A key Senate committee has included various marijuana and psychedelics-related provisions in a report attached to spending bills. These provisions include allowing VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis if it's rescheduled, exploring cannabis as an opioid alternative, and cracking down on illicit grow operations. The report acknowledges that the DOJ concurred with HHS's recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. If rescheduled, the VA should consider guiding its doctors to discuss and facilitate access to medical marijuana. The committee also urges the VA to study the relationship between state-approved medical marijuana programs and opioid use reduction among veterans. Additionally, the report addresses psychedelics-assisted therapy, mandating the VA to report on research status and initiate a longitudinal study of veterans participating in such therapies. The report also discusses GI Bill benefits related to cannabis, directing the VA to report on veterans impacted by the policy restricting benefits for marijuana-related courses. Finally, a separate report directs federal agencies to assess the proliferation of illegal marijuana growing operations associated with foreign nationals. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved these reports and the underlying spending bills.

Senate Committee Urges VA to Study Medical Cannabis as Opioid Alternative for Veterans

Jul 21, 2025

Source:

Kyle Jaeger

Marijuana Moment

A key Senate committee is stepping up for veterans by including pro-cannabis and psychedelic provisions in new spending reports. Most notably, they’re urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to let its doctors finally recommend medical marijuana to patients in legal states, provided the federal government follows through on moving cannabis to Schedule III. The committee also wants the VA to study how medical weed can serve as a safer alternative to opioids and is pushing for more research into psychedelic-assisted therapies for PTSD.

This is a massive win for the veteran community, which has long been stuck in a "don’t ask, don’t tell" limbo regarding their plant medicine. For everyday tokers, this progress signals a major shift in federal attitudes; if the VA—one of the largest healthcare systems in the country—starts embracing cannabis, it paves the way for wider social acceptance and better access for everyone. It’s heartening to see lawmakers recognize that veterans shouldn't lose their earned benefits or health options just because they choose a natural alternative over a prescription bottle.

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