Both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives took action to increase military veterans’ access to medical marijuana on Thursday. US lawmakers have passed a measure to allow Veterans Administration doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states that have legalized it. Marijuana can help with conditions like PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. Up to one in five veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq experience PTSD each year and 30 percent of Vietnam vets have suffered from the disorder at some stage, according to VA stats. The Independent reports: The bill was introduced by Democrat Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and acts to strike down a restriction on these doctors which prevents them from recommending medical marijuana for treatment of pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and as a way to deal with growing numbers of opioid abuse and suicides. “I have been deeply troubled about our inability to adequately deal with our returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan,” Mr Blumenauer said, as reported by The Huffington Post. “A lot of them are suffering from PTSD, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, and these are all conditions that have been shown to respond to medical marijuana.” House passes my amendment, 233-189, to [...]