House Votes to Let VA Doctors Recommend Marijuana

Last week, the House endorsed a proposal which would allow VA doctors to discuss the use of medical marijuana with patients. The measure by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) had been offered previously as an amendment to an annual spending bill for the VA and military construction projects without success, but this time it passed on a 233-189 vote. Currently 24 states, along with the District of Columbia, have passed laws allowing access to medical marijuana to treat conditions including anxiety and traumatic brain injury. Fourteen of those states authorize doctors to recommend medical marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. "I think it is the right thing to do for our veterans, to be able to treat them equitably, to enable them to have access to the doctor who knows them the best, giving them better treatment and saving them money," said Blumenauer.

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