Why talk of removing federal ban on marijuana is getting louder

By Jonathan D. Salant,

Talk of removing the federal ban on marijuana is getting louder on the federal level, and could pave the way for significant legislation in the next Congress.

So says Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., a founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

Blumenauer recently gave a midyear report to NJ Cannabis Insider on the efforts to legalize marijuana on the federal level.

"The politics is going to help us here and it's setting the stage for a really very monumental session next year if the results in the election go the way I think they will," Blumenauer said. "More and more voters are talking about it, and the people who care, the advocates, get more organized, as there's more activity that's taking place across the country."


Hundreds of marijuana lobbyists descended on Congress earlier this year, and Blumenauer joined with U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, to introduce the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States, or STATES, Act. The legislation would block the federal government from going after states that have legalized cannabis.

President Donald Trump indicated he likely would sign that bill if it reached his desk.

At the same time, the House and Senate Appropriations committees have renewed their ban on the U.S. Justice Department spending money to go after states that allow marijuana for medical use.

"We're pushing every day looking at things we can do here," Blumenauer said. "Next year, I think all the pieces can come together."

He said he expected marijuana to be big issue in the fall campaign.

"It is an issue absolutely," Blumenauer said. "It's an issue that people vote on and they care about.

It's something where the politicians tend to be out of step with the public.
 
"People who are on the wrong side of this are on the wrong side of voters."