This kind of fate of reform legislation is all to familiar to Utahns who saw the same thing happen to SB73 in 2016 in Utah’s own House Health and Human Services Committee.
This “pocket defeat” is another indication of how entrenched interests are willfully out of touch with both evidence and public opinion, and why Ballot Initiative activity around the US has reached an unprecedented level, especially all for the same issue.
“Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), sponsor of the amendment, said in a statement, ‘All we want is equal treatment for our wounded warriors. This provision overwhelmingly passed on the House floor last year – and bipartisan support has only grown. It’s outrageous that the Rules Committee won’t even allow a vote for our veterans. They deserve better. They deserve compassion.
‘Given that veterans are more likely to commit suicide or die from opiate overdoses than civilians, our fight to provide them safer alternatives won’t stop here. We have stronger support in the House and Senate than ever before, and we will keep advocating for a more rational approach’.”
See much more in the article.
One can certainly see gaps between the preponderance of public opinion nationwide and the still retrograde treatment of the issue at the legislative and bureaucratic levels of the US Gov’t – in the VA case here for one – and also where Senator Grassley has also been sitting on successive versions of the CARERS act in his own Committee as well.
That’s one man thwarting the opinion of over 85% of the US population who favor state medical cannabis programs.
It makes us thank goodness that ballot initiatives are allowed at the state level at least and at all, however steep and narrow the path is for them. Meanwhile our condolences to the veterans who have been turned away without help for yet a longer wait.
We’re hopeful a current large-scale FDA trial on medical cannabis (started only after years of negotiating with the DEA and NIDA) will provide clear enough evidence to put more pressure on their behalf.
#MMJ #USpol #VA #Legislation #CARERS #UtahNext #TRUCE
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See full article – GOP blocks amendment to allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to vets
