Senators have filed another pair of marijuana amendments to a large-scale defense bill. The new proposals, if enacted, would legalize medical cannabis for military veterans and press the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that people who served in uniform don’t miss out on federal home loan benefits just because they work in the marijuana industry.
These are the latest cannabis-related amendments that have been proposed for the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Last week, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) filed measures to make it so marijuana use alone couldn’t be grounds to deny federal security clearances.
Now Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) has introduced an amendment that mirrors the language of a standalone bill, the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act, that he’s sponsoring.
The measure would allow veterans to legally possess and use cannabis under federal law, as recommended by doctors in accordance with state law. Physicians with VA would also be allowed for the first time to issue such recommendations. Further, it would require VA to study the therapeutic potential of marijuana for pain and reducing opioid misuse.
The text is the same as the standalone legislation, except that it doesn’t contain a findings
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