Veterans Cannabis Analysis, Research, and Effectiveness Act

The Veterans Cannabis Analysis, Research, and Effectiveness (CARE) Act was introduced in the 117th U.S. Congress in 2021 as H.R. 2932 and in the 118th Congress as H.R. 3584 in 2023.

The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct and support research on the efficacy and safety of certain forms of cannabis and cannabis delivery for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and diagnosed with conditions such as chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder.

The 2021 bill was advanced to committees but did not reach the floor. The latter bill was announced in April, and introduced by Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican, in May, 2023, and the United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health held hearings on the bill on March 21, 2024. At the hearings, the VA supported the bill with amendments.