Dear Mr. Lovett: Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law. As such, it is not legally recognized as having any acceptable use, and it is a federal crime to possess or distribute marijuana for any purpose. As you may know, twenty states, plus the District of Columbia, have passed laws legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes. In the 2012 election, voters in Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Several states, including Pennsylvania, have state legislation pending that would legalize medical marijuana. Some have expressed concern regarding how these state laws will interact with existing federal law. In October 2009, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced formal guidelines for federal prosecutors in states that have enacted laws authorizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. These guidelines indicate that the federal government will concentrate its resources on prosecuting individuals whose claims of compliance with state laws conceal operations inconsistent with the terms, conditions, or purposes of those laws, instead of focusing on individuals whose actions are in compliance with existing state laws. In August of 2013, the Department of Justice further clarified that federal enforcement priorities did not include large, legal operations in states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana, provided that the states have in place a “strong and effective regulatory and enforcement system.” On February 14, 2013, Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon introduced H.R. 689, the States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, which would require that marijuana be listed as other than a Schedule I or Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act. This legislation would also allow for the prescription and use of medical marijuana where such use is permitted under state law. Finally, it would also require that the executive branch delegate authority to control access to marijuana for medical research and ensure the availability of marijuana for medical research. H.R. 689 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. There is no related legislation currently pending in the Senate. Please be assured that should this issue come before the full Senate for consideration, I will have your views in mind. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you. For more information on this or any other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, casey.senate.gov. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania. Sincerely, Bob Casey United States Senator
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 09:36:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015