Posted on 05/13/2021 6:54:09 AM PDT by NobleFree
Republican congressmen on Wednesday introduced a bill that would decriminalize cannabis federally, direct federal regulators to develop rules overseeing its sale and grant safe harbor to financial institutions that bank with the industry.
Reps. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, and Don Young, R-Ark. introduced the bill, entitled the Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses and Medical Professionals Act, pitching it as an overdue corrective to outdated federal cannabis policy.
"With more than 40 states taking action on this issue, it's past time for Congress to recognize that continued cannabis prohibition is neither tenable nor the will of the American electorate," Joyce said in a statement.
The bill would remove cannabis from the federal schedule of controlled substances only once federal regulators, including the U.S.Food and Drug Administration and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the Treasury Department, issue rules to regulate marijuana.
"Such rules shall, to the extent practicable, be similar to federal rules regulating alcohol," according to the bill. The agencies would have a year to develop those rules upon passage of the act.
In addition to descheduling cannabis, the bill would shield banks and any other service providers that do business with legal cannabis entities from criminal liability. It would also allow physicians to recommend cannabis treatment for veterans in jurisdictions with medical marijuana programs.
"This bill takes significant steps to modernize our laws by removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and allowing the VA to prescribe medical cannabis to veterans, in addition to finally permitting state-legal cannabis businesses to utilize traditional financial services," Young said in a statement.
The bill has the backing of some cannabis advocacy organizations, including the omnibus group U.S. Cannabis Council, launched earlier this year, the National Medicinal Cannabis Coalition and the National Cannabis Roundtable.
"It is incredibly encouraging to see Republican leadership to end the federal prohibition and criminalization of cannabis," Steven W. Hawkins, interim president and CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, said in a statement. "Cannabis reform is truly a bipartisan matter ripe for immediate solution.
The 14-page bill made its debut ahead of a more comprehensive piece of cannabis reform legislation that has been teased for months by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore. That legislation is expected to emphasize restorative justice, expungement of convictions, community reinvestment and public health, the lawmakers have said, but its details have not been released.
Shortly after Joyce and Young announced their bill, Schumer tweeted on Wednesday that he and the other senators were continuing to refine the legislation. "We must finally end the federal prohibition on marijuana, advance criminal justice reform and ensure equity for communities impacted by the War on Drugs," he said.
Other federal cannabis reform bills introduced this session include the SAFE Banking bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in April on a 321-101 vote. That bill would shield from legal liability banks and other financial institutions that do business with state-legal cannabis entities.
Actually it speaks more to the delusional moral Authority that Libertarians think they have over everyone else. You are not for Liberty, you are for license, you want everything immoral to be allowed with no controls on morality of any kind by any law. You wanted to be a free-for-all. This is why Libertarians should never have power.
There is for a Sched II Narcotic. A big leap to remove in USC. Cannabis/Marijuana THC is a Sched. II agent. Every physician knows this. Prescribe Marinol— legal prescription THC per ora with a specific indication.
Clinicians know this, as do the “industry”. Nice argument though. Govt. by regulation is what is had— and the subject of massive amounts of money from illegal trade. See: Cartels,oh and fentanyl laced weed, fentanyl from Chi-Coms (not the usual way through anaesthesiology applications)- thus it is a natsec issue. Narcoterror. remember them? Dey still out dere, making life pleasant and supporting the “defund” initiatives.
And, there most certainly is a precendent legal Constitutional argument. Very different from any 10th Amendment argument. Federalist decisions. Got no problem with CBD and the legitimate use for clinically indicated uses. Zero THC. And don’t get started on pharmacology- no time. Have another stiff for COD.
People who support drug legalization have lost their minds
Is that a "yes, I'm against federal adherence to the Constitution"?
Actually it speaks more to the delusional moral Authority that Libertarians think they have over everyone else. You are not for Liberty, you are for license, you want everything immoral to be allowed with no controls on morality of any kind by any law. You wanted to be a free-for-all.
You got all that from "federal adherence to the Constitution"? Amazing.
There is for a Sched II Narcotic.
Wrong - there is no Constitutional argument for the federal Controlled Substances Act or its schedules.
fentanyl laced weed, fentanyl from Chi-Coms (not the usual way through anaesthesiology applications)- thus it is a natsec issue.
There is no Constitutional argument for federal involvement in anything and everything that can be labeled "natsec." The feds have the authority to forbid importation of fentanyl - but not to forbid anything that can potentially be laced with illegally imported fentanyl.
Your constant repetition in order to avoid the point that I made only proves me even more correct
People who support drug legalization have lost their minds
Is that a "yes, I'm against federal adherence to the Constitution"?
Actually it speaks more to the delusional moral Authority that Libertarians think they have over everyone else.
I'm not a Libertarian, I'm a constitutionalist. Are you?
You are not for Liberty, you are for license, you want everything immoral to be allowed with no controls on morality of any kind by any law. You wanted to be a free-for-all.
Ending unconstitutional federal involvement in within-state marijuana policy will not yield a "free-for-all".
“If trucking firms are using the standard marijuana test that detects use from as long as weeks ago, they should stop shooting themselves in the foot.”
All marijuana testing of truck drivers should be thrown out.
Driving while impaired should remain illegal; trucking firms should hire and fire as they please - but I recommend they do so on rational bases.
You’re promoting drugs like a Libertarian and you’re promoting drugs like a liberal so I don’t even know why you’re on this website
“You’re promoting drugs”
False. What I promote is that the federal government cease to do something it never had Constitutional authority to do. As is entirely appropriate for a pro-Constitution site.
false
“You’re promoting drugs like a Libertarian and you’re promoting drugs like a liberal so I don’t even know why you’re on this website”
Our obvious and dedicated enemies like Russia, CCP, and Iran are on Noblefree’s side. Dedicated Leftists, too.
Now I’m reading that our armed troops are using weed to “combat boredom”.
The Constitution is on my side.
ACLU too...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.