DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE: Last week the U.S. House sent a resounding message to the DEA and DOJ to stop interfering with state medical marijuana laws.
Today, the U.S. Senate echoed that message. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to protect state medical marijuana laws 21-9, passing an amendment from Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).
After decades of inactivity on marijuana reform, the Senate has moved at lightning pace this year. In another vote today, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment from Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) to protect state industrial hemp laws from DOJ interference. And less than a month ago, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the bipartisan Daines-Merkley amendment allowing Veterans Administration (VA) doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where medical marijuana is legal.
We’re witnessing the death throes of the federal government’s war on medical marijuana.
Here is the vote:
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) : YES
Christopher Coons (D-DE): YES
Dick Durbin (D-IL): YES
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): NO
Patrick Leahy (D-VT): YES
Jeff Merkley (D-OR): YES
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD): YES
Chris Murphy (D-CT): YES
Patty Murray (D-WA): YES
Jack Reed (D-RI): YES
Brian Schatz (D-HI): YES
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): YES
Jon Tester (D-MT): YES
Tom Udall (D-NM): YES
Lamar Alexander (R-TN): YES
Roy Blunt (R-MO): YES
John Boozman (R-AR): NO
Shelley Capito (R-WV): YES
Bill Cassidy (R-LA): YES
Thad Cochran (R-MS): NO
Susan Collins (R-ME): YES
Steve Daines (R-MT): YES
Lindsey Graham (R-SC): NO
John Hoeven (R-ND): NO
Mark Kirk (R-IL): NO
James Lankford (R-OK): NO
Mitch McConnell (R-KY): NO
Jerry Moran (R-KS): YES
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): YES
Richard Shelby (R-AL): NO
NEWSLANC EDITOR: So where was Sen. Pat Toomey, hiding under his desk?
