The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is bringing in outside help to support its efforts to better understand the potential medical uses of marijuana.
Through a newly posted solicitation, the VA is seeking a contractor to provide scientific and technical support related to reviewing and evaluating research on marijuana’s effects and therapeutic potential. The contract is being handled by the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 22, which covers facilities in California and Nevada.
The chosen contractor will assist with analyzing clinical evidence surrounding marijuana use, particularly in the context of veteran health outcomes. This includes assessing existing literature, identifying gaps in research, and potentially helping shape future research directions within the VA.
According to the solicitation, the contractor must have expertise in scientific literature review, familiarity with marijuana’s therapeutic uses and risks, and experience working with federal health agencies. The work will involve synthesizing data and contributing to internal VA decision-making about how to proceed with evidence-based evaluations of cannabis-related science.
This move comes amid growing congressional pressure on the VA to engage more directly in marijuana research. While marijuana remains federally classified as a Schedule I drug, numerous states—including many with large veteran populations—have legalized its medical use. Advocates argue that veterans deserve access to treatments that may alleviate conditions like PTSD and chronic pain, and that federal policy should reflect the growing body of scientific research.
The contractor’s work will be focused at the VA’s Long Beach facility, with a performance period of up to 12 months.
The solicitation does not guarantee new research studies but signals an institutional push to take the scientific landscape surrounding medical marijuana more seriously.
