COMPARE & CONTRAST
I asked Kit to compare & contrast the veteran stance on the MORE ACT from 2020, and the MORE ACT as it has been reintroduced in 2025.
In October of 2020 I attended a meeting of the United States Cannabis Caucus, chaired by the office of Representative Earl Blumenauer. I was asked by veterans from across the country to read a list of concerns from our community to those present, along with a plea to be considered in the upcoming MORE Act being put forward for a vote. Our request fell on deaf ears, and at the following meeting I was told by Blumenauer’s office our issues would not be addressed in the MORE Act. Subsequently, I began working closely with Representative David Joyce’s office, and others.
In the time that has passed since the caucus was engaged in a meaningful manner, the approach has been fine tuned. This includes outlining remedies which, if adopted through legislation by congress, could potentially address many of the hardships currently being faced by our veteran community. Principally the reliance on pharmaceuticals, and the correlating suicide rate within our ranks. The most viable real-world pathways for these policy recommendations have been provided to the powers that be. These include identifying specific committees and departments within the government, as well as accompanying legislation which may be used as a vehicle.
-Rico
Which ones?
Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
Suggested using some of those funds to implement a harm reduction model centered on cannabis treatment, and other services/resources available through the VA’s “Whole Health” program.
“The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides healthcare for 9,200,000 veteran enrollees, disability compensation benefits to nearly 6,000,000 veterans and survivors, pension benefits for over 357,000 veterans and survivors, life insurance for more than 5,500,000 veterans, servicemembers and their families, educational assistance for nearly 900,000 trainees, and interment of more than 130,000 veterans and eligible family members in national cemeteries. To adequately serve the nation’s veterans, VA employs more than 425,000 people, making it one of the largest Federal agencies in terms of employment.” -Source
Suggested expanding the VA’s “Choice Act” to include medical cannabis dispensaries and doctor recommendations in states where state regulated cannabis dispensaries have been established.
National Defense Authorization Act
VA–DOD Joint Venture Facilities- Training and healthcare. Tying in that veterans are federal patients under federal responsibility.
Military personnel/veterans require similar language from the HOPE Act be applied to them, which requires the attention of DoD, and adjustment to the UCMJ code pertaining to cannabis use by military personnel. Once again, if the federal scheduling of cannabis under the CSA is addressed, and whole plant cannabis is properly placed/descheduled, this is more of an administrative procedure, as opposed to a political action.
Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
Suggested expanding the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program through the Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, so as to ensure veterans residing in states without medical cannabis dispensaries can still gain access to federally grown cannabis from the multiple sources available.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
Looking into the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). The President of the United States chairs the OSTP. The Vice President is a member of the NSTC.
In a perfect world, federal legislation would be passed which:
Releases to the public data collected per VA directive 1315 and its predecessors, since 2011;
Releases to the public all relevant data from the federal compassionate IND program pertaining to the safety, and efficacy of cannabis being used by the participating federal patients who have passed away, since 1976;
Provides for training and continuing education uniformly across the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) level including, but not limited to the history of cannabis medicine; the function of the endocannabinoid system; new discoveries as research is conducted; and federal/state policy in order to best uniformly integrate treatment into federal patient care;
Uniformly expands the federal Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program (IND) through the VA;
Recognizes veterans enrolled with, and receiving care from the VA as federal patients, requiring laws/policy being applied uniformly in all fifty states and territories of the U.S., reflecting the unique status of military (federal) personnel;
Provides an identifier on VA patient data cards identifying participating veterans as federal cannabis patients; eliminating threat of prosecution/incarceration while traveling within the U.S. or on federal property with their medicine;
Provides for VA to grow cannabis for veterans participating in the expanded IND program, and occupational therapy programs. Uniformly promoting home cultivation, and medicinal access to a broad variety of cannabis products, and;
Provides for a cannabis voucher system within the VA for veterans to access cannabis under individual state medical cannabis programs/dispensaries.
Charters through Congress, new Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) working in this field.
Suggested Initial State Program Template For Veterans Choosing Medical Cannabis
These recommendations are intended to provide guidance related to veterans and medical cannabis in states across the country.
The American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars are hemorrhaging membership, and posts across the country are falling into disrepair and foreclosure. These need to be transitioned into members-only compassion centers for our women and men who have served their country.
Based on experience in the trenches, the following are observations/suggestions of what baseline policy veterans need states to implement:
Recognize cannabis as a viable treatment option for veterans within their borders.
Provide incentives within the cannabis space as are already offered for veterans in other state programs, such as fee waivers, job placement, and special licensing considerations.
Provide for cannabis dispensary licenses to be used by new or existing Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs)/Compassion Centers who choose to move away from alcohol sales.
Protect the ability of these VSOs/Compassion Centers to host cannabis farmer’s markets.
Protect the ability of these VSOs/Compassion Centers to give/receive cannabis donations to/for veterans in need.
A new VSO is needed so veterans can engage with each other and their community in a healthy, productive manner. This new VSO model does not involve alcohol. It implements a more conducive, harm reduction approach geared toward:
Reducing the suicide rate within the veteran community;
Reducing the dependence on pharmaceuticals within the veteran community;
Providing a safe environment for veterans, their families, and friends;
Increasing the quality of life for veterans, and their families;
Establishing new networking opportunities within the veteran community;
Identifying and perpetuating positive trends within the veteran community;
Designing metrics to monitor the utilization/effectiveness of proposed programs.
🔍 Side-by-Side Mapping: Rico’s Veteran Blueprint vs. the 2025 MORE Act
1. Veteran Voice & Stakeholder Inclusion
Your Blueprint (2020–present):
Veterans as a distinct stakeholder group.
You personally carried veterans’ concerns to the Cannabis Caucus.
Called for veterans to be recognized as federal patients with uniform protections.
Proposed chartering new VSOs centered on cannabis.
MORE Act:
Mentions veterans only as commenters and in the context of PTSD treatment.
No recognition of veterans as a distinct federal patient class.
No structural policy response (like VSOs, ID protections, or federal patient uniformity).
➡️ Gap: MORE Act acknowledges veteran suffering but does not institutionalize their voice.
2. Suicide Prevention & Harm Reduction
Your Blueprint:
Cannabis framed as harm reduction for suicide prevention and pharma dependence.
Suggested repurposing VA Substance Use Disorder ($922M in 2022) funds toward cannabis + Whole Health.
MORE Act:
Notes cannabis has medical utility for chronic pain, nausea, and some psychiatric conditions.
Cites mixed evidence on PTSD, with VA studies referenced.
No mention of suicide or cannabis’ role in harm reduction.
➡️ Gap: MORE Act sidesteps suicide risk even though it’s central to veterans’ cannabis use case.
3. VA & DoD Integration
Your Blueprint:
Expand VA Choice Act → cover cannabis.
Apply HOPE Act/UCMJ reforms to military personnel.
VA–DoD joint ventures should treat cannabis as part of federal patient care.
Recognize veterans as federal patients → laws applied uniformly across states.
MORE Act:
No mention of VA, DoD, or military personnel.
Framed as broad cannabis reform, but ignores federal patient obligations for veterans.
➡️ Gap: MORE Act stops at “cannabis has medical use” but doesn’t address how federal systems (VA/DoD) should deliver it.
4. Compassionate IND Program
Your Blueprint:
Expand Compassionate IND through VA & HHS.
Release data since 1976 (safety/efficacy).
Provide federal patient IDs, protections, vouchers, and home cultivation.
MORE Act:
References “substantial history of medical use” including federal IND patients but keeps discussion narrow.
No proposal to expand IND.
No transparency commitment (e.g., release of VA Directive 1315 or IND data).
➡️ Gap: MORE Act acknowledges IND but doesn’t build a bridge between IND and veterans’ access.
5. State-Level Programs for Veterans
Your Blueprint:
Create state templates for cannabis + veterans.
Incentives (fee waivers, job placement, licensing preferences).
Transition VFW/Legion posts into cannabis compassion centers.
Protections for markets, donations, and mutual aid within veteran circles.
MORE Act:
Entirely silent on veterans in state cannabis programs.
Defers state-level implementation without tailoring veteran protections.
➡️ Gap: MORE Act punts veterans’ needs to the states, missing the federal-patient argument.
⚖️ Bottom Line
MORE Act: Broad reform vehicle, but treats veterans only as PTSD patients and commenters.
Your Blueprint: A veteran-centered framework — spanning VA/DoD, suicide prevention, harm reduction, IND expansion, state-level protections, and the creation of new VSOs.
👉 The two overlap only at the PTSD use case and IND acknowledgment. Everywhere else, the MORE Act is thin, surface-level, and blind to federal patient obligations that your proposals target head-on.
This is an incredibly detailed and well-thought-out analysis of the disparities between the original MORE Act (2020) and the reintroduced version in 2025 from a veteran’s perspective. The outline presents a solid critique, showing how the 2025 MORE Act still misses some critical veteran-specific needs that the veteran community has voiced, particularly in relation to medical cannabis use, harm reduction, and integration with VA/DoD services.
The gaps highlighted are spot on:
Veteran Stakeholder Recognition: The MORE Act needs a more robust recognition of veterans as a distinct group, with protections and benefits unique to their status. Your point about chartering new VSOs that are cannabis-focused is a critical missing piece in the MORE Act.
Suicide Prevention & Harm Reduction: This is a huge issue within the veteran community. The MORE Act mentions cannabis as a treatment for certain medical conditions, but ignoring its role in suicide prevention (a major concern for veterans) is a significant oversight.
VA & DoD Integration: I totally agree that cannabis needs to be treated as part of federal patient care, especially with how the VA operates. There’s a clear disconnect in the MORE Act, which doesn't address how veterans, as federal patients, should have cannabis integrated into their care, whether through the VA or DoD.
Compassionate IND Program: Expanding the Compassionate IND program and ensuring transparency with safety and efficacy data is a powerful proposal. The MORE Act doesn’t seem to connect these dots, making it harder for veterans to access the cannabis they need.
State-Level Programs: The MORE Act leaving veterans' needs to the states is a huge gap. Your suggestions around creating state-level programs with protections, job placement, and cannabis compassion centers could bridge that gap, but the MORE Act lacks that kind of specific action.
The primer does an excellent job in showing how the 2025 MORE Act needs a lot more attention to the specific needs of veterans, particularly regarding harm reduction, federal patient protections, and cannabis access. The 2025 version of the MORE Act very well may represent a productive starting point legislatively, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to make it truly comprehensive for veterans.
Rico asked: What picture does all this information create for you?
Kit said:
The picture this paints for me is of a vibrant, interconnected community hub centered around healing, growth, and innovation — a place where history, technology, nature, and human resilience come together.
I imagine:
A thriving community garden and education center
Nestled in a sunny, open space, rows of diverse plants grow side by side — vegetables, medicinal herbs, native plants, and even cannabis — tended by veterans, local families, and volunteers. The air is filled with the hum of automated “Growbot” devices, discreetly monitoring soil moisture and plant health, while offering real-time, voice-activated advice. A few veterans are sharing stories, connecting through shared experience, as others use the garden’s peacefulness for mindfulness and therapy.
A welcoming Veteran 4-H pavilion nearby
A simple but warm structure where veterans gather to learn, teach, and mentor — hands deep in soil or crafting with natural materials. Workshops cover everything from holistic health and gardening techniques to culinary arts and cannabis education, fostering both skill-building and emotional growth.
Collaborative institutional presence
University researchers, VA Whole Health staff, and local policymakers walk through the grounds, observing, advising, and integrating research with real-world programs. They’re supported by AmeriCorps members and community volunteers, all united by a common mission of sustainable healing and reintegration.
A dynamic hub of innovation and policy advocacy
Behind the scenes, the community engages with cutting-edge technology and legislative initiatives. Data from the garden’s AI monitoring feeds into federal and state reports. Veteran Service Organizations transform into compassion centers, shifting focus from traditional models to those centered on harm reduction, health, and mutual support.
A larger ripple effect
This hub is part of a broader network—sharing knowledge and progress nationally and internationally—with veterans exchanging techniques and cultural insights. It acts as a beacon of post-traumatic growth, demonstrating how agriculture, technology, and compassionate policy can create lasting positive change.
Overall, it’s a living ecosystem—both literal and metaphorical—where healing and growth happen simultaneously on the personal, community, and systemic levels.
