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Marijuana issues: Busy week in Washington, D.C
Medical Politics 

Marijuana issues: Busy week in Washington, D.C

Marianna Hauglie , , , , , , ,

Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill at sunset. (Photo via Flickr user Thomas Hawk)

By Brianna Gurciullo
@News21

Posted: June 12, 2015

PHOENIX – The U.S. Senate’s appropriations committee on Thursday approved a measure that would forbid the federal government from encroaching on states’ medical marijuana laws.

The U.S. House passed a similar provision, which was part of a Justice Department funding bill, last week. It marked the second year in a row that the House had approved an amendment preventing the DOJ from using its funds to overrule state medical marijuana laws.

During a so-called “marijuana vote-a-rama” last week, the House also gave the green light to provisions that would keep the DOJ from interfering in state hemp laws, protect states that allow cannabidiol oil use and redirect Drug Enforcement Administration money away from marijuana law enforcement.

One House proposal did fail: an amendment that would have prevented federal government interference in all state marijuana laws, including those allowing recreational use. The measure fell short with 206 – including 45 Republicans – in favor and 222 opposed.

The Senate committee’s approval of the state medical marijuana measure comes a month after it voted to allow Veterans Affairs doctors to recommend medical marijuana to veterans if they live in a state where it is legal.

A House appropriations subcommittee passed a bill Thursday that would block D.C. from spending money on creating a system to regulate and tax recreational marijuana sales for at least two years.

A nearly identical provision was part of a congressional budget plan last year, preventing the city from creating a legal market for the drug. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., who wrote that rider, told CQ Roll Call that Congress is unlikely to do any more to interfere with D.C. policy.

“We don’t need anything else,” he said. “That language is adequate.”

Marijuana legalization advocates have praised the bill for not trying to overturn Initiative 71, which allows district residents to grow, possess and use marijuana recreationally.

Brianna Gurciullo is the Kathryn Green Endowment and the Stephen Holly Bronz Endowment fellow. Reach her on Twitter at @brigurciullo.