Veterans Initiative 22 (VI22) is a nonprofit organization working to reduce suicide among veterans, service members, first responders, and their families by expanding safe and affordable access to medical cannabis and other re-emerging therapies.
For the communities VI22 serves, access can be complicated by far more than whether cannabis is legal. Cost, stigma, employment concerns, institutional rules, lack of knowledgeable guidance, and difficulty navigating available resources can all keep a treatment option technically available but practically out of reach.
The organization addresses those barriers through its We C.A.R.E. framework: Cannabis & Community, Alternative Therapy Access & Advocacy, Resources & Research, and Employment & Education. That model combines access with the information, support, and advocacy people may need to consider therapies safely and without being isolated from the systems they depend on.
This work is particularly relevant for veterans and first responders, who may be navigating healthcare systems, disability benefits, employment requirements, or institutional cultures that make discussions about cannabis difficult. VI22 creates space for people to explore treatment options without assuming that cannabis must be either a first choice or a last resort.
The organization’s approach recognizes that meaningful access includes the ability to ask questions, evaluate options, find support, and pursue care without sacrificing dignity or connection to other services.
Veterans Initiative 22 advances the Safe Access Award by addressing the financial, informational, cultural, and institutional barriers that can prevent veterans, service members, first responders, and their families from safely considering medical cannabis and other therapeutic options.
Website: Veterans Initiative 22
 |
"Veterans Initiative 22 is deeply honored to be nominated for the Safe Access Award and recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. Equitable access and inclusive cannabis safety matter for many reasons, but fundamentally, lives depend on them. We see safe and affordable medical cannabis access as a necessary tool for veteran suicide prevention. We are grateful to Americans for Safe Access for recognizing this work and for championing the patients at the center of it." |
Support Veterans Initiative 22 for the 2026 Safe Access Award.
If you appreciate ASA's work, sign up for alerts and updates, and make a donation to support ASA's vital mission.
Share this page
