I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1151 
To allow veterans to use, possess, or transport medical marijuana and to 
discuss the use of medical marijuana with a physician of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs as authorized by a State or Indian Tribe, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 12, 2019 
Ms. LEE of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees 
on the Judiciary, and Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To allow veterans to use, possess, or transport medical mari-
juana and to discuss the use of medical marijuana with 
a physician of the Department of Veterans Affairs as 
authorized by a State or Indian Tribe, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Medical 
Marijuana Safe Harbor Act.’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Chronic pain affects the veteran population, 
with almost 60 percent of veterans returning from 
serving in the Armed Forces in the Middle East, and 
more than 50 percent of older veterans, who are 
using the health care system of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs living with some form of chronic 
pain. 
(2) Opioids account for approximately 63 per-
cent of all drug deaths in the United States. 
(3) In 2011, veterans were twice as likely to die 
from accidental opioid overdoses as nonveterans. 
(4) States with medical cannabis laws have a 
24.8 percent lower mean annual opioid overdose 
mortality rate compared with States without medical 
cannabis laws. 
(5) Marijuana and its compounds show promise 
for treating a wide-range of diseases and disorders, 
including pain management. 
(6) Medical marijuana in States where it is 
legal may serve as a less harmful alternative to 
opioids in treating veterans. 
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SEC. 3. SAFE HARBOR FOR USE BY VETERANS OF MEDICAL 
MARIJUANA. 
(a) SAFE HARBOR.—Notwithstanding the Controlled 
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Controlled 
Substances Import and Export Act (21 U.S.C. 951 et 
seq.), or any other Federal law, it shall not be unlawful 
for— 
(1) a veteran to use, possess, or transport med-
ical marijuana in a State or on Indian land if the 
use, possession, or transport is authorized and in ac-
cordance with the law of the applicable State or In-
dian Tribe; 
(2) a physician to discuss with a veteran the 
use of medical marijuana as a treatment if the phy-
sician is in a State or on Indian land where the law 
of the applicable State or Indian Tribe authorizes 
the use, possession, distribution, dispensation, ad-
ministration, delivery, and transport of medical 
marijuana; or 
(3) a physician to recommend, complete forms 
for, or register veterans for participation in a treat-
ment program involving medical marijuana that is 
approved by the law of the applicable State or In-
dian Tribe. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) INDIAN
LAND.—The term ‘‘Indian land’’ 
means any of the Indian lands, as such term is de-
fined in section 824(b) of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1680n). 
(2) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(3) PHYSICIAN.—The term ‘‘physician’’ means 
a physician appointed by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs under section 7401(1) of title 38, United 
States Code. 
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
ing given that term in section 102 of the Controlled 
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802). 
(5) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(c) SUNSET.—This section shall cease to have force 
or effect on the date that is five years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. STUDIES ON USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA BY VET-
ERANS. 
(a) STUDY ON EFFECTS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA ON 
VETERANS IN PAIN.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study on 
the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in pain. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the study required under para-
graph (1) is completed, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on the study, which shall include 
such recommendations for legislative or administra-
tive action as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(b) STUDY ON USE BY VETERANS OF STATE MED-
ICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAMS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall conduct a study on the relationship be-
tween treatment programs involving medical mari-
juana that are approved by States, the access of vet-
erans to such programs, and a reduction in opioid 
abuse among veterans. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the study required under para-
graph (1) is completed, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on the study, which shall include 
such recommendations for legislative or administra-
tive action as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
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(c) VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given that term in section 101 
of title 38, United States Code. 
(d) USE OF AMOUNTS.—For fiscal years 2020 and 
2021, of the amounts appropriated to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs— 
(1) $10,000,000 shall be used to carry out sub-
section (a); and 
(2) $5,000,000 shall be used to carry out sub-
section (b). 
Æ 
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