Congress Moves Closer to Letting VA Doctors Recommend Medical Marijuana to Veterans
In a move hailed as a long-overdue shift in veterans’ healthcare options, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a key set of amendments aimed at expanding access to medical marijuana and supporting psychedelic research for veterans. Approved as part of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA) appropriations bill, these changes represent a significant win for advocates who’ve long pushed for modern, evidence-based wellness alternatives for former service members.
At the heart of the reform effort is a proposal allowing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to issue medical marijuana recommendations to patients—a practice currently prohibited under internal department policy despite legal cannabis access in dozens of states.
The amendment, introduced by Congressional Cannabis Caucus co-chairs Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) and Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), directly targets VA Health Directive 1315, which blocks VA providers from helping veterans register for state-approved cannabis programs or even recommending such treatment.
Undoing Harmful Barriers to Care
For years, veterans in legal cannabis states have faced a frustrating contradiction: while state law permits therapeutic cannabis use, VA doctors—who provide the majority of healthcare to U.S. veterans—have been barred from participating in that process. Instead, veterans have been forced to pay out-of-pocket for private physicians just to access plant-based alternatives legally.
The new amendment seeks to change that by cutting off funding for the enforcement of Directive 1315, essentially neutralizing the policy within the VA. The provision includes specific language barring the use of federal funds to uphold the VA's prohibition against:
Completing forms or registering veterans for state-approved marijuana programs
Instructing medical facility directors to enforce restrictions against cannabis recommendations
Reiterating any internal prohibition language to VA staff at large
This decisive action was passed by a voice vote and reflects rising bipartisan momentum around cannabis reform, particularly when it involves military veterans.
Built on the Veterans Equal Access Act
The amendment reflects the core goals of the Veterans Equal Access Act, a standalone bill reintroduced by Rep. Mast earlier this year. Although the legislation has not yet been enacted, it has steadily gained traction across multiple congressional sessions. By attaching its key provisions to the broader appropriations bill, lawmakers are creating an alternative pathway for implementation—even without standalone passage.
“This isn’t a political issue—it’s a human one,” said Rep. Mast, a veteran himself. “Veterans should be able to have open, honest conversations with their doctors about treatment options, including cannabis, without fear of being penalized or ignored.”
Psychedelics Research Also Gets a Boost
In addition to cannabis access, the House also advanced support for research and accessibility around psychedelics—specifically for therapeutic uses like treating PTSD and depression, two of the most common wellness challenges faced by veterans.
Lawmakers have taken a growing interest in substances like psilocybin and MDMA, which have shown promising results in clinical studies for managing trauma and boosting long-term emotional resilience. The new amendment opens the door to federal agencies, including the VA, to more actively explore these treatments and integrate them into future care models.
This marks another step in a broader shift away from dependency on opioids and pharmaceuticals, particularly for chronic pain and mental health conditions.
Bipartisan Agreement on Wellness Options
What makes this legislation particularly notable is the strong cross-party consensus behind it. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle increasingly acknowledge that cannabis and psychedelics are no longer fringe therapies. Instead, they’re seen as viable, science-backed wellness tools that deserve serious consideration in veterans' healthcare portfolios.
With more than 500 cannabis brands in New York alone and dozens of legal states across the country, the public and private sectors alike are moving in favor of plant-based solutions. But for veterans—whose care is governed by federal law—the VA has long been a bottleneck for progress.
The latest amendment breaks that logjam, providing a clear path for medical professionals within the VA to finally discuss and recommend cannabis where appropriate, without fear of disciplinary action or funding cuts.
What’s Next?
The amendments still need to survive final negotiations and Senate approval as part of the broader appropriations process. However, with growing momentum and mounting public support, the outlook is more promising than ever before.
Veterans groups and cannabis advocates are urging the Senate to follow the House’s lead and ensure that those who served the country have full access to the care they need—including alternatives like medical marijuana and psychedelics.
Conclusion
This recent action by the House marks a major milestone in reshaping federal policy to better reflect the lived experiences and needs of U.S. military veterans. If fully enacted, these changes will bring a greater sense of dignity, choice, and modern treatment access to a population that has too often been left behind by outdated healthcare protocols.
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