A Republican congressman has filed the second piece of marijuana reform legislation to be introduced so far in the new 117th Congress, this one aimed at ensuring that military veterans aren’t penalized for using medical cannabis in compliance with state law. The proposal from Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), who filed a more expansive version of the measure last year, would also codify that U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors are allowed to discuss the risks and benefits of marijuana with their patients. VA doctors are currently permitted to discuss cannabis with patients and document their usage in medical records, and those veteran patients are already shielded by agency policy from losing their benefits for marijuana use—but the new bill would enshrine these policies into federal statute so they could not be administratively changed in the future. That said, the version Steube introduced last year contained a notable provision that further allowed VA physicians to formally fill out written recommendations for marijuana.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 01/25/2021 10:53:00