United States: bill to legalize medical cannabis for veterans

A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to legalize access to medical cannabis for veterans at the federal level.

Introduced by Democratic Senators Brian Nelson and Bill Schatz, the proposal Veterans Marijuana Safe Harbor Act aims to «expand and facilitate access to medical cannabis for veterans suffering from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other serious medical conditions.»

If passed, the proposed law will allow doctors who treat veterans to issue medical cannabis prescriptions, and $15 million will be allocated to research on cannabis-based treatments for veterans. Currently, only those U.S. states where medical cannabis is legal may prescribe them to veterans, which hasn't always been the case.

«This legislation will give veterans in Florida and elsewhere the same access to prescription treatments as any patient in those 31 states [that have legalized medical cannabis],» explains Senator Nelson. in a press release.

«In 2011, veterans were twice as likely to die from an accidental opioid overdose as non-veterans,» states the bill proposed to the Senate. «Cannabis and its compounds show promise in treating a wide range of diseases and disorders, including pain. Medical cannabis in states where it is legal can serve as a less harmful alternative to opioids in the treatment of veterans.»

Other bills have recently sought to make it easier for veterans to access medical cannabis, but they have been rejected every time.

«Historically, veterans and military communities have long been at the forefront of social change in the United States, catalyzing widespread acceptance of evolving cultural norms and perceptions regarding racial, gender, and sexual equality,», said Justin Strekal, policy director at NORML. «Veterans» medical use of cannabis is part of this trend, and members of Congress should follow their lead and pass the Medical Marijuana Safety Act for Veterans.”