Advertisment: Rimol Greenhouse Systems » Rimol Greenhouse Systems Order 72 » CBT ROS 970x250 Billboard July 2025 » CBT billboard Rimol

U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Measure to Allow VA Physicians to Recommend Medical Marijuana to Veterans


The bipartisan appropriations amendment is intended to ease access to medical marijuana for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, serious injuries, and other debilitating conditions
 
[Press Release] WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill that is intended to ease access to medical marijuana for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, serious injuries, and other debilitating conditions. 
 
The amendment, authored by Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), would prohibit the spending of funds on enforcement of a Veterans Health Administration directive that prohibits VA physicians from recommending medical marijuana to their patients, even in states that have made it legal.
 
“Monitoring patients’ medication decisions and engaging in frank conversations about treatment options are core aspects of the doctor-patient relationship,” said Robert Capecchi, director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project. “The current policy flies in the face of those objectives. It does nothing to help our veterans, but can potentially hurt them.” 
 
If enacted, VA physicians would no longer face penalties for discussing medical marijuana with their patients or completing the paperwork patients must submit in order to participate in state medical marijuana programs. Currently, veterans in states with medical marijuana laws must find a doctor outside of the VA system to discuss medical marijuana as a treatment option and provide the requisite documentation. 
 
“This measure removes unnecessary barriers to medical marijuana access for the men and women who have volunteered to serve in our armed forces,” Capecchi said. “It will save veterans time and money, and it will allow them to have more open and honest discussions with their primary care providers.”
 
In order to become law, the full Senate must approve the appropriations bill, the House must adopt similar language in its Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, and the president would have to sign it. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a similar amendment last year, but it was not included in the final spending bill. 
 
Source: The Marijuana Policy Project is the nation’s largest marijuana policy organization. For more information, visit http://www.MarijuanaPolicy.org.
 
Advertisment: Frank Mayer » Frank Mayer Order 84 » CBT ROS Medium Rectangle 300x250 July 2025 » CBT Web Ad - July 2025
Advertisment: Hanwha Vision » Hanwha Vision Order 78 » CBT ROS 300x250 Medium Rectangle July 2025 » D53_Cannabis-Business-Times_300x250_v1
Page 1 of 487
Next Page
Advertisment: Greentank » Greentank Order 111 » CBT ROS Mobile Adhesion 360x120 July 2025 » GT AC ADS 600X200@2x