Marijuana Use Under Scrutiny In New Medicaid Cost And Health Impact GOP-Backed Bill

By Jelena Martinovic, Featured Writer

A new piece of legislation from a Republican senator duo focuses on tracking how much marijuana-related healthcare is costing Medicaid.

U.S. Senator Ted Budd, joined by Pete Ricketts, has recently introduced the Marijuana Impact on Medicaid Act of 2026. This bill requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to gather data on federal and state Medicaid spending. The focus is on marijuana-related inpatient and outpatient hospital care, as well as emergency room visits.

Highlighting concerns over both health risks and public spending, Senator Budd called for more transparency around the effects of marijuana use on Medicaid.

“The health consequences tied to marijuana use are serious, leading to increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, psychotic disorders, and further addictions,” Senator Budd said in a press release on Monday. “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”.

The result of this policy change is providing Congress members with clearer data on the public health and financial impact of marijuana use.

Under the bill, HHS is also required to submit a report to Congress within one year, including a summary of findings and policy recommendations.

“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,” Budd said.

The bill is backed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana, an American political organization that openly opposes the legalization and commercialization of cannabis.

Kevin A. Sabet, the group’s CEO, “enthusiastically” supports the new legislative push.

“Senator Budd’s bill calls for an accounting of taxpayer-funded health programs and the impact of normalizing this dangerous drug on their costs—and that’s long overdue,” Sabet said.

Of course, Sabet’s stance doesn’t come as a surprise as he has built much of his career around opposing cannabis legalization.

From his beginnings in government as a drug policy advisor in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy across multiple administrations to co-founding Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) with former congressman Patrick Kennedy in 2013 and beyond, Sabet has been consistently arguing that cannabis poses risks to mental health, addiction, and public safety.