[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 107 (Thursday, June 23, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E664]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             INTRODUCTION OF THE VETERANS EQUAL ACCESS ACT

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2022

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I introduced the Veterans Equal 
Access Act. This legislation would provide equal access to state-legal 
medical marijuana for veterans participating in Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) health care by ending the harmful VA prohibition on 
doctors and healthcare providers giving opinions or recommendations on 
or completing forms for state-legal medical marijuana programs.
  The cannabis laws in this country are broken, including our laws that 
govern veterans' access to medical cannabis. Many veterans report using 
cannabis for medical purposes as a substitute for prescription drugs. 
The VA National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has 
acknowledged that veterans use cannabis to relieve symptoms of PTSD, 
and that in many states, PTSD is a qualifying condition for enrollment 
in medical cannabis programs.
  Most states with state-legal medical cannabis programs require some 
sort of recommendation or approval from a medical provider for patients 
to enroll in the program. However, VA policy prevents VA physicians and 
care providers from any participation, including helping with the 
required paperwork or forms.
  This forces veterans to seek care outside of the VA system to receive 
medical cannabis recommendations, which can interrupt continuity of 
care, lead to mistakes or gaps in care, and require veterans to pay out 
of pocket for addition physician visits. VA physicians should not be 
denied the ability to offer a recommendation that they think may meet 
the needs of their patients.
  Veterans should not be forced outside the VA system to seek treatment 
that is legal in their state.
  The Veterans Equal Access Act would allow VA doctors and healthcare 
providers to give their opinions or recommendations on medical cannabis 
and to complete forms in compliance with state-legal medical marijuana 
programs.
  I look forward to working with my co-lead, Representative Brian Mast, 
and my colleagues in the House and Senate to enact this legislation and 
provide equal access to state-legal medical cannabis for our veterans 
participating in VA health care.

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