An internal audit at the Department of Veterans Affairs suggests that Ottawa, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on medical marijuana, has all but lost control of the program.
Released quietly this week, the audit report found that Veterans Affairs is spending more on medicinal marijuana than on all other prescription drugs combined, as demand has soared in recent years.
Yet the report highlights the lack of research on the therapeutic benefits — and risks — associated with cannabis for veterans, especially those who suffer from psychological trauma.
The audit revealed serious shortcomings and problems in the way the ministry manages this program, which cost $150 million in the last fiscal year and is expected to cost double in 2025-26.
In particular, he points to a lack of direction and oversight regarding veterans’ eligibility for medical marijuana, the conditions for which the drug is prescribed, and how veterans obtain a prescription.
The federal government should establish appropriate guidelines, while investing in research, say the report’s authors, to protect vulnerable veterans and ensure the sound management of public funds.
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