America’s military veterans have given their all to protect this country. But now, a disproportionate amount of those veterans are dealing with the physical and mental effects of their service and an ill equipped health care system reliant on prescribing powerful and addictive opiates and benzodiazepines. Though Veteran’s Day, the official U.S. holiday annually honoring those who’ve served in the armed forces, has come and passed this last Sunday, the contributions that certain cannabis and hemp companies make for those veterans quietly carries on.
While the federal prohibition of cannabis has greatly limited modern medical research and resulted in considerable misinformation, cannabis, and especially the non psychoactive cannabinoid CBD, are used by countless veterans across the country for what they personally experience as positive effects on their physical and mental health. Hearing this, executives from three major CBD companies outline below how they’re helping to ease the pain of these heroes by making what they need more accessible:
“Lazarus Naturals is committed to making a positive impact in our community. Our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable, and natural products to those who need them most which is why we offer a generous 40% discount assistance program for current active service members and veterans.
Unfortunately, it is easy for most to underestimate the sacrifices veterans have made on our behalf and the challenges they face returning to civilian life. We here at Lazarus Naturals recognize that veterans offer valuable skills, insights, and leadership qualities for any organization. Providing job opportunities to our valued veterans is a simple and natural commitment.”
— Cainan Garcia, Navy veteran and VP of Operations at Lazarus Naturals, a 5 year old industrial hemp company aiming to be the best and most accessible CBD company on the market.
“Over the past five years of providing hemp extracts to the community, we have learned about the pains and struggles that millions of veterans currently face. We’ve heard countless stories about soldiers returning home from conflict only to face an intense battle for their physical and mental wellbeing. We remember and deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by our country’s heroes.
From those veterans that are customers, we’ve also heard stories about the positive impact of CBD on their lives. That’s why we want to provide the resources and support that veterans need upon returning home. To begin, there’s Bluebird’s veterans assistance program that helps make relief and wellness accessible to those who might benefit. Through this program, all U.S. military veterans and their families receive a 30% discount on all Bluebird Botanicals products.
However, veterans need more than discounts. That’s why we also donate to organizations doing the Good Work such as AMVETS, Veteran Sisters, Veterans Cannabis Project, Weed for Warriors Project, Wounded Warrior Project, and Hero Grown. To all those who served, thank you.
—Lex Pelger, Head of Education and Outreach at Bluebird Botanicals, one of the largest hemp extract manufacturers and retailers in the world.
“We believe that, as members of the cannabis industry, we are obligated to give back to the community at large. A particular cause that’s close to our hearts as a CBD company is the care of military veterans. When we learned some of the statistics – 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or depression, 22% of suicides in the U.S. are veterans, etc. – we were appalled.
That’s why Julian Marley’s JuJu Royal Brand donates 1% of annual sales at the end of each year to the Weed for Warriors Project. Weed for Warriors is a group that promotes and educates veterans about the medical benefits of cannabis and CBD. We’ve been doing this since 2015 and don’t have any plans of stopping.”
—Steve Gormley, President and CEO of International Cannabrands, including JuJu Royal, the official cannabis brand of Julian Marley, reggae musician and son of Bob Marley.
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