Senate Committee Approves Medical Cannabis Protections in Appropriations Spending Bill

Historic move is first time provision to protect state medical cannabis programs from federal interference has been included in original Senate legislation; language was amended to previous spending bills since 2014

Washington, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation that would renew protections for state medical cannabis programs when the current spending budget expires in September. The language, which was introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), prevents the Department of Justice from using any resources to target medical cannabis patients or providers who are in compliance with state laws.

This is the first time that this provision has been included in the original language of the spending bill by either chamber of Congress. Originally added to the federal budget in 2014, this restriction was consistently renewed as an amendment by the Senate or House Appropriations Committees or a continuing resolution in subsequent budgets, most recently in March. Current protections are set to expire on September 30 unless the new spending bill is approved or the current budget is extended.

“Once again, members of Congress have signaled that protecting state-legal medical cannabis is no longer a controversial issue,” said Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “From protecting state medical cannabis programs from being targeted by federal law enforcement to growing support for allowing banks to work with the cannabis industry, lawmakers are increasingly unwilling to waste taxpayer money interfering with legal and responsible cannabis businesses.”

Last month, similar medical cannabis protections were amended to the House Appropriations spending bill in a committee vote.

Cannabis is legal in some form for medical purposes in 46 states. A Quinnipiac University poll released in April showed that 93% of voters support legal access to medical cannabis and 70% oppose enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that have approved cannabis for medical or adult use.

NCIA Statement on House Rules Committee Decision to Block House Vote on Marijuana-related Appropriations Amendments, Including Medical Cannabis Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2017
Contact: Aaron Smith, Executive Director
(888) 683-5650 – communications@thecannabisindustry.org

NCIA Statement on House Rules Committee Decision to Block House Vote on Marijuana-related Appropriations Amendments, Including Medical Cannabis Protections

The Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, which protects state medical marijuana laws, is currently included in the Senate Appropriations bill; Conference committee could include amendment in final bill

Washington, DC – National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) executive director Aaron Smith issued the statement below in response to a late-night vote by the House Rules Committee to block the full House from voting on medical marijuana protections and several other cannabis-related amendments during its upcoming consideration of the omnibus Appropriations bill.

One of the amendments that will not be allowed a vote is the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment (previously known as Rohrabacher-Farr), which has been included in each annual budget since December 2014 and forbids the Justice Department from using federal tax dollars to interfere in the implementation of state medical cannabis laws. Other provisions that will not be allowed a vote include the McClintock-Polis amendment, which would have prohibited the Justice Department from interfering with states’ adult-use marijuana laws in addition to medical marijuana laws, and an amendment sponsored by Rep. Denny Heck that would have prevented the federal government from interfering with financial institutions that choose to service the legal cannabis industry.

According to a national Quinnipiac University poll released early last month, 94% of U.S. voters support legal access to medical cannabis and three out of four (75%) oppose the enforcement of federal prohibition laws in states where cannabis is legal for medical or adult use.

“The Committee’s decision to prevent consideration of the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment attempts to move the country backward at a time when the vast majority of voters are looking to Congress to reform our nation’s outdated marijuana laws. Nine out of 10 Americans support legal access to medical cannabis, making it perhaps the least controversial issue in American politics. Voters of all political persuasions generally agree the federal government should not be using limited resources to interfere in state medical cannabis laws. Shutting down regulated medical cannabis businesses will result in licensed patients resorting to the criminal market to obtain their medicine.

“Fortunately, the amendment is currently included in the Senate’s Appropriations bill, so Congress still has a chance to protect patients and state-legal cannabis businesses in conference committee. We hope leaders on both sides of the aisle will work together to ensure this widely popular amendment is renewed in this year’s spending package.”

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Representing over 1,400 member-businesses, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) is the largest cannabis trade association in the U.S. and the only organization working for cannabis-related businesses at the national level. NCIA promotes the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry and works toward a favorable social, economic, and legal environment for that industry in the United States.

Senate Committee Approves Medical Cannabis Protections in Appropriations Spending Bill