Several prominent veterans groups are urging the Biden administration to swiftly relax federal restrictions on marijuana, aligning with a growing chorus of voices advocating for rescheduling the substance. This push comes six months after the Department of Health and Human Services recommended such action.
In a letter obtained by NBC News, these veterans organizations called upon the Justice Department, which oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration, to expedite the process.
The groups, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, AMVETS, American GI Forum, the American Legion, Blinded Veterans Association, and the Minority Veterans of America, emphasized the challenges faced by returning servicemembers, both physical and mental, and the necessity for a wide range of treatment options.
Currently classified as a Schedule 1 drug, alongside heroin, cannabis is deemed to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use in treatment. However, the Department of Health and Human Services has recommended reclassifying it to Schedule 3, a less restrictive category.
President Joe Biden initiated a review of federal marijuana policy in October 2022, and a formal decision from the DEA is anticipated soon, potentially within the coming weeks, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Veterans Organizations Add Their Voices to Appeals for Biden Administration to Reschedule Marijuana (Credits: Marijuana Moment)
Despite the Department of Veterans Affairs being prohibited from denying health services to veterans who use marijuana in states where it is legal, the agency does not provide medical marijuana as a treatment or cover medical marijuana prescriptions, even in states where cannabis is legal. Last summer, the VA and the Defense Department jointly recommended against marijuana use for treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
However, the veterans groups argue that their members desire this option, citing a survey conducted by the American Legion, wherein 82% of respondents expressed a desire for medical cannabis as a federally sanctioned treatment option.
They note that without a DEA ruling, many veterans feel reluctant to discuss cannabis use with their VA providers due to concerns about potential consequences.
The letter stresses the importance of prompt action from the DEA, suggesting that an early reclassification of cannabis could facilitate its integration into the Veterans Health Administration, the nation’s largest healthcare system.
This appeal coincides with increasing momentum in Congress to reform federal cannabis policy. Lawmakers from both parties have introduced numerous bills related to veterans and cannabis, including measures to allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana and to mandate studies on cannabis effects on veterans with chronic pain and PTSD.
Although a bipartisan package advanced out of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee last year, it was ultimately blocked on the Senate floor by Republicans.
Public opinion also supports marijuana legalization, with a Gallup Poll in October indicating that 70% of American adults, including a majority of Republicans and a significant majority of younger voters, favor legalization.
Last month, a group of Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, urged the DEA to completely deschedule cannabis, highlighting a unique opportunity for the Biden administration to enact significant change.
