“A Republican congressman has proposed an appropriations amendment to provide safe harbor for medical cannabis research in the majority of U.S. states.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, a freshman lawmaker representing the western panhandle of Florida, this week sponsored an amendment to an upcoming Appropriations Act that, if included and passed, would provide protections for researchers of Schedule I substances in states that have legalized some form of medical cannabis.
‘No one should be afraid to do research on medical cannabis,’ Gaetz said Thursday in an interview.”
We’d love to be more excited about this common sense proposal (which encourages what opponents say they want, i.e., “more science”). After all, there is no shortage of federal legislative reform proposals, and the number of these is unprecedented the last two years.
Still, even given over 90% public support for MC, which has to bode very favorably for the long term, there has been almost no action in the short term on any of the proposals and the Executive Branch has sent very mixed signals at best.
This makes some wish there were national ballot initiatives, but there is no mechanism for any such in the Constitution.
We believe that in the medium and long term, while bumps in the road and rear-guard resistance will make the work difficult, the public’s growing awareness and acceptance of the medical value of MC will lead to reform at all levels and more rational, workable policies guiding cannabis regulation.
#MMJ #Legislation #USpol #UTpol #LetsDoThis #TRUCE
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See full article – Congressman proposes budget amendment to protect marijuana research from DOJ
