,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #dde  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #ab1 #bjai,mr4
 ,s*atz 7= himself & ,mr4 ,ka9e7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on !     
,judici>y  ,a ,,bill  ,to all[ vet]ans  
to use1 possess1 or transport m$ical    
m>ijuana & to discuss ! use ( m$ical    
m>ijuana ) a physician ( ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs z au?oriz$ by a ,/ate 
or ,indian ,tribe1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,vet]ans ,m$ical ,m>ijuana ,safe      
,h>bor ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds 
! foll[+3 7#a7 ,*ronic pa9 affects !    
vet]an population1 ) almo/ #fj p]c5t (  
vet]ans return+ f s]v+ 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces 9
 ! ,middle ,ea/1 & m ?an #ej p]c5t (    
old] vet]ans1 :o are us+ ! heal? c>e    
sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
liv+ ) "s =m ( *ronic pa94  7#b7        
,opioids acc\nt = approximately #fc     
p]c5t ( all drug dea?s 9 ! ,unit$       
,/ates4  7#c7 ,9 #bjaa1 vet]ans 7 twice 

z likely to die f accid5tal opioid      
ov]doses z nonvet]ans4  7#d7 ,/ates )   
m$ical cannabis laws h a #bd4h p]c5t l[]
 mean annual opioid ov]dose mortality   
rate comp>$ ) ,/ates )\t m$ical cannabis
 laws4  7#e7 ,m>ijuana & its comp\nds %[
 promise = treat+ a wide-range (        
diseases & disord]s1 includ+ pa9        
managem5t4  7#f7 ,m$ical m>ijuana 9     
,/ates :]e x is legal may s]ve z a less 
h>mful alt]native to opioids 9 treat+   
vet]ans4  #c4 ,safe h>bor = use by      
vet]ans ( m$ical m>ijuana  7a7 ,safe    
h>bor ,not)/&+ ! ,controll$ ,sub/ances  
,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hja et seq471 !    
,controll$ ,sub/ances ,import & ,export 
,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #iea et seq471 or   
any o!r ,f$]al law1 x %all n be unlawful
 =--  7#a7 a vet]an to use1 possess1 or 
transport m$ical m>ijuana 9 a ,/ate or  
on ,indian l& if ! use1 possession1 or  
transport is au?oriz$ & 9 accordance ) !
 law ( ! applicable ,/ate or ,indian    
,tribe2  7#b7 a physician to discuss ) a
 vet]an ! use ( m$ical m>ijuana z a     

treatm5t if ! physician is 9 a ,/ate or 
on ,indian l& :]e ! law ( ! applicable  
,/ate or ,indian ,tribe au?orizes ! use1
 possession1 di/ribution1 disp5sation1  
adm9i/ration1 deliv]y1 & transport (    
m$ical m>ijuana2 or  7#c7 a physician to
 recomm5d1 complete =ms =1 or regi/]    
vet]ans = p>ticipation 9 a treatm5t     
program involv+ m$ical m>ijuana t is    
approv$ by ! law ( ! applicable ,/ate or
 ,indian ,tribe4  7b7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is
 section3 7#a7 ,indian l& ,! t]m ,indian
 l& means any ( ! ,indian l&s1 z su* t]m
 is def9$ 9 section #hbd7;b7 ( ! ,indian
 ,heal? ,c>e ,improvem5t ,act 7#be      
,u4,s4,c4 #afhjn74  7#b7 ,indian ,tribe 
,! t]m ,indian ,tribe has ! mean+ giv5 !
 t]m ,indian tribe 9 section #d ( !     
,indian ,self-,det]m9ation & ,education 
,assi/ance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74  
7#c7 ,physician ,! t]m physician means a
 physician appo9t$ by ! ,secret>y (     
,vet]ans ,affairs "u section #gdja7a7 ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#d7   
,/ate ,! t]m ,/ate has ! mean+ giv5 t   

t]m 9 section #ajb ( ! ,controll$       
,sub/ances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hjb74   
7#e7 ,vet]an ,! t]m vet]an has ! mean+  
giv5 t t]m 9 section #aja ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7c7 ,sunset ,?is  
section %all cease to h =ce or effect on
 ! date t is five ye>s aft] ! date ( !  
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #d4 ,/udies on use
 ( m$ical m>ijuana by vet]ans  7a7 ,/udy
 on effects ( m$ical m>ijuana on vet]ans
 9 pa9  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an two   
ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all conduct a /udy on ! effects (      
m$ical m>ijuana on vet]ans 9 pa94  7#b7 
,report ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] !    
date on :i* ! /udy requir$ "u p>agraph  
7#a7 is complet$1 ! ,secret>y %all      
submit to ,congress a report on ! /udy1 
:i* %all include su* recomm5dations =   
legislative or adm9i/rative action z !  
,secret>y consid]s appropriate4  7b7    
,/udy on use by vet]ans ( ,/ate m$ical  
m>ijuana programs  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]
 ?an two ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (

 ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all conduct a   
/udy on ! relation%ip betwe5 treatm5t   
programs involv+ m$ical m>ijuana t are  
approv$ by ,/ates1 ! access ( vet]ans to
 su* programs1 & a r$uction 9 opioid    
abuse among vet]ans4  7#b7 ,report ,n   
lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date on :i* ! 
/udy requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 is        
complet$1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to    
,congress a report on ! /udy1 :i* %all  
include su* recomm5dations = legislative
 or adm9i/rative action z ! ,secret>y   
consid]s appropriate4  7c7 ,vet]an def9$
 ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m vet]an has !     
mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #aja ( title 
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7d7 ,use (   
am\nts ,= fiscal ye>s #bjbj & #bjba1 ( !
 am\nts appropriat$ to ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs--  7#a7 #aj1jjj1jjj   
%all be us$ to c>ry out subsection 7a72 
&  7#b7 #e1jjj1jjj %all be us$ to c>ry  
out subsection 7b74