VCC, DocMJ Partner to Provide Vets with Free Medical Program Access

*CASSELBERRY, Fla.* — Veterans Cannabis Care (VCC) and DocMJ launched a
collaboration that will provide veterans with 100-percent free coverage
of physician certification costs and Florida’s required state registration
fees.

This is not a discount initiative or limited-time campaign, according to
VCC founder Robb Harmon. VCC has funded free access since its founding. The
partnership with DocMJ strengthens the clinical infrastructure behind that
mission, allowing more veterans across Florida to be evaluated and
certified at no cost.

Veterans often navigate chronic pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, sleep
disorders, and other service-related conditions. Some report cannabis
medicine is effective in helping them cope. But because cannabis remains
federally prohibited, Veterans Administration physicians cannot prescribe
or formally recommend the plant. Instead, Florida veterans must enter the
state’s regulated program independently and pay out of pocket.

For many, those upfront costs are the barrier. VCC was created to remove
that barrier. To date, the nonprofit has self-funded more than 1,000 free
certifications and helped guide more than 8,000 patients through the
medical cannabis process an affiliated clinical network. The partnership
with DocMJ expands that reach by leveraging one of the state’s largest
physician-led cannabis practices. Since 2016, DocMJ has conducted more than
400,000 patient visits and built a broad clinical footprint across Florida.

“This has everything to do with dignity,” said Harmon. “Veterans shouldn’t
have to fight another battle just to access care. We’ve already seen what
happens when the financial barrier is removed. People get help.”

With suicide rates among veterans significantly higher than the civilian
population and many veterans living on fixed incomes, access to alternative
treatment options can be out of reach. By combining nonprofit funding with
expanded physician availability, the collaboration ensures 100 percent of
physician evaluation fees are covered, 100 percent of Florida state
registration fees are covered, and expanded appointment availability
statewide.