We’re far from experts on the twists and turns of national legislating, even though the House Rules Committee has decided not to allow any medical cannabis amendments to the appropriations bill to come to the floor for a vote, nonetheless the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment – a version of which has passed every year since 2014 – is still in the Senate version and may end up being part of any final legislation.
The amendment prevents the federal arrest or prosecution of people acting in accordance with state medical marijuana laws. The current version expires on 9/30.
[NOTE: Not in this story is a surprising deal just announced between the President and Congressional Democrats which may further effect any deal. But this is where House action ended yesterday.]
There seems little doubt that the current action reflects the hostility of US Attorney General Sessions toward medical cannabis, given a) that the amendment has previously passed by wide margins, and b) national support has only continued to grow, reaching over 90% in recent polls.
In any event, the huge gap between government and the popular will of the people continues.
Also rejected by the Committee were a number of other proposals detailed in the article.
“Wednesday’s actions left many in the legalization movement momentarily deflated, but ready to fight for the measure in reconciliation with the Senate.
‘Unless Congress chooses the Senate version, millions of seriously ill patients and the legitimate businesses that provide them with safe access to their medicine will be at risk of prosecution,’ said Don Murphy, director of conservative outreach for the Marijuana Policy Project. “This vote is a slap in the face of patients, their families, their elected representatives, and the 10th Amendment.”
#MMJ #Congress #Legislation #USpol #UTpol #TRUCE
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See full article – House Committee Rejects Medical Marijuana Protections | Leafly
