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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

VA okays medical marijuana in some clinics

Steve Sarich stands in a room used to grow medical marijuana in his Kirkland, Wash., home Tuesday.  (Associated Press)
Steve Sarich stands in a room used to grow medical marijuana in his Kirkland, Wash., home Tuesday. (Associated Press)

Steve Sarich stands in a room used to grow medical marijuana in his Kirkland, Wash., home

WASHINGTON – Patients treated at Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics will be able to use medical marijuana in the 14 states where it's legal, according to new federal guidelines.

The directive from the Veterans Affairs Department in the coming week is intended to clarify current policy that says veterans can be denied pain medication if they use illegal drugs. Veterans groups have complained for years that this could bar veterans from VA benefits if they were caught using medical marijuana.

The new guidance does not authorize VA doctors to begin prescribing medical marijuana, which is considered an illegal drug under federal law. More. Hope Yen, AP

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Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.