Veterans Marijuana Research Act Gets the Green Light Despite Objections from Biden Administration

By Jelena Martinovic

With Veterans Day approaching, a House Committee passed law requiring the United States Department of Veterans to conduct clinical trials of the therapeutic potential of marijuana for military veterans.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lou Correa (D-Cal), was approved by the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday with an 18:11 vote, with all Democrats supported and all but one Republican against.

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The earlier versions of the bill did not make it into law. Now, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act requires the division to launch a series of studies that focus on the use of medical marijuana in the treatment of PTSD and chronic pain.

In addition to its stand-alone bill, Correa separately proposed requiring VA cannabis studies as an adjunct to a defense spending bill recently passed in the House of Representatives. However, he pulled it out before a House Rules Committee hearing.

“Our veterans are no stranger to challenges, and so Congress must investigate alternative treatment options,” Correa told Marijuana Moment, who reported the story Friday. “The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2021 hits veterans where they are and opens a new door for federal policy that supports veterans-preferred treatment options.”

In addition, the Biden administration spoke out against the reform at a hearing before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee last month.

Congressmen oppose a less prescriptive proposal to encourage medical cannabis studies in VA

Meanwhile, an amendment tabled by MP Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, to the committee surcharge for the veterans-targeted measure was rejected on Thursday.

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The Miller-Meeks bill states that the department must conduct and support “research into the efficacy and safety of forms of cannabis” in chronic pain, PTSD, and “other conditions the secretary deems appropriate”. However, a specific requirement for full clinical trials has been omitted.

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The Iowa MP stressed that Correa’s legislation, while “well-intentioned,” “unfairly ties the hands of the VA researchers responsible for designing and conducting these studies and undermines their work in such a way that it becomes meaningless ”.

RELATED: Survey Shows 75% of Veterans Are Interested In Cannabis

Chairman Mark Takano was one of those who did not support the amendment. He justified his move by stating that this would give VA “far more leeway in determining … possible cannabis use and treatment for pain and PTSD and veterans”.

Takano also said the cannabis legislation and other bills passed during the markup will “become part of our annual Veterans Day legislative package,” which is expected to get the green light in the House of Commons.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.