Despite medical marijuana programs being passed or enacted in a supermajority of states, federal policy currently prohibits VA-affiliated doctors from even recommending medical cannabis to veterans in those states where such use is legal — thus forcing military veterans to seek the advice of a private, out-of-network physician.
The House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) will conduct a legislative hearing on Wednesday, October 13th, which will include consideration of the bipartisan VA Cannabis Research Act of 2021, HR 2916.
Presently, V.A. doctors are forbidden from providing the paperwork necessary to complete a recommendation, thus forcing military veterans to seek the advice of a private, out-of-network physician.
On March 12th, the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) passed two separate pieces of legislation pertaining to cannabis policy.
“Currently, VA healthcare providers, however, are prohibited from providing the paperwork necessary to complete a state-legal medical cannabis recommendation, forcing military veterans to seek the advice of a private, out-of-network physician. Seeking care is hard enough, and we should not make it even harder for our veterans.” – Rep. Earl Blumenauer
Nevada NORML will be hosting a unique event on Veteran’s Day. The virtual lobby day will be done entirely through electronic means, will raise awareness of the many federal pieces of legislation that could benefit veterans.
We also spoke with her attorneys, who explained why they believed the DEA broke the law by holding up long-promised medical marijuana research licenses.
Next week, the two key committees will hold hearings on various aspects of federal marijuana policy.
Military veterans who participate in a state’s medical marijuana access program frequently report substituting cannabis for alcohol and other controlled substances, according to data published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Nearly half of all respondents said that they use medical cannabis in place of other prescription medications.