Moulton legislation would push VA on medical marijuana for veterans

Millions of American military veterans — more than one in five, according to an American Legion survey — use marijuana to treat a medical ailment.

But many of those veterans say the Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides health care to former servicemembers, isn’t responsive to their needs. Citing the federal prohibition on cannabis, the VA has long said its doctors cannot legally issue recommendations for marijuana even in states that have medical marijuana programs — an assertion disputed by some analysts. It has also largely refused to conduct studies on the potential efficacy of the drug as a treatment for PTSD and other disorders common among vets, instead focusing its research on the harms of using cannabis.

Now, new legislation could change that.

Representative Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat and former Marine Corps officer who saw combat in Iraq, announced Wednesday that he has partnered with Republican congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida to introduce a trio of bills that would nudge the VA to better integrate cannabis into the treatment it provides veterans. [Read more at Boston Globe]