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U.S. Veterans Get Shafted by Federal Government

Marijuana Veterans

A few months ago the U.S. House approved legislation with a 239 – 171 vote to include a marijuana provision in the Veterans Affairs funding bill. The provision was to allow veterans to speak with their VA doctors about medical marijuana as a possible option for treatment of several different medical conditions. But, somehow, the provision was completely left out of the funding bill.

Although, a failure by the Senate, their inability to forward the motions in enough time, may allow an opportunity for the provision to be added back in, Military Times reports. What put the vote on this provision behind was discussions surrounding a bill to fund fighting the Zika virus. A discussion can be reconsidered after the 4th of July holiday.

11 legislators, representing both parties, composed a letter to both the House and Senate to reinstate the provision. Lawmakers agree that the provision should have been non-negotiable.

Senators wrote: “We feel the failure of the conferees to include either [The House or Senate] provision is a drastic misfortune for veterans and contrary to the will of both chambers.”

The Senate included a medical marijuana measure in the VA funding bill and was approved 89-8 in a vote. The House stalled discussions about the Veterans Affairs funding bill with discussions about gun control instead.

As of now, blame has not been placed on a single entity regarding the missing medical marijuana provision.

Charles Dent said previously that, “I’m uncomfortable in trying to dictate policy on medical marijuana without input from the FDA and National Institutes of Health.”