In a move that will change healthcare for veterans across the nation, the U.S. House of Representatives recently approved bill amendments allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer medical marijuana recommendations to patients as well as support ongoing psychedelic research.
The amendment was part of a large-scale spending bill covering Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA). The vote passed 290-116, demonstrating the growing support cannabis reform has nationwide.
Until now, the VA has banned its doctors from recommending medical cannabis as a treatment for any mental or physical health disorder. Under the new directive, they will be able to do so, enabling veterans to access their state’s medical marijuana programs. This directive could have huge implications for veterans and allow them an alternative to pain management options like opioids.
“My proposed amendment, I believe, is common sense. It allows doctors in the VA…to give advice to their veteran patients,” said Representative Brian Mast (FL). “That seems simple enough, but under the status quo, VA doctors are limited in essential treatment options that they can offer to their patients and treatments that patients that are not veterans can readily assess in many states.”
“Beyond the veteran population, the nation is turning the page on how we think about cannabis. It’s become a key part of the medical system in more than 30 states. It offers law-abiding Americans a low-cost and safe option. Do not keep those who’ve fought for our country from accessing what’s proven to be a critical tool for pain management. It is time for change. Veterans deserve to have access to every possible tool, and the best medical options available and the best possible medical advice by their doctors.”
The measure’s passing aligns with the recent news of the federal government’s decision to reschedule cannabis to Schedule III, which acknowledges that it has practical medical benefits.
The psychedelic amendment, on the other hand, will explore the possible integration of MDMA and psilocybin into the VA’s medical program to treat PTSD, depression, and other mental health disorders.
Representative Jack Bergman (MI) spoke on the subject, stating: “Psychedelic-assisted therapies have the potential to be the first genuine advancement in the treatment of veterans’ mental health in decades. It is essential that the VA continues their efforts to research these compounds and do everything they can to ensure that they have trained therapists and those trained therapists are ready to meet the need and provide these new breakthrough treatments once they receive FDA approval.”
The specifics of the next steps have yet to be laid out, but the VA is expected to follow up with a plan relatively soon. This new measure could drastically change the landscape of medicine in the VA in just a few short years, and it may offer countless veterans relief from ongoing mental and physical health symptoms that have few alternative treatments.
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