Veterans groups join calls for Biden administration to reschedule marijuana

WASHINGTON — Some of the nation’s largest veterans groups are pushing the Biden administration to “expeditiously” ease federal restrictions on marijuana, joining a growing number of calls to reschedule the drug six months after the Department of Health and Human Services recommended doing so.

In a letter first obtained by NBC News, veterans groups urged the Justice Department, which oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration, to act quickly.

“The men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces often face difficult physical and mental challenges upon returning home,” wrote the groups, which include the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, AMVETS, American GI Forum, the American Legion, Blinded Veterans Association, and the Minority Veterans of America. “As such, we hope that in treating the wounds of war — both visible and invisible — that our servicemembers and veterans would have access to the widest array of possible treatments.”

Cannabis is currently classified as a Schedule 1 drug, which means it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use in treatment, alongside substances like heroin. The Department of Health and Human Services has recommended rescheduling it to Schedule 3, which is far less restrictive.

President Joe Biden ordered a review of federal marijuana policy in October 2022, and a formal decision from the DEA is expected soon, potentially in the coming weeks, according to two people with knowledge of plans.

Though the Department of Veterans Affairs is prohibited from denying health services to veterans who use marijuana in states where it is legal, the agency does not offer medical marijuana as a treatment for veterans or pay for medical marijuana prescriptions from any source —