A marijuana bill finally makes it all the way through Congress
For the first time on cannabis-related issues, Congress managed to reach a perfect compromise. While it’s all about plant research and not comprehensive cannabis reform, the industry has just won a major step forward in the nation’s legislature at the federal level. This measure designed to expand medical marijuana research recently passed the Senate unanimously. As a result, President Joe Biden will have to make room on his desk to receive the bill.
The fact that this legislation received the green light in Congress marks a new era in federal marijuana policy. The proposal has been spearheaded by Representative Earl Blumenauer and Senator Dianne Feinstein in their respective chambers. Both were able to do a successful job, as this is the first stand-alone cannabis-related bill to pass both houses of Congress.
Approximately four months ago, the measure also received unanimous support in the House. Some doubted whether the Senate would follow suit, but now all those concerns have faded. The bill is intended to facilitate and protect the work of scientists who want to thoroughly research the medicinal benefits of cannabis.
Since the plant is still illegal at the federal level, the research around it has been extremely complicated. Researchers have to obtain constant approvals from different agencies in order to proceed, a rather long and tedious process. Given Biden’s recent request to take another look at why the plant is classified as a controlled substance, as well as his campaign comments that cannabis should be easier to study, Biden’s signature may not be an obstacle.