3 marijuana amendments pass today

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Email from Drug Policy Alliance

Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to prevent the DEA and the Department of Justice from interfering with state medical marijuana laws, and narrowly voted against protecting broader legalization in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. 

The bipartisan Rohrabacher-Farr amendment protecting medical marijuana laws passed 242 to 186, and the McClintock-Polis amendment protecting all state marijuana laws lost 206 to 222.

This is the second year in a row we helped pass the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, as its protections were about to expire if it wasn’t passed again. 

And this is the first year the McClintock-Polis amendment protecting all state marijuana laws was introduced. Considering this is the first vote ever to completely end marijuana prohibition, the results are very encouraging. With enough work and grassroots pressure I believe we can win this vote next year. 

You can see how your representative voted for the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment here, http://dpa.convio.net/site/R?i=gio5haScJkwhFsRnXd9KfQ and for the McClintock-Polis amendment here. http://dpa.convio.net/site/R?i=4d7_rKWpoiSQdpI_1yp4qg

The House also overwhelmingly voted to protect state hemp laws 282 to 146, and CBD laws 297 to 130. 

Overall we won three important drug policy reform votes today. 

These votes came just a day after the U.S. House unanimously voted to stop the DEA’s domestic spying program, and cut $23 million from the DEA’s budget, shifting those resources to fight child abuse and process rape test kits.

And last month, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted to lift the ban on Veterans Administration doctors recommending medical marijuana to their patients in states where it’s legal. 

You can read more on all these victories in our press release here. http://dpa.convio.net/site/R?i=_8S82KHidiwIq6A0rVpGSQ

We have a long way to go, but over these last two days we took huge steps toward ending federal marijuana prohibition, reining in the scandal-ridden DEA, and creating a future where drug policies are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights. 

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