Senate Approves Medical Marijuana For Military Veterans And Advances Hemp Legalization

Over and over legislation has been passed around the House and Senate that would allow the VA to discuss medical marijuana with veterans and now once more it has been added to a funding bill. The funding bill was passed by the Senate this week 86-5 and will now be discussed behind closed doors with a bicameral conference committee before being sent to the President. Earlier this year the House Rules Committee blocked the marijuana for veterans language in the funding bill but legislators hope to see this version through. If signed into law the bill would not only allow government doctors to recommend medical cannabis to veterans but it would also protect veterans from losing their VA benefits if they're found using a state legal medical marijuana program.

The provision, part of large-scale legislation to fund parts of the federal government including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through Fiscal Year 2019, would also protect veterans from losing their government benefits as a result of cannabis use that is legal under state law.

The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 86 to 5.