How Did Marijuana Fare In 2016 Omnibus Spending Bill?

 

While millions of Americans let out a sigh of relief, knowing our government will not shut down at least for another fiscal year, millions of Americans may not have been aware of marijuana legislation that was and was not included in the Omnibus bill.

According to an article in The Daily Chronic, the following marijuana re-authorizations for 2016 took place:

• Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration will not have funding for interfering with state medical marijuana laws; and
• The DOJ and DEA will not have funding to interfere with state industrial hemp research programs.
• 

Unfortunately, the following individual provisions were not included:

• To permit Veterans Affairs doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to military veterans;
• To prevent the V.A. from denying services to veterans because they are state recognized medical marijuana patients;
• To include Senate-backed language seeking to authorize financial institutions to engage in relationships with state-licensed marijuana business; and
• To allow the District of Columbia to sell and tax marijuana.  (Currently, DC residents can grow, possess and share marijuana.)

The parts that stand out for me is:

1. The fact that our members of Congress are still interfering with doctor-patient relationships in the VA; and
2. Licensed businesses still have to pay their bills in cash instead of accessing banking services.

This is a very slow and frustrating process.

In the meantime, patients suffer and Congress shows it DOES NOT CARE about our very sick and needful military veteran citizenry.

And, rubbing salt in the wounds:  the licensed, lucrative, high tax-paying marijuana businesses are not allowed to use the same banks to which small, under-funded, and low tax-paying businesses across the country have access.

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[Images from bingdotcom]

[ Header image from http://www.freewebheaders.com ]

What Is The Latest News About Medical Marijuana In Florida?

There has been too much politicking regarding how medical marijuana will be manufactured and distributed in Florida.  The Florida State Senate is pursuing an alternative plan, even as the court is still deciding on a plan to create a system to grow, process and distribute the marijuana.  The next hearing, planned for April 23rd, is intended to clear up the latest challenges.

The Florida Senate bill #7066, sponsored by Rob Bradley of Orange Park, would replace much of last year’s law and eliminate the need for the state to write any regulations. Also, it would not only eliminate the regulation-writing process; it would also increase the number of illnesses that would be eligible for medical marijuana.  Sen. Bradley’s bill would also increase the number of growers’ licenses from 5 to 20.

There seems to be a growing acceptance, by some members of the Florida Legislature, of increasing the low cap on allowable THC, the euphoric ingredient in marijuana, which, many advocates claim, provides therapeutic treatment for most of the newly listed illnesses.  This new introduced bill certainly seems to be more inclusive and less restrictive than the original bill.  It could be debated and voted on as soon as tomorrow; however, its future in the House is uncertain.

Another Senator, Darren Soto, supports Bradley’s bill and further proposes “a true medical marijuana policy” by eliminating the cap altogether on THC, which could legalize the full spectrum of marijuana for medicinal purposes.  He stated, “If we’re going to have a true medical-marijuana policy, it needs to encompass strains that will assist people with these serious and terminal conditions.”  [Ed. note:  I didn’t include a list of diseases and conditions in my post because the list is in a state of flux.]

Heather Zabinofsky, CEO of Master Growers of Sanford, said she would continue her challenge in court regardless of what happens with Bradley’s bill.  She believes the best and fastest way to make medicine available is for the state to move forward under the current law, with revised rules.  [Ed. note:  It’s the revising of the rules that has kept the original law at bay in the court.]

In the meantime, children and adults are having uncontrollable seizures from which death occurs all too often; patients with chronic illnesses are suffering from pain and many other symptoms;

Charlotte’s Web

all which could be alleviated with the administration of medical marijuana.  The manufactured drugs, out of the labs of well-known Big Pharma companies, are addictive (controlled substances); they have many harmful side effects while trying (unsuccessfully too much of the time) to quell the ravages of disease.

Marijuana is a plant.  I, and millions of others, consider it medicine, not “just a drug.”  Its benefits, particularly non-euphoric medical benefits, are well-known and successfully used throughout the world.

I am including my prayers along with millions of others, for the quick, successful conclusion of this travesty visited upon very ill and dying patients.

[images from bingdotcom]

[some info taken from Sun-Sentinel]