Al Franken And Rand Paul Join Forces To Protect Medical Marijuana From Jeff Sessions

[+Malamute]

Al Franken and Rand Paul Join Forces to Protect Medical Marijuana from Jeff Sessions

 

http://rare.us/rare-politics/rare-liberty/war-on-drugs-rare-liberty/rand-paul-and-al-franken-are-teaming-up-to-protect-medical-marijuana-from-jeff-sessions/

 

 

We learned on Tuesday from a leaked letter that Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants Congress to get rid of the current rules that prevent the Department of Justice from interfering with the states that the permit medical marijuana.

 

 

Sessions apparently wants to stop sick people from getting the treatment they currently receive. Cancer patients. Kids with epilepsy. Veterans with PTSD. People suffering from multiple sclerosis, arthritis, glaucoma, HIV, Alzheimer’s — the drug has done wonders for many who are ill.

 

To date, medical marijuana has been legalized in 29 states and Washington, D.C.

 

 

But Sessions reportedly wants to stop all this because he probably thinks “Reefer Madness” is a documentary.

 

 

Thankfully, Republican Senators Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Lisa Murkowski are teaming up with Democrats Al Franken, Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand to support a bill that would protect states that allow medical marijuana from any federal interference. This legislation would also remove current obstacles to medical marijuana research.

 

 

There is a House version that also has bipartisan support. The lawmakers are expected to introduce this bill on Thursday.

 

The bill will be a new version of the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act of 2015 (CARERS) originally introduced by Sen. Booker two years ago and that was also sponsored by the bipartisan group of senators pushing the new legislation.

 

The Obama administration showed restraint in prosecuting those who violated federal drug laws in states where medical and recreational marijuana has become legal. Sessions has signaled that he wants to reverse this policy and also start reinforcing drug war-related federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws that President Obama had also relaxed.

 

 

A strong majority of doctors approve of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. According to a Yahoo/Marist poll in April, 83 percent of Americans support legal medical marijuana.

[bax]

an FOIA letter is not a leak. i take umbridge with this framing.

[+Malamute]

Yea.

 

Most stories I found on this were either partisanly divided to a ridiculous level, or slightly off fact.

 

But the important parts are right. They will try to pass a new CARERS Act. Which is a start.

 

AND!!!

 

This is where everybody gets to participate!

 

The 2015 CARERS Act (in the US Senate) never got touched. It was introduced, ended up with 19 co-sponsors by the end. 3 Republicans, 15 Democrats, and 1 Independent.

 

Neither of Michigans Senators were willing to Co-sponsor the bill.

 

Now, what I can say about the 2015 bill is it comes with um ,... somewhat icky language for banking institutions.  I am ALL for working out the banking issue for marijuana businesses, but of course, since it was written by Cory Booker, who is a complete corporate whhore, it offers the banks "extra" favours by using poor language and piggy backing off compassion for medical marijuana to give the banks a back door unneeded favour.

 

The cost I guess? *shrug* Dickweeds.

 

Anyhow,.. If, when the language becomes  available, you support it(likely), then you, yes I mean each and every single one of you, need to contact our Michigan Senators and TELL them to co-sponsor the bill.

 

They are spineless jellyfish democrats who wont stand up for anything, but if given enough backbone support by us, may actually sign on and co sponsor the bill.

 

I will post the new bill when I see the text of it.