Veterans support Sen. Gardner's push to respect states' rights and voters in criminal justice reform bill

“Vital First Step Toward Giving Veterans Legal Access to Medical Cannabis”

Veterans Cannabis Project Founder, Nick Etten, released the following statement in response to news of Senator Cory Gardner’s (R-CO) plan to push for inclusion of the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Entrusting States (STATES) Act as an amendment to criminal justice reform legislation expected to be voted on this week in Congress:

“Sen. Gardner’s amendment would be a vital first step toward giving veterans legal access to medical cannabis by making the federal government respect the will of millions of voters in states where cannabis has been made legal.

“Unfortunately Congress continues to lag far behind the public on cannabis, so any meaningful reform on the federal level is progress for the millions of veterans who want access to medical cannabis.

“Thanks to Sen. Gardner’s leadership and President Trump’s public support of the STATES Act, this may be an historic tipping point for federal cannabis reform that could soon lead to legal protection and access to medical cannabis for the nine million veterans who rely on the Veterans Health Administration for their health care.”

BACKGROUND

● Forty-six states currently have laws permitting or decriminalizing cannabis or cannabis-based products

● An American Legion survey of veteran households found that82 percent want to have cannabis as a federally-legal treatment, and 83 percent believe the federal government should legalize medical cannabis.

● American voters support 63 - 33 percent legalizing cannabis in the U.S., the highest level of support ever measured in a Quinnipiac University Poll (April, 2018).  Voter support of medical marijuana is 93 percent, similar to prior polls.

●The Quinnipiac University Poll also found that voters oppose 70 - 23 percent enforcement of federal laws against cannabis in states that have legalized medical or recreational cannabis. In fact, voters support 74 - 20 percent a bill protecting states with legal medical or recreational marijuana from federal prosecution. 

The Veterans Cannabis Project is dedicated to improving US military veterans’ quality of life through the opportunity of cannabis. We empower veterans to live healthy, fulfilling lives, while advocating on their behalf for unrestricted and supported access to medical cannabis through the VA just like any other medicine.  

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