Veteran Cannabis Advocates — Krawitz, Etten, Kiernan, Martin
The modern veteran cannabis advocacy movement was built by a small number of identifiable individuals, most of them combat veterans who had personal experience with the VA system. This page profiles the advocates whose work shaped the current landscape — including the distinctions between genuinely grassroots work and organizations with commercial ties.
The Founders
Michael Krawitz (VMCA, 2007), Nick Etten (VCP, 2017), Sean Kiernan (Weed for Warriors, 2014), Roger and Nick Martin (HeroGrown, 2011). These advocates shaped federal policy, negotiated the first VA cannabis directive, and built the political infrastructure for the Veterans Equal Access Act. Each organization has a different profile on authenticity vs. commercial engagement.
Michael Krawitz — Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access (VMCA)
Michael Krawitz served in the U.S. Air Force (1981–1986) as an Electronic Warfare Systems Technician on B-52 bombers, stationed in Guam. After his service-connected disability, he founded Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access (VMCA) in 2007 — the first American veterans service organization focused on medical cannabis access.
Krawitz's major accomplishments:
- In 2010, he successfully negotiated the first-ever VA system-wide medical cannabis policy directive — the precursor to the current VHA Directive 1315. This was covered on the New York Times front page and represented the first formal acknowledgment by the VA that veterans in state medical cannabis programs should not be denied VA care.
- His international work contributed to the December 2020 United Nations vote removing cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
- He currently serves on the Virginia Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council.
- VMCA is volunteer/donation-supported with no commercial product sales.
Krawitz and VMCA are widely regarded as the most authentically grassroots organization in veteran cannabis advocacy — no apparent industry co-optation, no commercial relationships, decades of consistent policy work with no financial returns. VMCA is based in Elliston, Virginia, and operates primarily through volunteer advocacy.
Nick Etten — Veterans Cannabis Project (VCP)
Nick Etten, a former Navy SEAL and U.S. Naval Academy graduate with an MBA from Northwestern, founded the Veterans Cannabis Project (VCP) in September 2017. VCP operates as a 501(c)(4) focused on legislative advocacy and veteran education.
VCP's advocacy work includes:
- "Direct Action Missions" in Washington with 40+ congressional meetings per cycle
- Lobbying for the Veterans Equal Access Act and related legislation
- Public education campaigns about veteran cannabis use
- Media engagement and op-ed placement
- Coalition building with other veteran service organizations
VCP has been effective at translating veteran cannabis advocacy into congressional engagement. However, Etten simultaneously served as Head of Government Affairs at Acreage Holdings, a cannabis company — a dual role that should be noted for transparency. This overlap between advocacy leadership and commercial interests is something veterans evaluating VCP should know about. It does not invalidate the advocacy work, but it distinguishes VCP from purely grassroots organizations.
Sean Kiernan — Weed for Warriors Project (WFWP)
Sean Kiernan is executive director of the Weed for Warriors Project, co-founded in 2014 in Sacramento with Kevin Richardson and Mark Carrillo (all USMC/Army veterans). WFWP operates as a grassroots, community-based organization holding monthly veteran gatherings and "Supply Drop" events providing free cannabis to veteran patients.
WFWP's activities:
- Monthly veteran community gatherings in California and several other states
- "Supply Drop" events that distribute free cannabis to veteran patients who would otherwise be unable to afford it
- Public advocacy for veteran access and VA policy reform
- Peer support networks connecting veterans with shared cannabis experiences
WFWP is genuinely veteran-led and grassroots in its community work, but it has also created the "WFW Cannabis" brand to self-fund operations, blurring advocacy and commerce. Kiernan has described this as a "social justice lifestyle brand" approach. The self-financing model via product sales provides independence but creates commercial interest that should be acknowledged. WFWP is more grassroots than VCP but less pure than VMCA on the commercial engagement spectrum.
Roger and Nick Martin — HeroGrown Foundation
The HeroGrown Foundation was founded by Roger and Nick Martin — a father-and-son veteran team. (Note: some sources incorrectly attribute the foundation to Sean Kiernan, but it is the Martins' organization.)
Roger Martin, a retired Army veteran, credited cannabis with helping him wean off VA-prescribed OxyContin and Ambien. His personal story reflects the broader post-9/11 opioid crisis pattern in miniature: prescribed opioids for pain and benzodiazepines for sleep, developing dependence and tolerance, and turning to cannabis as a way out.
Since 2011, HeroGrown has:
- Disbursed approximately $4 million worth of medical cannabis and CBD products to veterans
- Served a community of 25,000+ members
- Operated primarily as a product distribution charity rather than a policy advocacy organization
- Maintained a grassroots profile focused on direct veteran support
Michael Krawitz and Veterans Action Council (VAC)
In addition to VMCA, Krawitz is involved with the Veterans Action Council (VAC), founded ~2020. VAC operates as an all-volunteer coalition with no hierarchy, dues, or headquarters. It uses an "equal, international buddy check-in approach" and holds biweekly online roundtables. VAC has submitted a "Green Paper" to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and represents a coalition of veteran cannabis advocates working collaboratively rather than through hierarchical organizations.
VAC is a good example of what fully grassroots advocacy looks like — no commercial relationships, no staff, no headquarters, distributed leadership, and work that is visible primarily through specific policy interventions rather than media campaigns.
The American Legion and Traditional VSOs
Traditional Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) have also played a role in veteran cannabis advocacy, though their involvement has been more cautious and policy-focused than the specialized organizations. Notable developments:
- American Legion: Resolution 11, passed at the 2016 National Convention, urged DEA to license private research and Congress to remove marijuana from Schedule I. As the largest wartime VSO (~2 million members, 13,000+ posts), the Legion's position was enormously influential in legitimizing the issue in conservative circles. A 2017 survey found 92% of members support medical cannabis research and 83% support federal medical legalization.
- IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America): Medical cannabis access has been a top priority since 2017, with 88–90% member support in IAVA surveys.
- DAV (Disabled American Veterans): Supports VA cannabis research, specifically for PTSD, chronic pain, and TBI.
- VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars): Supports VA research, emphasizing the need for completed studies before broader policy recommendations.
All four co-signed a VSO coalition letter urging DEA rescheduling in 2023. The American Legion's National Commander attended Trump's December 2025 rescheduling EO signing, while noting support "does NOT imply support for recreational legalization." More on VSO positions.
The Congressional Advocates
Several congressional members have been consistent veteran-focused cannabis advocates:
- Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) — introduced the Veterans Equal Access Act in every Congress from 2015 until his retirement in January 2025; co-founded the Congressional Cannabis Caucus
- Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) — combat-wounded Army veteran who lost both legs to an IED; lead sponsor of H.R. 1384 (the Veterans Equal Access Act in the 119th Congress) following Blumenauer's retirement
- Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) — key Republican Senate champion, leading Daines-Merkley amendments in Senate Appropriations since FY2016
- Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) — Daines' primary Democratic partner
What These Advocates Have in Common
- Personal experience with the VA system, often including chronic pain or PTSD
- Combat service or service-connected disability
- Dissatisfaction with VA clinical options that drove them toward cannabis
- Willingness to accept the federal legal risks of advocating for a Schedule I substance
- Long-term commitment (decades in Krawitz's case)
How to Distinguish Authentic Advocacy
Veterans evaluating advocacy organizations should consider:
- 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) status with transparent financials
- Veteran-governed leadership rather than industry executives
- Policy positions that sometimes conflict with industry interests (e.g., supporting regulation or taxes)
- Independence from cannabis company funding
- Track records predating the commercial cannabis boom — organizations that existed before cannabis became a business opportunity are more likely to be authentically motivated
Red flags include boards dominated by industry executives, advocacy positions consistently aligned with industry interests (opposing regulation, opposing taxes), and "veteran-founded" brands where the veteran connection serves primarily as marketing differentiation. Full authentication guide.