Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives

04/18/2024

Growing up in Southern Louisiana, if you would have told me that I would be sitting next to a retired 3-star Marine Corps General at our nation's capitol advocating for the medical use of psychedelics, I would have laughed with you. WIth the exponential increase in the number of patients who have been treated over the last decade by the traditional therapeutic and medicinal approaches of the Western model, we should have seen a reduction in the number of su***des and pharmaceutical overdoses within that same period. The truth is that not only have we NOT seen a reduction in deaths, we have seen and continue to see an increase in both su***des and pharmaceutical overdoses. This is not just a Veteran problem, this is a 'human' problem, which can clearly be seen in the increased su***de rates among our youth. This is a clear indicator that the options we're being given to heal are not working. It is time for change.

03/18/2024

Gary P. Hess, Executive Director of VAHA, member of the VMHLC, and Chair of the Moral Compass Federation, stated, "Our commitment to our veterans is unwavering. The Breakthrough Therapies Act is not just legislation; it's a lifeline for those who have borne the battle. Our advocacy efforts aim to ensure that this lifeline is strengthened and extended."

Click the link below to read our full press release:
https://lnkd.in/dSpePsCK

Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, Lieutenant General Marty Steele, USMC (Ret.), Lynnette A. Averill, PhD, Adam Marr, Jesse MacLachlan, Charlie P., Juliana Mercer, Robert Koffman, Gary P. Hess, Hannah C. McLane, MD, MA, MPH, Nikhil Dhingra, Tommy Aceto, Susan Ousterman, Deran Young, Mahesh K., Anne Marie Principe, Jesse Gould, Ladan Eshkevari, Veronica Slootsky, Mark Keller, Sean Belouin, Leith States, MD, MPH, MBA FACPM, Seema Sadanandan, Manish Agrawal, Ryan Roberts, MBA, Joseph Peter Barsuglia, PhD, Martin Polanco, M.D., Alison Messick, Robin K., The Daschle Group, Vogel Group, Heroic Hearts Project, Healing Breakthrough, Sunstone Therapies, Warrior Canine Connection, Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives, SoundMind Institute, Villomah Foundation, Black Therapists Rock, Avesta Ketamine and Wellness, The Mission Within, Navy SEAL Foundation, BrainFutures

05/01/2023

VAHA's Executive Director, Gary Hess, was featured in the New York Times - the article discusses the challenges of drug screening policies for hiring young workers. As a former Marine officer, Hess once believed drug use should disqualify workers. However, after turning to medicinal cannabis as a "last resort" to cope with chronic pain and PTSD, he discovered its therapeutic potential and founded the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives (VAHA).

Hess shares, "They could achieve an incredible amount of resiliency in their workforce if they educated their communities about medical cannabis." This highlights the need for a shift in perspective and acceptance of plant-based medicines within the national security industry.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/30/us/ma*****na-drugs-federal-jobs.html

As more states legalize ma*****na and competition for talent grows fiercer, the U.S. government is loosening guidelines from the “Just Say No” era.

03/30/2023

VAHA Executive Director Gary Hess was invited to speak at a closed-door breakfast in Washington, D.C., hosted by Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce for newly elected Republican representatives. The event takes place every two years, covering various topics of interest. This year's focus was on cannabis and the role the federal government can play in its regulation and policy.

Hess emphasized “Although research is an incredibly important issue, the focus needs to remain on access, especially for the veteran community. It is abundantly clear that the pharmaceutical strategies being employed to treat our conditions are not working. Veterans in every state need real, viable options to heal. These options should be open for discussion and available to us through our local VA.”

11/16/2022

We are humbled and honored by the continued support of PAX . Thank you for supporting the mission and the veteran community💚.

11/15/2022

Thank you, NBC News, for featuring VAHA in their Veterans Day broadcast "American Veterans Beyond the Battlefield" where they explored the growing movement of veterans seeking holistic health options. We are humbled to be mentioned by this incredible platform, reaching the homes of millions of Americans alongside some of the most innovative organizations seeking to serve the veteran community.

11/11/2022

Gratitude is due, and reverence is meaningful, but if we truly want to honor the individuals who have served our country, we must hold ourselves accountable for the losses happening before our eyes. Honor your veterans by supporting holistic healing methods that actually work. We love our Veterans and are doing everything in our power to help them really get home. Thank you for all that you have done.

In honor of and gratitude to all Veterans who have served our country, ‘Thank you for your service’ will never be enough. For more of VAHA Executive Director Gary Hess' conversations about plant-based medicine visit our YouTube channel Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives.

https://youtu.be/5h0y2QVsm3U

Gratitude is due and reverence is meaningful, but if we truly want to honor the individuals who have served our country we must hold ourselves accountable fo...

10/04/2022

VAHA Founder, Gary Hess, today announced the appointment of veteran political and communication strategist, Terry Holt, to serve on the organization’s Advisory Board as Strategic Advisor. Link below to view full press release.

https://www.vahahealth.com/vaha-names-national-political-strategist-terry-holt-to-advisory-board/

“Cannabis will transform healthcare and open tremendous opportunities for veterans and patients. VAHA is leading the way toward greater access and understanding of plant medicine, and I am thrilled to be involved in this movement,” Holt said.

Welcome to the VAHA Board Terry!

10/02/2022

"All Those Memories... That Never Got Processed"
- Podcast guest Joe Rovnak on the onset of his post-combat PTSD

VAHA Executive Director, Gary Hess, hosts a podcast via our operational brand . Check out our YouTube channel for more about how Veterans are using cannabis to treat stress after combat.

10/01/2022

"It (Cannabis) Did Everything That the Medicines Were Supposed to Do."

VAHA Executive Director, Gary Hess, hosts a podcast via our operational brand, . Check out our YouTube channel for more about how Veterans are using cannabis to treat stress after combat.

09/30/2022

VAHA Executive Director, Gary Hess, hosts a podcast via our operational brand . Link below to hear about how Veterans are using Cannabis to treat stress after combat.

https://loom.ly/uenv5Hc

After a lifetime devoted to serving our country, our Veterans are not given the opportunity to heal the root causes of their stress related health conditions...

09/29/2022

VAHA Executive Director, Gary Hess, hosts a podcast via our operational brand . Check out our YouTube channel for more about Doug's journey as a Veteran living 18 years with undiagnosed epilepsy and how he discovered cannabis as the only medicine that works for his body.

09/28/2022

VAHA Executive Director, Gary Hess, hosts a podcast via our operational brand, . Check out the link below to hear from our guests, Doug & Spring, about Doug's journey as a Veteran living 18 years with undiagnosed epilepsy and how he discovered cannabis as the only medicine that works for his body.

https://loom.ly/VaWdbw4

How many of us are living with or know someone who is struggling with chronic undiagnosed conditions? Doug is a Veteran with debilitating Epilepsy who has be...

07/26/2022

Humbled to be included in list of "7 Exceptional Cannabis Veterans Organizations." See the link below for the full article!

https://loom.ly/2rMJlZk

What veterans cannabis organizations are out there? DJ Reetz rounds up seven exceptional options for connecting veterans to cannabis.

07/14/2022

“If the NDAA is about having the best military, then SAFE should be added. We must be a nation that is both prepared to fight and, when it’s over, prepared to heal,” VAHA Executive Director, Gary Hess. See full press release at the link below.



https://loom.ly/p_WyRmM

VAHA Endorses New Effort to Pass SAFE Banking Act Annual Defense Bill Should Include Cannabis Reforms That Help Veterans   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Orleans, LA – As Congress returns to Washingto...

07/08/2022

The legislative session may be over but VAHA is not done advocating for legal access for those in need in North and South Carolina. Link to the full segment featuring VAHA Executive Director Gary Hess below.

Both Carolinas are home to thousands of Veterans and promote their state as being Veteran friendly. We’re here to help hold them accountable to that promise.



https://loom.ly/fsJOfso

VAHA Executive Director Gary Hess provides an update on the Advocacy efforts in North Carolina and South Carolina. Link to the full article: https://www.wcnc...

07/01/2022

“The call to serve should be backed by service and support when the troops come home. Offering SAFE in the NDAA is a matter of national security and preparedness and a reflection of our country’s strength,” Gary Hess, CEO of the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives, said. “SAFE would help the tens of thousands of veterans who already work in the cannabis industry and protect the millions of others who are turning to it for therapeutic options and future employment opportunities.” Link below for the full article.

https://loom.ly/OClYuvQ

The House sponsor of a bipartisan ma*****na banking reform bill isn’t giving up the fight to get the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act enacted this year, introducing an amendment to a must-pass defense bill on Thursday that would incorporate the reform. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) filed...