DEA affirms marijuana as class 1 drug that remains illegal under federal law

The Drug Enforcement Administration said Thursday marijuana will remain a schedule one drug, that’s a class of drugs the Food and Drug Administration considers to have no medical use.

It means states that allow recreational and/or medical marijuana like Colorado still defy federal law.

“I had to make life and death situations every day in the combat, in the military, even just here at home,” retired Army Capt. Don Martinez said. “Yet I can’t make my own decision on what medicine I can take to help me get through that stuff.”

Martinez retired from the Army in 2006 after two tours of duty in Iraq. He takes medical marijuana for chronic pain, PTSD and insomnia.

Daniel Warvi, the spokesman for the Eastern Colorado VA sent KRDO NewsChannel 13 this statement:

“While patients participating in state marijuana programs must not be denied VHA services, the decisions to modify treatment plans in those situations need to be made by individual providers in partnership with their patients.”

Martinez believes pot is a necessary and safe alternative to a counter full of pills and prescriptions.

“I know veterans who said suicide was a better option and they committed suicide because of the pain and suffering they were going through,” Martinez said. “Something simple like marijuana can help alleviate a lot of that pain and stress for them.”

Voters in eight states including California, Nevada and Arizona will consider legalizing recreational marijuana in November.