Dragonfly Wellness' Panh Says Veterans Need Access, Not Discounts

Panh Says Gratitude Has Outpaced Access

Narith Panh of Dragonfly Wellness argues that the industry's Veterans Day gestures leave untouched the question of why veterans still struggle to get medical cannabis. The op-ed ran in Marijuana Moment on Nov. 11, 2026, Veterans Day.

Panh opens with the familiar rituals: ceremonies, organized meals, retail discounts (including for cannabis) and promises that veterans won't be forgotten. Then comes the turn. "This Veterans Day, let's measure our support in more than ceremonies and dispensary discounts."

That's the whole argument in one sentence. It's also a pointed one, coming from inside the industry.

The Discount Is the Cheapest Form of Patriotism

A percentage off is the easiest way for a retailer to look supportive and the least useful way to actually help a veteran. Here's the thesis worth testing: holiday discounts are marketing first and policy never.

Run the numbers on the operator side and the logic is plain. Holiday promotions sit in every retail calendar, they're simple to copy, and they rarely separate one operator from another. A discount also buys foot traffic, which is why the gesture feels generous and costs little.

Under 280E, the federal tax provision that bars cannabis businesses from deducting ordinary expenses, margin isn't free to give away. So a one-day promotion is a calculated spend. It isn't a sacrifice. That math is hard to argue with.

The Barrier Sits at the VA, Not the Register

The Department of Veterans Affairs, a federal agency, still doesn't let its clinicians recommend medical cannabis or complete state program paperwork, according to longstanding VA policy. The reason is cannabis's status under the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Veterans won't lose their benefits for using state-legal cannabis, the VA has said. That's a real protection. It isn't access.

A veteran in a state with a medical program, such as California or Ohio, generally has to look outside the VA for a recommendation. That means a second provider, a separate appointment and often a separate fee, all while the person's primary record sits in a system that can't acknowledge the treatment. Panh's op-ed frames this as the gap between thanking veterans and serving them.

The Cost Lands on the Veteran

Because insurance, including VA coverage, doesn't pay for medical cannabis, veterans fund it out of pocket. A discount on one day doesn't change that.

Medical patients buy year-round. Chronic pain and PTSD, two conditions commonly cited in veteran cannabis debates, don't follow a holiday schedule. A price cut that lasts 24 hours is a rounding error against a monthly cash expense.

Not enough.

What Operators Can Do Beyond a Coupon

Operators who want veteran support to be credible have to build it into standing operations and federal advocacy, not the holiday calendar. That's CannIntel's read, not a finding from the op-ed.

Tactical options are straightforward, and none requires a change in federal law. Standing veteran pricing that doesn't expire on November 12 is one. Staff trained to explain state registration and recommendation steps is another. Operators with the political capital, especially multistate operators that lobby in Washington, could also put weight behind VA-access legislation, which is where their influence counts most.

There's a competitive angle too. In a market where price promotions are interchangeable, an operator that actually reduces friction for veterans owns a position its rivals can't copy with a banner ad. For full background on this story, see the CannIntel topic hub on veterans medical cannabis access.

What the Op-Ed Doesn't Settle

The piece is an opinion column, so it offers an argument, not new data on veteran access. CannIntel reviewed the published excerpt, which doesn't include enrollment figures, program costs or legislative details.

That limits what can be said about scale. Nobody should read the column as evidence of how many veterans are shut out, or how many are served by existing programs. It's a framing argument, and a sharp one, from an industry voice.

Next signal to watch: whether any operator pairs next year's Veterans Day promotion with something that lasts past the holiday, and whether Congress moves on VA authority over state-legal cannabis before then.