MJ moment

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under the Biden administration says it continues to oppose a bill that would require it to conduct clinical trials into the therapeutic potential of marijuana for military veterans. That's despite the fact that multiple veterans service organizations such as the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans are voicing support for the proposal. In written testimony for a hearing before the House Veterans' Affairs on Health Subcommittee on Wednesday, a VA representative discussed numerous pieces of veterans-related legislation that members were considering. Rep. Lou Correa's (D-CA) VA Cannabis Research Act was among those that the department said it does not support. The bill, earlier version of which cleared the full House Veterans' Affairs Committee in 2020 and 2018, would mandate that VA launch a series of clinical trials on using medical marijuana to treat PTSD and chronic pain. Correa told colleagues in his testimony that he has worked closely with veterans since the time he served as a state lawmaker. "In my role, I met and worked with veterans struggling with their invisible wounds of war," he said. "They explained to me that they didn't like being prescribed opioids and other medications. They wanted to be able to access cannabis to ease their pain without the same side effects or addictive properties of opioids. When I came to Congress, I wanted to continue my work to provide our veterans with the treatments they want." He said that his proposal is "a pragmatic and bipartisan piece of legislation that would advance our understanding of the impacts of medicinal cannabis usage and could improve the lives of veterans and other Americans." But in its own testimony, the department said that while it isn't ideologically opposed to the measure it views it as "redundant" and excessively prescriptive.…

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Source : VA Under Biden Remains Opposed To Marijuana Research Bill For Veterans, Official Tells House Committee

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