By ROBERT KENT | Former General Counsel of White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
This month, Kentuckians over the age of 21 with qualifying medical conditions began to apply for access to medical cannabis for the first time thanks to the impending launch of Kentucky’s historic medical cannabis program. Soon, thousands of patients across the state who are approved with a state ID card — and a physician’s recommendation — will be able to reap the benefits of this extraordinary treatment.
But while this watershed moment will help thousands manage and treat chronic pain and conditions, a large swath of the population is at risk of being left behind: Seniors.
Currently, Medicare does not allow for reimbursements for medical cannabis due to the fact that cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act — a designation often reserved for more serious and harmful substances like heroin and ecstasy. The federal government is currently working to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, creating a pathway for senior access, but not entirely clearing the path for Medicare coverage of the treatment. And without Medicare coverage, seniors who would benefit from medical cannabis face the impossible choice between getting the care they need and paying their bills.
It’s critical that Kentucky’s lawmakers prioritize the health of seniors by establishing a program for Medicare to offer reimbursements for this life-changing treatment once cannabis is finally rescheduled early next year. We owe it to the more than 700,000 seniors across Kentucky who should have access to affordable and reliable medical cannabis.
The need for safe and cost-effective access to medical cannabis for seniors has never been more urgent, and The Commonwealth Project (TCP), an organization I advise that’s working to integrate medical cannabis into mainstream health care for seniors, knows this well.
Seniors are the fastest growing demographic of medical cannabis users in the country – increasingly turning to medical cannabis for age-related health conditions like chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, nausea from cancer treatment, and even neurodegenerative disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – and enjoying minimal to no side effects.
TCP has witnessed these miracles for patients firsthand through its independent studies and partnership with MorseLife Health System to allow senior residents to access medical cannabis administered by a medical professional on the campus of their senior living facility.
In states where medical cannabis is legal, doctors prescribed an average of 1,826 fewer daily doses of painkillers per year to patients enrolled in Medicare Part D — which would result in a cost savings of up to $500 million per year just for pain treatment if medical marijuana access was legal nationwide.
Utah is a great example of the power of medical cannabis in action. After legalizing medical cannabis in 2018, the state observed a decrease in opioid consumption in pain management patients and a decline in opioid deaths, according to a new study.
Study after study shows that medical cannabis saves patients money and drastically reduces the number of prescription medications many of them take. This is why medical experts and health care advocates are coalescing around medical cannabis — because it’s poised to revolutionize the health care landscape for seniors over the age of 65. And seniors are lining up to realize its potential in their own care.
Medical cannabis programs like Kentucky’s are welcome progress in the greater effort to offer seniors choice, but without additional steps taken by lawmakers to ensure patients’ access these programs will be rendered ineffective. For seniors, unless Medicare offers reimbursements for the treatment, many 65+ Kentuckians will lose out on accessing cannabis-based treatment. The power to grant Medicare the ability to cover medical cannabis rests with the federal government through the rescheduling process, and it’s finally taking action.
The Kentucky medical cannabis program is a step in the right direction and will transform the lives of patients throughout the state — but more steps are needed to make sure every adult patient in every demographic across the state and across the nation can unlock the potential of medical cannabis in their own health care journey, regardless of their income.
After cannabis is rescheduled, lawmakers must act swiftly to expand access to medical cannabis through Medicare so the 65+ population is not left behind. The health and well-being of seniors depend on it.
Robert Kent is the former general counsel to the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.