Bill Overview
Title: To establish the policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs on medicinal cannabis, and for other purposes.
Description: This bill establishes an official policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on medicinal cannabis, requires the VA to seek to enter an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to conduct nationwide surveys to measure cannabis use by veterans, and requires the VA to provide training for all VA primary care providers in the use of medical cannabis.
Sponsors: Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Target Audience
Population: people who are veterans or their family members
Estimated Size: 18000000
- Veterans are a primary group likely to be impacted since the bill directly involves the Department of Veterans Affairs and its policies on medicinal cannabis, which affects how veterans can access and use medical cannabis.
- Healthcare providers within the VA system will be impacted as they will receive training on medical cannabis, potentially influencing their treatment methods and patient interactions.
- Family members of veterans may indirectly be impacted by changes in the treatment and well-being of veterans using medicinal cannabis as prescribed by VA healthcare providers.
Reasoning
- The policy targets veterans directly, impacting around 18 million individuals nationwide. Many of these people may seek medical cannabis use for various health issues. Therefore, the policy primarily targets a specific subset of the population, limiting broader public impact.
- The training of VA providers will influence the care provided to veterans, potentially impacting a few hundred thousand VA healthcare providers. However, not all veterans use the VA for their primary healthcare or cannabis needs, suggesting diverse impact levels.
- The budget constraints require the policy to efficiently impact wellbeing, which implies focusing on locations with higher veteran density and those showing a need for cannabis treatments, especially for conditions like PTSD, chronic pain, and anxiety.
- Family members of veterans may experience indirect benefits through improved mental health and overall well-being of veterans with access to medicinal cannabis. However, their wellbeing is not directly measured in our analysis.
Simulated Interviews
Veteran (Texas)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think getting access to medical cannabis through the VA could really help with my PTSD. Prescription meds have so many side effects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Veteran (California)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've been using cannabis for years for my pain. Having VA approval will make it so much easier and cheaper.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Veteran's family member (Florida)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If my dad can get the cannabis he needs, it might help him feel better. He's been through a lot and won't touch traditional meds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Healthcare provider at VA (New York)
Age: 39 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Training on medical cannabis is needed. We need more options to treat our veterans safely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Veteran (Virginia)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful, but cautious. Cannabis could help my sleep, but I want to make sure the VA backs its safety and efficacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Veterans Affairs Administrator (Ohio)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think aligning the VA's policies with medicinal cannabis could improve treatment outcomes and reduce stigma.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Veteran's spouse (Oregon)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Legal access through VA would take a weight off our shoulders. We want more than just pain pills.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Veteran (Georgia)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Proper guidance in cannabis use could drastically help me and others like me. I hope this leads to less dependency on harmful meds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Retired Veteran (Washington)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see this as a positive step. It might take some time, but more awareness and acceptance of cannabis can help a lot of us aging vets.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Veteran (Colorado)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Cannabis saved my life. I hope the VA will make it more accessible and less of a hassle.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 5: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 10: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 100: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Key Considerations
- Veterans' access to medicinal cannabis and its broader health implications on veteran services should be considered, especially concerning mental health and pain management.
- Research outcomes from VA-commissioned nationwide surveys could influence future policy decisions and VA healthcare offerings.
- The ethical and legal landscape surrounding cannabis use might evolve, potentially impacting the implementation and costs associated with this policy.