Bipartisan congressional lawmakers introduced a bill to direct the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out studies on the therapeutic potential of marijuana for military veterans with certain conditions.
An earlier Senate version of the VA medical cannabis legislation cleared a committee in that chamber and was taken up on the floor for action but was blocked from advancing by Republicans.
Under the proposal as reintroduced for the current Congress on Thursday by Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI), VA would be tasked with conducting studies that explore the effects of cannabis for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain.
“With the opioid crisis raging across America, it is imperative to the health and safety of our veterans that we find alternative treatments for chronic pain and service-related injuries,” Correa said in a press release. “Throughout my district, I consistently meet veterans who depend on cannabis to manage their pain. Numerous veterans attest to the treatment benefits of medical cannabis. It’s time the VA did a formal study and began recognizing that cannabis can play a safe role in our veterans’ healthcare.”
Bergman said that “veterans struggling with PTSD and chronic pain deserve access
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