Recently, it was discovered that Oregon social service officials are allowing certain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants to deduct “medical” marijuana costs from their income when qualifying for benefits. This deduction, intended to be used for medical expenses such as prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, was allowing the inclusion of the fee for obtaining a medi-pot card as well as the cost of cultivating marijuana or purchasing it from a dispensary.

 

This week, The Oregon Department of Human Services received a memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordering states to discontinue this deduction. Director of the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service's program development division wrote in the memo, "States that currently allow for the deduction of medical marijuana must cease this practice immediately and make any necessary corrections to their state policy manuals and instructions."

“It was utterly ridiculous that this was allowed in the first place,” said Calvina Fay, Executive Director of Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. and Save Our Society From Drugs. “Oregon’s use of a federally funded program to violate the Controlled Substance Act is a prime example of abuse of our federal tax dollars.” Fay concluded.

 

“This deduction hinged on a false notion that smoked marijuana actually has significant medical benefits associated with its use. In reality, there is no reputable and replicable scientific evidence that reasonably demonstrates any scientific medical benefit associated with crude smoked marijuana. I am glad to see officials put a stop to these bogus claims that are draining federal resources,” said Shirley Morgan, Founder of Oregonians Against Legalization of Marijuana.