House Blocks DEA From Targeting Medical Marijuana

[RainDog]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/30/dea-medical-marijuana-house-vote_n_5414679.html

A link to this with other information is in LBN.

Rohrabacher said on the House floor that the amendment "should be a no-brainer" for conservatives who support states' rights and argued passionately against allowing the federal government to interfere with a doctor-patient relationship. "Some people are suffering, and if a doctor feels that he needs to prescribe something to alleviate that suffering, it is immoral for this government to get in the way," Rohrabacher said, his voice rising. "And that's what's happening."

The debate pitted three House Republicans who also are doctors against one another. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) and Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) opposed the amendment, while Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) supported it.

Harris insisted that there were no medical benefits to marijuana and that medical marijuana laws were a step toward legalizing recreational pot.

"It's the camel's nose under the tent," said Harris. He cited piece of anti-marijuana propaganda published by the DEA this month that claimed medical marijuana was just "a means to an end" -- the eventual legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. The taxpayer-funded report uses scare quotes around the word "medical."

Harris. LOL. How can a doctor be this resistant to the 1000s of studies that show medical benefit? I feel sorry for any of his patients...

[Eleanors38]

1. Marijuana legalization is like a loose football not whistled down...

Somebody's going to figure it out, pick it up, and run. The GOPers sense this as a way to appeal to younger voters; hopefully Democrats will take the lead.

[RainDog]

2. Democrats have taken the lead, over and over

Republicans, on the other hand, passed an act to be able to sue the president for not coming down on American citizens with the wrath of the DEA after people voted to legalize in CO and WA.

So, the Republican Party is nutsy about this issue - some of them see the economic advantage to ending the war on American citizens, but some just love to have this issue as a way to target minorities.

On the other hand, Democrats such as Polis, Blumenauer, and Cohen, in the House have created bills to address every issue related to remaining prohibition of cannabis.

Republicans don't even want to bring those bills to the floor.

They've done a bipartisan push for this amendment in the budget and earlier with the hemp portion of the farm bill.

btw - they voted to approve the hemp research but they also have a law that says the cannabis plant in any form or species is a schedule I substance, so hemp is illegal, too, and considered no different than recreational marijuana.

So, Congress has some work to do to undo the mess created by the legislatures in the past.

It's time.

[Eleanors38]

3. I want to see a bidding war...

where the Democrats push for the feds getting entirely out of the enforcement business regarding marijuana. Then we get to see what the GOPers will do.

[RainDog]

4. That's the Polis bill

My mouse is misbehaving and copy/paste isn't working. weird. anyway... Polis already wrote a bill to remove cannabis from the CSA and put it under the control of the same bureau that regulates alcohol.

[Eleanors38]

9. Sounds like a good move. It would compel a regulatory scheme.

[Liberaltalker]

5. Don't hold your breath... (pun intended)

How much do you want to bet that some Rupublicant will filibuster this... It only takes one. I bet this never reaches the Presidents desk. God I hate the filibuster rule!

[RainDog]

6. List of Senators contact

Might as well start talking about this now...

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Liberaltalker]

7. Contacting my Senator wont do any good...

One of my Senators is Diane Feinstein and I already know where she stands on this issue, and it is not on the side of justice. She definitely goes against the grain on what her constituents want when it comes to this topic. I really do hope she loses a primary election some day soon...

[RainDog]

8. Contacting your Senator will do some good

Because you will have participated in the democratic process by letting your representatives know how you think you would like them to vote.

The religious right has gotten so much traction in this nation, and one party has given so much attention to their issues in large part because they have well-coordinated call campaigns.

Even if your Senator doesn't vote the way you would like, she or he will know where voters stand on issues.

And Feinstein might surprise you on this one - it's only for medical marijuana and only to defund the Justice Dept. spending on raids for legal medical marijuana facilities in states.

If she votes against this - well, that will provide a great talking point for her opponents during primaries. It's a way to build a case against her for future primaries.