legal medical marijuana use will not be the basis for the denial of services,” Mr. Krawitz said.

Praise must be given where it is due, and the Veterans Affairs Department has actually improved health care for those that depend on it.

I think this is yet more proof that momentum is on our side. The old propaganda about cannabis is becoming less effective, and that is due to our diligence in spreading the truth. We’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go. Let’s get started.

- Joe Klare