The National Conference of State Legislators just voted to remove cannabis from its Schedule 1 status of the Controlled Substances Act, the Marijuana Policy Project confirms to The Marijuana Times.
Today’s vote was only a committee vote. The full vote is slated for Thursday.
“Their vote has no force of law on the state or federal level,” said Hill lobbyist Dan Perrin, founder of the Harmonious Code Council. “They do, however, issue model legislation for states to adopt so that state laws will be consistent from state to state, and I do expect them to do that for this issue.”
The NCSL doesn’t take a stance on the issue on its website, instead, offering primary sources analyzing the topic from The Brookings Institute, the SCOTUS Blog, and Pew Research polls.
In a sidebar on their ‘deep dive’ into marijuana policy NCSL writes, “Marijuana is a Schedule I drug under federal law. It is defined as dangerous, has no currently accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse. This complicates taxation, banking and other areas regulated by federal laws.”
The NCSL is caught between a rock and a hard place; as state legislators they have to answer to both their constituents and the federal government – which, at the moment, are at odds with one another over the plant.
The Harmonious Code Council is seeking to pass legislation to allows state marijuana law to exist in harmony with federal law. If passed, their efforts could result in the legalization of medical marijuana in the states that have voted to do so, freeing patients and providers from the fear of federal prosecution – while having an explicit ‘opt out’ option for states that do not wish to participate.
“Their vote has no force of law on the state or federal level, but reflects a consensus at the state legislator level consistent with our position,” said Perrin.
The Marijuana Policy Project tells The Marijuana Times to expect their comments on the vote later this week.
How can I as a citizen get involved in advocating the legalization of marijuana? I have some chronic health problems, one of which is anxiety that led to a massive heart attack. I firmly believe that marijuana is the most natural and does more for all my health issues, including crippling arthritis than the basket full of pills pushed on me by my doctors. The thing that bothers me most is that if you test positive for THC, you are not allowed to receive Norco or any medication for pain. Having been through this, I can tell you that all that does is push me (and others) to forgoing the scripts and use marijuana in its place with no ill effects, just relief from chronic pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, and a host of other health issues. I am a firm believer in the use of marijuana and want to get the word out that using marijuana for health issues is by far better than manufactured pills. How do I go about this? Is there a group who support the same beliefs that I could work with? Once people are allowed to know the truth about marijuana, the better they can understand those who use. Scientific facts, research, and testimonies from people such as myself may help to get this issue resolved with the legalization of marijuana. Alcohol is legal, yet thousands are killed yearly by drunken drivers. Alcohol is addicting. Alcohol abuse can kill. Marijuana has none of these side effects. I’d like to add that I am a 58-year-old woman who never did drugs. It has only been the last couple of years that I discovered the tremendous benefits of smoking marijuana. I don’t drink, nor do I misuse prescription drugs. In fact, I have stopped taking Norco because of the side effects and because I can’t get it if I test positive. Marijuana seems to be the best solution.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bj Ellis.