{
  "id": 11985616,
  "title": "Veteran prescribed 'ghastly' amount of cannabis by for-profit health company",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/veteran-prescribed-ghastly-amount-of-cannabis-by-for-profit-health",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-04T18:22:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-05/cannabis-ketamine-prescriptions-veteran-health-care-dva/107207132"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Veteran Steve Johnstone received an alarming amount of cannabis for medicinal purposes, prescribed by a for-profit health company. Doctors were taken aback by the dosage and could not comprehend the level of functioning he maintained. In April, Steve was admitted to a psychiatric ward for veterans due to paranoia, suicidal thoughts, and insomnia. Despite this, he was given excessive amounts of high-THC cannabis by two for-profit companies funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The investigation by Four Corners revealed that some for-profit providers aggressively target veterans through advertising and phone calls, promoting free services funded by DVA. Steve's case exemplified the risks associated with these high-strength cannabis prescriptions, which have been associated with dependence and psychosis.",
  "summary": "For nearly two years, veteran Steve Johnstone was prescribed huge quantities of high-THC cannabis by doctors he'd never spoken to.",
  "key_points": [
    "Veteran Steve Johnstone prescribed excessive high-THC cannabis",
    "Two for-profit companies funded by DVA administered the medication",
    "Case highlights risks of high-strength cannabis prescriptions"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}