Preventing relief: Proposed bill would ease federal laws on medical marijuana

New York is among 23 states across the country where marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes.
And the regulations established mandating how marijuana can be used are more tightly controlled here than in some other states. Many people promoting this issue believe New York’s medical marijuana system is a model for others to follow.
But federal laws may hinder the effectiveness of states implementing their own systems for dispensing medical marijuana. It is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug, putting it in the same category as heroin and LSD.

This hampers medical researchers in their work to determine the range of conditions that marijuana may alleviate. And many medical marijuana dispensaries must operate as cash-only businesses without access to banking services. Banks are federally regulated, and depositing revenue from such facilities could be prosecuted as laundering drug money.
The federal government needs to change its approach to businesses in states where medical marijuana is legal. There is ample evidence that it is as effective, if not more so, than conventional medical treatments in some circumstances.

U.S. Sen. Kristen E. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is working on a bill to remove some of these federal obstacles. Titled the Compassionate access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act, Ms. Gillibrand co-sponsored the bill in March with U.S. Sens. Cory A. Booker, D-N.J., and Rand H. Paul, R-Ky.
The proposed legislation would allow patients, doctors and businesses in states that have passed medical marijuana laws to participate in those programs without fear of federal prosecution by reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule II drug. The bill also would allow banks to provide services for medical marijuana dispensaries.

Ms. Gillibrand was in Western New York this week promoting the legislation. And she’ll need all the help she can get. Despite the advantages of medical marijuana, supporters of the bill are likely to confront serious opposition in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It’s understandable that many people fear marijuana could serve as a gateway drug to other substances, particularly for young people.

No reasonable person wants to see drugs become more of a national problem.
But like many other any chemical substances, marijuana can be used responsibly to treat certain medical conditions. New York, in particular, has done an excellent job at regulating this new industry to achieve this result.
Members of Congress should consider what’s at stake and approve this proposed bill. They shouldn’t stand in the way of medically proven ways for people to find physical relief.