VA Medical Marijuana

Floor Speech

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Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, today the House did do one good thing, and that was to take a major step forward with the historic passage of an amendment that removes the barriers for our Veterans Administration health professionals to discuss alternative treatments--specifically, medical marijuana--with their patients in States like Nevada, where it is legal.

This comes on the heels of action last week addressing the opioid epidemic that is plaguing our Nation, and it is especially heartbreaking in our veteran community where these drugs are being overprescribed for pain treatment and PTSD.

The amendment passed today, which I was pleased to offer and to support, will provide additional tools for our medical professionals in the treatment of our veterans so they won't have to resort to opioids.

I am proud that this amendment did have bipartisan support; but moving forward, we must continue to reform our outdated policies and laws and bring Congress into step with the State legislatures in over half of the States in the country that have moved forward on this issue.

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