The House of Representatives voted on several pro-pot amendments on Wednesday, June 3, aimed at tackling the sticky issue of conflicts that arise when the Department of Justice interferes with state implementation of local marijuana laws.
In many ways, the marijuana measures, which would be tacked onto the FY2016 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill, reflect the “chronic” policy and political complications that have unfolded in the state-led push to legalize marijuana.
First led by California in the mid-1990s, 23 states and the District of Columbia now allow for “comprehensive public medical marijuana” use. Marijuana is only legal for recreational use in four states: Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon.
One congressional amendment, offered by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-Col.), would prohibit federal funds from being used to interfere with any state marijuana laws including recreational use.
“It only affects jurisdiction that is strictly and solely the rightful province of the states as pertains of their affairs, strictly and solely within their own borders,” said McClintock on the House floor, defending the constitutionality of his amendment to critics. “We must ask ourselves, do we believe in the 10th amendment or do we not? Do we believe in federalism or do we not? Do we believe in the architecture of our constitution, or do we not? Do we believe in freedom or do we not?”
California lawmakers Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican, and Rep. Sam Farr, a Democrat, have offered their bi-partisan medical marijuana amendment—an effort they previously worked to pass.
The measure would prohibit federal funds from interfering with states’ medical marijuana laws.
“The practical aspect of this vote is based on the realization that at a time of severely limited resources it makes sense to target terrorists, criminals and other threats to the American people rather than use federal law enforcement resources to prevent suffering and sick people from using a weed that may or may not alleviate their suffering,” said Rohrabacher on the House floor on Wednesday.
The Rohrabacher-Farr amendment was passed last year by a vote of 219-189 but needs to be renewed each fiscal year.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) also has an amendment up for a vote that would block federal spending from being used to prevent states from allowing the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of industrial hemp. And one from Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) would prevent federal funds from stopping states from implementing laws that relate to cannabidiol oil.
Earlier this year, President Barack Obama suggested the administration should have a different, nuanced approach to the issue of medicinal marijuana.
“Not only do I think carefully prescribed medical use of marijuana may in fact be appropriate and we should follow the science as opposed to ideology on the issue, but I’m also on record as saying that the more we treat some of these issues related to drug abuse from a public health model and not just from an incarceration model, the better off we’re going to be,” said Obama in a CNN documentary on the subject.
(With reports from NBC News)
