House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) and the nine other Democratic members of the committee sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dr. David Shulkin urging the Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development to begin conducting and examining research into medical marijuana’s effects on veterans suffering from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The letter notes that 13 percent of veterans prescribed opioids have formed an addiction to the drug. As a response to the opioid epidemic, Congress passed The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) which directed VHA to continue its efforts to reduce VHA reliance on opioid medication for pain management. The letter discussed concerns regarding veterans’ lack of access to alternatives to opioid-based treatments such as complementary and alternative medicine including medical marijuana and its cannabinoids.
“VA is uniquely situated to pursue research on the impact of medical marijuana on veterans suffering from chronic pain and PTSD…” reads the letter. “VA’s pursuit of research into the impact of medical marijuana on the treatment of veterans diagnosed with PTSD who are also experiencing chronic pain is integral to the advancement of health care for veterans and the Nation.”
Read the full letter – Veterans Affairs Research Into Medical Marijuana.