November 20, 2014

Today Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First District joined 11 bipartisan colleagues to introduce the Veterans Equal Access Act, which would make it easier for qualified veterans to access medical marijuana. 

Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their veteran patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state medical marijuana program. The Act would authorize VA physicians and other health care providers to provide recommendations and opinions regarding the use of medical marijuana to veterans who live in the 23 states where medical marijuana is legal, including Nevada.

“As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I am committed to ensuring our nation’s veterans receive the best care available. The Veterans Equal Access Act provides a much needed update to our antiquated drug laws, allowing veterans to access the full range of treatments, including medical marijuana, available to relieve their suffering,” said Titus. “This is a commonsense measure that ensures that the medical staff at our nation’s VA hospitals and clinics can recommend the best course of treatment available for our retired servicemembers without fear of federal interference.”

The bill is led by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and cosponsored by Justin Amash (R-MI), Paul Broun (R-GA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Sam Farr (D-CA),  Walter Jones (R-NC), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Beto O’Rourke (D-TX), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Steve Stockman (R-TX).