U.S. House Approves Bill Allowing VA Doctors to Recommend Medical Cannabis

Doctors from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will soon be able to recommend cannabis for medicinal purposes to their patients, thanks to the approval by the House of Representatives — the lower chamber of the United States Congress — of a historic spending bill.

The proposal aims to align federal care provided to veterans with state laws that have already legalized the therapeutic use of cannabis.

The measure is part of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (MilCon-VA) for the 2026 budget. Approved on June 25, the amendment received formal support from veterans' groups and federal health authorities in the week beginning July 7.

The amendment, dubbed the Veterans Access Equality Act, will allow VA doctors to discuss and recommend marijuana for medicinal purposes in states where its use is legal. It also nullifies the agency's current policy (Directive 1315), which prohibits professionals from advising veterans about state cannabis programs.

“Veterans need to have options beyond these narcotics,” argued Representative Brian Mast (R-Fla.), the author of the amendment. Mast, a war veteran and double amputee, shared a personal account of his recovery process after being injured by an IED in Afghanistan in 2010. He described the side effects of opioids and advocated for the need for alternative therapies, such as cannabis.

Future Implications for VA Patients and Doctors

If the amendment is also approved by the Senate and signed into law, it will be the first time that federal doctors will have legal permission to recommend cannabis to veteran patients. The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to begin its review after the July 4 recess.

The Veterans Health Administration serves over 9 million people in 1,400 facilities. According to current policy, veterans must choose between seeking cannabis treatments and losing VA support, or remaining in the system and forgoing a potentially effective therapy.

Veterans Groups' Reaction to Cannabis Legalization
Organizations like the American Legion celebrated the House's decision. In a bulletin published on July 7, they stated that the bill provides “a long-awaited framework” to ensure evidence-based non-opioid alternatives, such as medical cannabis, for veterans nationwide.

Bill Advances with Bipartisan Support and Complementary Measures

The amendment was approved by voice vote and had the support of Representative Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. Another approved amendment instructs the VA to plan for the provision of assisted psychedelic therapy, using substances like MDMA and psilocybin.

Representative Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), a retired general, introduced the proposal, requiring the department to assess structural and regulatory changes to incorporate these therapies.

According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, the VA is currently involved in 11 clinical studies involving psychedelic-assisted therapy and is working to expedite access to treatments.

Between State Advances and Federal Hurdles

Currently, medical cannabis is classified as a Schedule I substance in the U.S., considered to have no accepted medical use. Therefore, federal doctors cannot prescribe it — but they can recommend it, according to American jurisprudence.

After California became the first state to legalize cannabis in 1996, DEA agents still conducted raids and seizures, even with terminal patients in treatment. This led to a case ruled by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 (Gonzales v. Raich), which upheld the federal government's power to intervene, even with favorable state laws.

However, in 2009, then-Attorney General Eric Holder stated that the Department of Justice would not prioritize the prosecution of patients or caregivers in compliance with state cannabis laws — a change that, in practice, brought greater legal security for doctors and patients.

With information from Business of Cannabis