Representatives of the major Veterans Services Organizations (VSOs), testified in front of a number of joint Senate/House committees this week and last week. They expressed support for medical marijuana research, and criticized the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for “dragging their feet on the issue.”
Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs committee (D-MT), asked VSO leaders to share their views on veterans using cannabis as an alternative treatment option. He also wanted to know where they stand on his bipartisan VA medical marijuana research bill which passed his committee last week.
The chairman brought up the subject with Veterans of Foreign Wars members (VFW) on Wednesday. He stated that effective treatment options must be based upon comprehensive research and science. Veterans of Foreign Wars research should enable veterans to make informed choices about their health.
He asked witnesses if they felt that “VA has been proactive with conducting research on veterans cannabis usage and what can we do about it if no.”
Patrick Murray, VFW’s national legislative director, stated that VFW is open to “researching that” and that they want to “be smart about as many other therapies we can provide for veterans across the country.”
“We don’t believe VA is doing enough to do that. He said that they’ve been slowing down. They’ve claimed they have been doing research and studies for many years. As everyone else, we are waiting for the results. We’d like to see it actually happen in a proper manner.”
Timothy Bordland, VFW Commander in Chief, told Tester there were “mixed emotions” among members regarding cannabis policy issues. However there is recognition that veterans suffering from conditions like traumatic brain injury (TBI), and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) have benefited from medical marijuana.
“There are a lot of veterans that take so many medications, they don’t know what they should be taking half the time. He said that some of them are blind and take the wrong medication.
Bordland stated that medical cannabis “will prevent overdose.” This will avoid many other problems. The use of medical cannabis may be a solution for TBI and other mental health problems.
Tester brought up the subject during the second of three hearings of this joint committee. He asked for input from Jeremy Butler (CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
Butler stated that he believes VA should be encouraging research into the medical efficacy and safety of cannabis for veterans.
He said, “We’ve been pushing this for years.” “At the very least, VA should conduct research. It is difficult to keep up with all the states that have legalized medicinal cannabis.
He said, “At minimum, VA should conduct this research to understand how effective it’s.” Research should be an easy task. Yet, for many years we have been subject to pushback. We hope this year will be different.
IAVA stated in written testimony it has “made it a top priority to empower veterans who call for the medicinal use cannabis” since 2017. It cited internal surveys that showed that the majority of its members were on the same page.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV), in their written testimony, also stated that they support “VA research into medical efficacy cannabis for treating service-connected disabled veterans.”
VSOs have consistently highlighted cannabis research issues during the annual joint hearings for many years in a row.
The current Congress includes the Tester’s VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act (which he introduced together with Senator Dan Sullivan (R–AK). This Act is designed to require VA studies to examine the therapeutic potential cannabis for veterans suffering from PTSD or chronic pain.
Reps. Lou Correa (D.CA) and Jack Bergman, (R.MI) also filed a companion measure in the House.
This latest version of the bill has been amended to allow VA more latitude in deciding whether it can oversee clinical trials for marijuana for chronic pain.
Significant changes appear to have been made in response to the concerns of VA officials who had testified against earlier proposals.
A previous version of the legislation passed the House committee in 2021 despite protests from VA officials. The measure was also passed through the committee in 2020, and 2018. However, none of these versions were adopted into law.
This Congress has amended the legislation to require a retroactive observational study to examine the experiences of veterans who have used marijuana for treatment.
However, there is another possibility that VA could be able to evade a crucial objective in clinical trials.
After completion of an observational research on the effects cannabis has on chronic pain and PTSD, VA must submit a report to Congress within 90 days.
The bill text states that “The Secretary may end clinical trials if the Department of Veterans Affairs is not able to comply with clinical guideline requirements or the clinical trials pose an excessive risk to participants.”
This is partly because VA has repeatedly criticized previous versions of the reform proposal. The department suggested that the mandate for research goes too far and that there are too many requirements. The new language allows VA to complete the qualitative observational study, and then decide independently whether or not to conduct the clinical trial involving human subjects.
The new version also includes language that no longer required studies to include at least seven marijuana varieties. Instead, it leaves that option open-ended. This may address VA’s concerns that the measure is too prescriptive.
Correa had a conversation last year with VA Secretary Denis McDonough regarding the issue of veterans and marijuana. There were high expectations that the department would reverse its position on the legislation, but that has not happened yet.
A group of over 20 veterans service organizations (VSOs wrote a letter to Congress last year urging them to pass a marijuana and veterans research bill by the end of the previous Congress. However, this did not work.
, a large-scale defense expenditure bill, was also enacted at end of the previous session. It excluded separate language from a House-passed version which would have allowed VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to veterans who live in legal states.
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The post Veterans Advocates Criticize VA For Stalling Medical Marijuana Research at Joint Congressional Hearings was first published on Marijuana Minute.
