Researching medical marijuana for veterans faces more White House hurdles
Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks at a news conference at Border Field State Park with Tijuana, Mexico behind him on May 7 in San Diego.
WASHINGTON – As scientists try to research the medical benefits of marijuana, a simple problem has emerged: How do you research marijuana if no one can produce it under federal law?
Despite a solution proposed in mid-2016, which allowed the Drug Enforcement Administration to approve marijuana manufacturers, only the University of Mississippi has been approved, despite dozens of applications. And there’s no sign the DEA intends to approve others anytime soon.
Advocates seem to blame one person for the delays: Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Ian Prior, spokesman for the Justice Department, declined to comment on the issue.
“The holdup is the Department of Justice,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-fla.
Congress is trying to take action to get the process moving.
A House committee recently approved a bipartisan bill authored by Rep. Luis Correa, D-calif. It pushes the Department of Veterans Affairs to research marijuana’s ability to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and other chronic pain.
Correa found many veterans already use marijuana as an alternative to highly addictive opioids.
Correa said the VA is already authorized to research cannabis under federal law, but when he asked the agency about its policies, officials said it had that authority.
“Cannabis is good for treating epilepsy, seizures – it is well-documented, we know it works. The question is what else does it work for?” Correa said.
“For us to stick our heads in a hole in the ground, and not research the medical aspects of this – it’s criminal,” he said. “Absolutely criminal.”
Even in places where medical or recreational marijuana is legal at the state level, the VA has to comply with federal law and therefore cannot prescribe cannabis for medical purposes.
If the bill can pass Congress – unlikely in an election year, but not impossible since it has support from members of both parties – increasing future demand on medical marijuana research and the limitations of only having one manufacturer could severely limit research capabilities.
Gaetz introduced legislation in April that would force the attorney general to approve a certain number of cannabis manufacturers per year. It has 30 cosponsors, including Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-VA., House Judiciary Committee chairman, a sign the legislation has a chance of at least making it to the House floor.
In the Senate, Kamala Harris, D-calif., and Orrin Hatch, R-utah, sent a letter to Sessions a month ago asking why the applications at the DEA have stalled, with a Tuesdaydeadline for response. At least 25 manufacturers have applied, according to the letter, and none have been approved.
Prior said Thursday that officials “plan on responding in as expeditious a manner as possible.” He did not respond to a follow-up question on if they thought they would respond by the deadline or ask for an extension.
Hatch and Harris mentioned concerns over veterans in that letter, and also warned that Senate legislation may be forthcoming to force the consideration of more manufacturers.
WASHINGTON – A group of 16 Republican senators has announced a willingness to work through August if that’s what it takes to complete spending bills and confirm more of President Donald Trump’s nominees.
Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, who has led the effort, hinted Tuesday that a letter to Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell of Kentucky would be forthcoming.
In addition to potential weekend sessions and truncating the August recess, the senators floated an interesting idea for handling regular fiscal 2019 spending bills ahead of August.
“The Senate should immediately begin work on one or several consolidated appropriations bills, so they can be openly debated and amended accordingly,” the senators wrote. “Our defense priorities are bipartisan, and they should come first.”
That phrasing signals a possible willingness by the conservatives to bundle spending bills together, perhaps revisiting the “minibus” strategy in which several regular appropriations measures get combined on the floor.
Normally, senators would not want the chamber in session well into August during an election year, with lawmakers eager to be home and meeting with constituents and voters.