Matt Gaetz wants to give veterans access to medical marijuana for PTSD

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz plans to introduce legislation to allow military veterans access to medicinal marijuana.

Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, told veterans in a recent community forum in Pensacola that he supports marijuana as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and other service-related medical conditions.

Kavontae Smalls, a spokesman for Gaetz, said Tuesday that the congressman will introduce a medicinal marijuana bill for veterans soon. The bill may be ready as early as February, Smalls said.

While some veterans organizations have come out in support of marijuana as an alternative to opioids, antidepressants and other prescription drugs, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently advocated a federal crackdown on medical and marijuana use.

During the forum with members of the veterans advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America, Gaetz said his views on the medicinal benefits of marijuana differ with those of many in the Republican Party. But, Gaetz said, he would continue to fight his own party on the issue if necessary.

"I am passionate about this issue," the freshman congressman told the group of about 60 veterans and family members.

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Gaetz's words drew applause from the veterans. Several in the group shared their personal stories of overcoming service-related issues through the use of medicinal marijuana.

Joe Plenzler, spokesman for the American Legion, said his organization supports removing marijuana from the federal government's list of Schedule 1 narcotics and increasing research about the benefits of medical marijuana in the treatment of PTSD and other service-related issues.

"This is absolutely something we are concerned about," Plenzler said.

Gatez, who has previously sponsored legislation to have marijuana reduced to a Schedule III narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act, spoke at an American Legion's news conference in November to announce the results of a survey of more than 800 veteran households. In the survey, 92 percent said they support medical marijuana research and 82 percent they wanted marijuana as a legal treatment option.

Earlier this month, Sessions repealed a Department of Justice policy that essentially instructed federal prosecutors to pursue only the most serious marijuana cases and leave everything else to the discretion of individual states.

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Gaetz, who has long advocated for marijuana as a treatment option for illnesses including cancer, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy, slammed the move and said states should be allowed to enact their own marijuana policies.

"It would be heartless to systemically use the awesome power of the federal government to punish people providing legitimate medicine," he said in a released statement.

Melissa Nelson Gabriel can be reached at mnelsongab@pnj.com or 850-426-1431.