Senators seek End of Federal Ban on Medical Marijuana
Posted by Sagar Satapathy on March 10, 2015.
A group of three Senators are all set to introduce a historic bill, which could end the federal ban on medical marijuana. The bill is moved by Republican Senator Rand Paul and Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand. The bill seeks to allow patients, doctors and businesses in states that have already passed medical-marijuana laws to carry on their operations without fear of federal prosecution.
Currently, 23 states in the United States have legalized medical marijuana, but it still remains illegal under federal law. While only few American states favor the legalization of recreational marijuana, medical marijuana still remains a good choice for majority of states, although many of them have been unable to pass any legislation due to several external factors.
The new bill would reclassify marijuana in the federal scheduling system from schedule 1 to 2. It would also permanently prevent the federal government from shutting down medical marijuana operations in states where they are legal. This is the first time in history the Senate would consider a bill seeking to allow medical marijuana.
Under schedule 1, the federal government does not consider marijuana as a medical substance terms it as a key factor for abuse. Under schedule 2, the federal government would acknowledge marijuana as a medical substance with high potential for abuse. The new legislation would also exclude CBD, a non-psychoactive compound with medicinal properties that's available in marijuana.
