VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2021
Bill: S.1467 | Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon (D-MT)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct clinical trials of the effects of medical-grade cannabis on the health outcomes of covered veterans diagnosed with chronic pain and those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Covered veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system.
The trials must include a control group and an experimental group that are of similar sizes and structures and represent the demographics of the veteran population.
Data collected in the trials must be preserved to facilitate further research.
Under the bill, participation in the clinical trials does not affect a covered veteran's eligibility or entitlement to other VA benefits.

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a series of 
 clinical trials on the effects of cannabis on certain health outcomes 
 of veterans with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act 
of 2021''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINICAL TRIALS ON THE EFFECTS 
              OF CANNABIS ON CERTAIN HEALTH OUTCOMES OF VETERANS WITH 
              CHRONIC PAIN AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

    (a) Clinical Trials Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        carry out a series of clinical trials on the effects of 
        medical-grade cannabis on the health outcomes of covered 
        veterans diagnosed with chronic pain and covered veterans 
        diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
            (2) Required elements.--The clinical trials required by 
        paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) with respect to covered veterans diagnosed with 
                chronic pain, an evaluation of the effects of the use 
                of cannabis on--
                            (i) osteopathic pain (including pain 
                        intensity and pain-related outcomes);
                            (ii) the reduction or increase in opioid 
                        use or dosage;
                            (iii) the reduction or increase in 
                        benzodiazepine use or dosage;
                            (iv) the reduction or increase in alcohol 
                        use;
                            (v) inflammation;
                            (vi) sleep quality;
                            (vii) agitation; and
                            (viii) quality of life;
                    (B) with respect to covered veterans diagnosed with 
                post-traumatic stress disorder, an evaluation of the 
                effects of the use of cannabis on--
                            (i) the symptoms of post-traumatic stress 
                        disorder (PTSD) as established by or derived 
                        from the clinician administered PTSD scale, the 
                        PTSD checklist, the PTSD symptom scale, the 
                        post-traumatic diagnostic scale, and other 
                        applicable methods of evaluating symptoms of 
                        post-traumatic stress disorder;
                            (ii) the reduction or increase in 
                        benzodiazepine use or dosage;
                            (iii) the reduction or increase in alcohol 
                        use;
                            (iv) mood;
                            (v) anxiety;
                            (vi) social functioning;
                            (vii) agitation;
                            (viii) suicidal ideation; and
                            (ix) sleep quality, including frequency of 
                        nightmares and night terrors.
            (3) Optional elements.--The clinical trials required by 
        paragraph (1) may include an evaluation of the effects of the 
        use of cannabis to treat chronic pain and post-traumatic stress 
        disorder on--
                    (A) pulmonary function;
                    (B) cardiovascular events;
                    (C) head, neck, and oral cancer;
                    (D) testicular cancer;
                    (E) ovarian cancer;
                    (F) transitional cell cancer;
                    (G) intestinal inflammation;
                    (H) motor vehicle accidents;
                    (I) mania;
                    (J) psychosis;
                    (K) cognitive effects;
                    (L) cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome;
                    (M) neuropathy; or
                    (N) spasticity.
    (b) Long-Term Observational Study.--The Secretary may carry out a 
long-term observational study of the participants in the clinical 
trials required by subsection (a).
    (c) Type of Cannabis.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the clinical trials 
        required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall study varying 
        forms of cannabis, including whole plant raw material and 
        extracts.
            (2) Plant cultivars.--Of the varying forms of cannabis 
        required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall study not 
        fewer than seven unique plant cultivars with ratios of 
        tetrahydrocannabinol to cannabidiol in each of the following 
        categories:
                    (A) Less than 1:5.
                    (B) Between 1:2 and 1:5.
                    (C) Approximately 1:2.
                    (D) Approximately 1:1.
                    (E) Approximately 2:1.
                    (F) Between 2:1 and 5:1.
                    (G) More than 5:1.
    (d) Use of Control and Experimental Groups.--The clinical trials 
required by subsection (a) shall include both a control group and an 
experimental group that shall--
            (1) be of similar size and structure; and
            (2) represent the demographics of the veteran population, 
        as determined by the most recent data from the American 
        Community Survey of the Bureau of the Census that is available 
        prior to the commencement of the clinical trials.
    (e) Data Preservation.--The clinical trials required by subsection 
(a) shall include a mechanism to ensure the preservation of all data, 
including all data sets, collected or used for purposes of such trials 
in a manner that will facilitate further research.
    (f) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
            (1) develop a plan to implement this section and submit 
        such plan to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate 
        and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (2) issue any requests for proposals the Secretary 
        determines appropriate for such implementation.
    (g) Effect on Other Benefits.--The eligibility or entitlement of a 
covered veteran to any other benefit under the laws administered by the 
Secretary or any other provision of law shall not be affected by the 
participation of the covered veteran in a clinical trial under 
subsection (a) or a study under subsection (b).
    (h) Periodic Reports.--During the five-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
periodically, but not less frequently than annually, to the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs of the House of Representatives reports on the implementation 
of this section.
    (i) Covered Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
veteran'' means a veteran who is enrolled in the patient enrollment 
system of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated 
under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
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