03 Mar Bi-Partisan Team Introduces Federal Cannabis Decriminalization Bill

Republican Congressman Tom Garrett this week introduced a bill that would decriminalize marijuana and remove it from the list of controlled substances as a “Schedule I drug.” The bill is called the “Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017.” With Garrett as sponsor is Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Bernie Sanders tried to do this a few years ago and it went nowhere. What will happen now? Not feeling too optimistic frankly.

Since the Controlled Substances Act came into being in the 1970s, marijuana was classified to be considered as dangerous as heroin and LSD. Even oxycodone is Schedule II. Of course that is ridiculous given what we know today. But there remain old school voices that point to the lack of significant research to show that pot is not dangerous. Why is there no research? Because its Schedule I status makes it almost impossible to get research dollars or actual cannabis to use. That is slowly beginning to change as the DEA last year opened up more opportunities to grow cannabis for research.

Let’s at least hope the Rohrabacher-Farr amendments to appropriations bills will be renewed. They prohibited the use of federal funds to go after folks complying with state cannabis laws, but have to be renewed every year. The current one expires next month. With Sean Spicer saying good things about medical marijuana (we like) but hinting at more enforcement in the recreational space (not like), and Attorney General Sessions in the hot seat, it is interesting times for sure in this burgeoning industry!