Legislation that directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs “to conduct and support research on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis” was filed this week in the US House of Representatives
House Bill 3584 was filed by Congressmember Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican from Iowa. The measure has been assigned to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
According to its title, the measure is designed “To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct and support research on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis, and for other purposes.”
At the time of publication the exact text of the measure is not yet available. We reached out to Congressmember Miller-Meeks office and they said they’d get back to us with the text as soon as possible: we will update this article once it’s received.
In February the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee gave approval to a similar measure – the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act – that would direct the VA to conduct “large-scale” studies and a clinical trial on the effects of marijuana on veterans’ health. So far that proposal has yet to advance further in the Senate.
“Our nation’s veterans deserve options when it comes to treating the wounds of war, which is why VA needs to have a better understanding of how medicinal cannabis plays a role in their healing,” said Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester after introducing the bill. “Our bipartisan bill ensures VA is listening to the growing number of veterans who find critical relief from alternative treatments like medicinal cannabis, while working to empower veterans in making safe and informed decisions about their health.”
