Ottawa has lost control of program reimbursing vets’ cannabis: audit
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OTTAWA — An inner audit by Veterans Affairs Canada suggests Ottawa has all however misplaced management because it shells out a whole bunch of tens of millions of {dollars} every year for veterans’ medical marijuana.
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Quietly printed this week, the audit discovered Veterans Affairs is spending extra on medical pot than all different pharmaceuticals mixed amid an explosion in demand over the previous few years.
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That’s regardless of what auditors described as a scarcity of analysis concerning the medical advantages – and dangers – of hashish for veterans, particularly these combating psychological trauma.
The audit uncovered critical gaps and issues in the best way the division is managing this system, which price $150 million within the final fiscal yr and is anticipated to achieve $300 million in 2025-26.
These embody a scarcity of course and oversight over who can get medical marijuana, what situations it’s prescribed for, and the way veterans are getting medical authorization for his or her hashish.
Auditors say the federal government wants to determine correct tips whereas additionally investing in additional analysis to guard susceptible veterans and make sure the correct use of taxpayer {dollars}.
