Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker were in Manhattan Sunday, touting their proposed legislation to allow patients in states that have legalized medical marijuana to access the drug without fear of federal prosecution.
The bill, which is also supported by Republican senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Dean Heller of Nevada, would classify marijuana as a Schedule II drug, meaning the federal government would acknowledge it could be used as medicine.
"Over the last few months, I've met with many families from our state who desperately need access to medical marijuana, which doctors say will help these children," Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, said standing beside families who believe their children could be helped by medical marijuana. "These incredible families will have to risk violating outdated federal laws just to access the care their doctors have prescribed. ... The government should not prevent doctors from prescribing medicine that has been shown to work."
Though 23 states, including New York, have legalized medical marijuana, federal law prohibits the drug to be sold, prescribed or possessed. The Obama administration has promised to look the other way, but that decision could be reversed by the next administration's justice department.
Work on the bill is just beginning, said Booker, a New Jersey Democrat.
It's not yet clear if there are enough votes in the Senate or the House, where Republican leadership may be uneasy about a bill that increases access to marijuana.
Last year, the House was able to pass a measure to cut funds for Drug Enforcement Agency raids on medical marijuana operations, but no one in the Republican leadership supported the amendment, which passed because of support from Democrats.
Booker said he will soon meet with Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the Virginia Republican who chairs the House Judiciary committee and last year criticized President Obama for failing to enforce federal drug laws in states that permit medical and recreational marijuana use.
"There are no studies out there that support any finding that medical marijuana helps with any illness of any kind that is not already helped by medicine," Goodlatte said last summer.
That's not entirely true and advocates argue that legal medications often come with debilitating side effects far worse than side effects from marijuana.
Gillibrand said convincing skeptics is just a matter of education and her goal is to pass the bill this year.
"We know how important this medicine is," she said. "We just need to explain it to our colleagues because they may not have had any exposure to it."
The Senate bill would also allow states to import cannbidiol and permit financial services for businesses lawfully distributing medical marijuana.
"This bill seeks to right decades of wrong and end harmful marijuana laws that are overcrminializing our nation and turning people who are seeking what is best for their children and their families, our doctors and medical professionals into criminals," Booker said. "This is unacceptable."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Gillibrand, Booker tout medical marijuana bill | Capital New York
Author: Dan Goldberg
Contact: gillian@capitalnewyork.com
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ernst
Website: Capital New York | Politics, Media News
The bill, which is also supported by Republican senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Dean Heller of Nevada, would classify marijuana as a Schedule II drug, meaning the federal government would acknowledge it could be used as medicine.
"Over the last few months, I've met with many families from our state who desperately need access to medical marijuana, which doctors say will help these children," Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, said standing beside families who believe their children could be helped by medical marijuana. "These incredible families will have to risk violating outdated federal laws just to access the care their doctors have prescribed. ... The government should not prevent doctors from prescribing medicine that has been shown to work."
Though 23 states, including New York, have legalized medical marijuana, federal law prohibits the drug to be sold, prescribed or possessed. The Obama administration has promised to look the other way, but that decision could be reversed by the next administration's justice department.
Work on the bill is just beginning, said Booker, a New Jersey Democrat.
It's not yet clear if there are enough votes in the Senate or the House, where Republican leadership may be uneasy about a bill that increases access to marijuana.
Last year, the House was able to pass a measure to cut funds for Drug Enforcement Agency raids on medical marijuana operations, but no one in the Republican leadership supported the amendment, which passed because of support from Democrats.
Booker said he will soon meet with Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the Virginia Republican who chairs the House Judiciary committee and last year criticized President Obama for failing to enforce federal drug laws in states that permit medical and recreational marijuana use.
"There are no studies out there that support any finding that medical marijuana helps with any illness of any kind that is not already helped by medicine," Goodlatte said last summer.
That's not entirely true and advocates argue that legal medications often come with debilitating side effects far worse than side effects from marijuana.
Gillibrand said convincing skeptics is just a matter of education and her goal is to pass the bill this year.
"We know how important this medicine is," she said. "We just need to explain it to our colleagues because they may not have had any exposure to it."
The Senate bill would also allow states to import cannbidiol and permit financial services for businesses lawfully distributing medical marijuana.
"This bill seeks to right decades of wrong and end harmful marijuana laws that are overcrminializing our nation and turning people who are seeking what is best for their children and their families, our doctors and medical professionals into criminals," Booker said. "This is unacceptable."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Gillibrand, Booker tout medical marijuana bill | Capital New York
Author: Dan Goldberg
Contact: gillian@capitalnewyork.com
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ernst
Website: Capital New York | Politics, Media News
