Congress Introduces Bill to Start Medical Marijuana Research at Department of Veteran Affairs – News

Officially presented to Congress on April 16th by the legislation’s authors Rep. Tim Walz and Rep. Phil Roe, HR5520, or the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, would, if passed, instruct the notoriously prohibitionist federal agency to “conduct and support research relating to the efficacy and safety of forms of cannabis. ” And in just one week’s time, the veterans cannabis research bill has already amassed co-sponsorship from 39 legislators representing both sides of the political aisle. Npr.org/2018/04/22/604789520/rep-tim-walz-calls-on-va-to-study-medical-marijuana-use-for-veterans”>In an interview with National Public Radio, Rep. Walz called out the VA’s long held intentional ignorance of all things medical cannabis, while offering hope for the future of veterans care through his new legislation.

“Veterans feel like they’re forced to be criminalized simply because they live two miles west of where they could’ve been,” Rep. Walz told NPR about barriers in America’s current piecemeal medical marijuana system. “And I feel that Attorney General Sessions knows that if the VA does this and the VA starts prescribing, well, then we have medicinal cannabis in all 50 states and territories.

“As a physician, I am keenly aware of the need to look for opioid alternatives to treat patients’ chronic pain,”

Since being introduced last week, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act has been referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, where Poe’s leadership is expected to carry even more favor. The medical marijuana research bill has already garnered the official support of the country’s largest veterans’ organization, the American Legion.

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