"For years, medical marijuana patients and organizations protected under state laws have faced scrutiny from the federal government. However, the new $1.1 trillion federal spending bill has excluded medical marijuana enforcement from funding on a federal level.
This is a giant leap for U.S. drug policy, as states are now finally getting the freedom to enact and enforce their own medical marijuana laws. It’s about damn time too, considering a whopping 78% of Americans support medical marijuana and about 50% of them support recreational use.
Bill Piper, director of the Drug Policy Alliance’s office of national affairs had this to say:
- See more at: http://massreport.com/congress-forfeits-war-on-medical-marijuana/#sthash.HeHhwl6t.dpufFor the first time, Congress is letting states set their own medical marijuana and hemp policies, a huge step forward for sensible drug policy… States will continue to reform their marijuana laws and Congress will be forced to accommodate them. It’s not a question of if, but when, federal marijuana prohibition will be repealed.”
Sensible indeed, since the Obama administration has spent around $300 million enforcing policies that should have been enforced alone by the state to begin with. Shutting down licensed businesses and prosecuting patients and growers that are protected under state law doesn’t seem like the wisest way to spend $300 million.
“Congress has finally listened to the vast majority of Americans who believe the federal government has no right to interfere in the personal decision to use medical marijuana made by a patient in consultation with his or her doctor,” says Major Neill Franklin (Ret.) executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, “Law enforcement never should have been a part of that decision and if this amendment passes, they no longer will.”
“This legislation makes it clear that the D.E.A. has no business interfering in states’ medical marijuana laws,” Marijuana Policy Project communications director Mason Tvert says, “Taxpayer money should not be used to punish seriously ill people who use medical marijuana and the caregivers who provide it to them.”
Though this is good news, this compromise is only reached as long as the new DOJ measure is in effect, and unfortunately, it ends in September 2015. So while medical marijuana patients and suppliers can breathe easy for a little while, advocates and lobbyists are still working to make this particular amendment permanent.
- See more at: http://massreport.com/congress-forfeits-war-on-medical-marijuana/#sthash.HeHhwl6t.dpufhttp://massreport.com/congress-forfeits-war-on-medical-marijuana/
