Let's suppose the 2015 Commerce, Justice, and Scie
Post# of 768
Posted On: 05/30/2014 12:55:37 PM
Re: bellsandwhistles #125
Let's suppose the 2015 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill passed by the House last night with a two-vote margin also passes through the Senate with Amendment No. 25 intact. Let's further suppose the final appropriations bill that comes out of the House/Senate conference committee survives with Amendment 25 intact and that the final bill also survives another another round of voting in both chambers (House and Senate). Let's suppose O signs that final bill. Does this mean the DOJ and DEA will end their practice of federal interference in those certain states that have legalized MMJ? Maybe not.
Amendment 25: "None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana."
A group of 32 states plus D.C. are cited in Amendment 25. Laws regarding MMJ vary from state to state within this group. The DEA and DOJ could argue that if they determine that growers, purveyors, possessors, or users are not complying with the MMJ law in their respective states, then they have authority to spend taxpayer funds to crack down on "violators."
The only way out of this box is to remove MJ from DEA Schedule One classification.
Amendment 25: "None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana."
A group of 32 states plus D.C. are cited in Amendment 25. Laws regarding MMJ vary from state to state within this group. The DEA and DOJ could argue that if they determine that growers, purveyors, possessors, or users are not complying with the MMJ law in their respective states, then they have authority to spend taxpayer funds to crack down on "violators."
The only way out of this box is to remove MJ from DEA Schedule One classification.
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