Gary Hess with Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives (VAHA)

Gary Hess, founder and Executive Director of Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives (VAHA) Gary Hess is a former marine and founder of VAHA (Veterans For Holistic Alternatives), an organization that seeks to educate and empower veteran’s about the efficacy of medical cannabis. You use cannabis which he says allows him to explore his trauma and process it rather than anesthetize it—and he advocates for other veterans to have access to the plant. “I knew that I was not the only one,” he said referring to not only his trauma but the difficulty in treating it with traditional medications. “I knew that I was not going to bed the same. I was taking the pills and drinking every night before I went to bed. I literally had to lock every single door in my house, including closets and other bedrooms. It was obsessive. I was having issues. So I took the shiny brass off my shoulders, called my fellow Marines and said, ‘Hey, I'm struggling. I'm drinking. I can't figure it out. Who else is having these problems?’ Then I started digging into the science.” Curaleaf began a partnership with VAHA. The company will donate a portion of sales to the organization during the month of November. From November 1 through 15, Curaleaf locations across the U.S. will donate $1 from every sale of select items to VAHA. WRAL.com reported: "Calling on state lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina, you joined several veterans this past June to share stories of your own battles or those of your comrades after they returned from deployment. The committee held was believed to be the first legislative hearing ever in North Carolina on a bill to allow medical marijuana to be prescribed and used in the state. TeleLeaf is a premier access platform to medical marijuana that connects patients in need with qualified doctors.