Lawmakers want to expand medical marijuana access for veterans

(NewsNation) — Veterans who live in states where medical marijuana is legal cannot access it through their Veterans Affairs physicians, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers is trying to change that.

Legislators are pushing two bills — Veterans’ True Choice Act of 2023 and the Veterans Equal Access Act — that would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana treatment.

Currently, the VA and Department of Defense recommend against cannabis-based treatments for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), citing a lack of strong research, according to a recent report from Marijuana Moment, which tracks developments in marijuana law.

Medicinal marijuana use is currently legal in 38 states. The VA, however, can only prescribe medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for medical use. Most products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) or other cannabinoids don’t meet that standard.

Because the drug is deemed illegal on a federal level, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can’t recommend it to veterans or help them obtain it.

U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nevada, said she wants to “make sure doctors can provide the best care possible.”

“Right now VA providers can’t prescribe or even recommend the use of medical marijuana for veterans who may be struggling,” said Titus, a co-sponsor of the Veterans Equal Access Act.

Research about marijuana use among people with issues like anxiety, depression and PTSD varies. Although some research suggests marijuana smokers are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, it’s not necessarily the drug that causes it. In some cases, it’s associated with depression, because people use it to detach from their symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.

NewsNation has reached out to the VA and Defense Department for additional comment, but has not yet heard back.

The lawmakers attempting to expand treatment say they’ve heard from veterans who claim medicinal marijuana saved their lives.

“As the son of a World War II veteran, I know firsthand that after asking our servicemembers to risk their lives for our freedoms,” said U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, a co-sponsor of Veterans Equal Access and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. “We have the responsibility to ensure they have what they need to live happy and healthy lives when they return home.”

Under current law, veterans are allowed to access care outside the VA health system. According to the VA’s website, veterans won’t be denied their benefits if they participate in a state marijuana program and they’re encouraged to discuss any usage with their VA physician.

That information will be recorded in the veteran’s medical record for treatment planning purposes, but remains confidential under patient privacy laws.