Calling All Veterans: Third Annual Cannabis Giveaway This Sunday

UPDATE: Please Make Note of Extended Pickup Times for our Veterans Day Cannabis Giveaway on Wednesday, NOVEMBER 11 from 4-6 p.m.

BURLINGTON — In the spirit of both gratitude for service and compassion for suffering, Heady Vermont will be hosting our third annual Veteran’s Day Cannabis Giveaway this year.

Due to the Schedule 1 status of cannabis, health providers with Veteran Affairs (VA) cannot prescribe medical cannabis to patients. The VA’s website also (somewhat disdainfully) refers to cannabis use among veterans as “an issue of growing concern.” 

“I was riddled with new and emerging problems from that experience, hurting both physically and mentally. I attended your Veterans day event where you gave out flower to vets – it was life changing.”

Given the barriers that federal illegality presents to cannabis research, there is limited evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of cannabis as a treatment. The research that has been done suggests that cannabis can effectively be used in the treatment of conditions suffered by veterans such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affects up to 20 percent of veterans who served in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.  

Nick Sutley attended the first Veterans Cannabis Giveaway two years ago. “I had recently returned to Vermont from a long overseas combat deployment with Naval Special Operations,” he told Heady Vermont recently. 

“I was riddled with new and emerging problems from that experience, hurting both physically and mentally. I attended your Veterans day event where you gave out flower to vets – it was life changing,” he said. “Seeing the difference you were making in veterans’ lives is invaluable.” 

Sutley has since been actively pursuing a career in the cannabis realm, and is now in the process of setting up an ethanol extraction lab in St. Albans.

In addition to giving veterans access to THC and CBD flower and products, the Veterans Day Cannabis Giveaway serves as a safe space where veterans can learn and network. This is even more crucial during coronavirus pandemic times, when mental health is strained and isolation is common – heightening risk factors for veterans. 

Read More: Giving Vets the Freedom to Use MMJ for Pain and PTSD by Cindy Kleh

Everyone is asked to please closely follow the COVID guidelines and donation instructions included below to keep the event both fun and safe. For both dropoffs and pickups, we ask that people adhere to state-mandated social distancing and masking requirements. We’ll be sanitizing common areas and limiting the number of people allowed in our offices at one time. 

On Sunday, November 8, from 12-4pm, veterans (21+) are welcome to come to Heady Vermont offices and pick up free flower, edibles, concentrates, or whatever we happen to have on hand at the moment! Available until supplies run out.

Heady Vermont is soliciting donations of cannabis products from any growers or makers with extra to share.  People can drop off donations at Heady Vermont offices in Burlington. We will be accepting both THC and CBD donations. Please bag up your individual servings (ie, one dose of edibles, one eighth or quarter of flower) individually. 

Donors should make note of the new dropoff times, as we have shifted them to include the weekend and accommodate work schedules:

• Wednesday Nov 4 :  12-4pm 
• Friday Nov 6 :  2-6pm
• Saturday Nov 7 :  12-2pm

Donors or recipients who live an inconvenient distance from Burlington, or have other logistical challenges, can email [email protected] and we’ll work with you to make alternate arrangements. Check out the event page with more guidelines.

This is a 21+ only event. Please note that if you are pregnant or have a history of mental illness, it’s best to consult with a physician or health care provider before consuming cannabis products.