Two Republican senators have introduced legislation that would direct the federal government to track the cost of hospitalization due to marijuana use.
The Marijuana Impact on Medicaid Act of 2026, sponsored by Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), would direct the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to gather data on “Federal and State expenditures under the Medicaid program…that are attributable to costs incurred for providing medical assistance for inpatient hospital services, outpatient hospital services, and for services received at a hospital emergency room…related to marijuana use.”
Under the bill, a report containing that data would be submitted to Congress within one year of enactment, alongside any recommendations for legislative or administrative action the HHS secretary considers appropriate.
“The health consequences tied to marijuana use are serious, leading to increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, psychotic disorders and further addictions,” Budd said in a press release. “When legislating on this issue, Congress needs to put the health and safety of the American people first, full stop.”
“This is exactly why lawmakers need access to reliable data that details Medicaid spending associated with marijuana abuse,” he said. “Millions of Americans rely on Medicaid healthcare benefits, and my legislation will ensure Congress understands the dangers of this drug and its impact on federally funded health programs.”
Ricketts added that “marijuana is a dangerous drug.”
“The average THC potency in marijuana has more than tripled since 1995,” he said. “High-potency marijuana is an increasingly concerning threat to public health. It is important for Congress and HHS to understand the costs and impact to healthcare of increased marijuana usage.”
The bill’s text closely mirrors two amendments Budd previously filed on the cannabis and hospitalization issue that were never brought to a vote on the Senate floor.
Opponents of legalization have frequently argued that cannabis drives a rise in hospital visits stemming from accidents and excessive intoxication.
Budd and fellow Republican senators sent a letter the previous year urging President Donald Trump not to follow through with plans to federally reschedule marijuana.
In 2024, Budd questioned federal, state, and local officials about what steps they were taking to enforce marijuana prohibition as an Indian tribe prepared to launch recreational cannabis sales on its lands in North Carolina.
Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan.
