U.S. House Passes Measure to End War on Medical Marijuana Patients and Providers

"This historic vote shows just how quickly marijuana reform has become a mainstream issue," said Tom Angell of Marijuana Majority. Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer backed the measure.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - After years of effort and six previous tries, an unprecedented victory has finally happened.

Congress on Thursday night approved a measure (219-189) that will prevent the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from interfering with state medical marijuana laws.

The legislation marks the first time in history that Congress has voted in favor of ending the federal government’s war on medical marijuana patients and providers. A record-high 49 Republicans joined 170 Democrats in voting for the measure.

The vote on Amendment 25 to H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), stops the Department of Justice, including the DEA, from spending funds to prevent states from implementing their own medical marijuana laws. The amendment has been offered seven times since 2003.

It received a then-record high 165 votes in 2007, which included 15 Republicans. Patients and caregivers in many states with legal medical marijuana have faced repeated and ongoing harassment from the DEA and U.S. Attorneys, despite the Executive branch repeatedly signaling that it would allow the programs to continue.

Amendment 25 would prohibit them from obstructing state medical marijuana programs using taxpayer dollars. “Congress is officially pulling out of the war on medical marijuana patients and providers," said Dan Riffle, director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), which has been lobbying in support of the measure since it was first introduced in 2003. "Federal tax dollars will no longer be wasted arresting seriously ill medical marijuana patients and those who provide to them." "This is a historic vote, and it’s yet another sign that our federal government is shifting toward a more sensible marijuana policy," Riffle said.

"This Congressional vote is a huge victory for patients," said Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA). "No longer will we have to look over our shoulder and worry when the next raid or indictment will prevent us from safely and legally accessing our medicine. "This is a game-changer that paves the way for much more policy change to come," Sherer said.

"This historic vote shows just how quickly marijuana reform has become a mainstream issue," said Tom Angell of Marijuana Majority. "The last time a similar amendment came up it didn't come very close to passing but, since then, more states have passed medical marijuana laws and a couple have even legalized marijuana for all adults. "More states are on this way later this year and in 2016, and it's clear that more politicians are beginning to realize that the American people want the federal government to stop standing in the way," Angell said. "If any political observers weren't aware that the end of the war on marijuana is nearing, they just found out."

"Today marks the beginning of a new era in marijuana policy reform," said Major Neill Franklin (Ret.) of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "Never before has the U.S. Congress acted so decisively to protect states' rights to make their only laws regarding marijuana." "This is an encouraging sign of things to come and represents a return to the constitutional principle of respecting states' rights to police their own people," Franklin said. “This measure passed because it received more support from Republicans than ever before," Riffle said. "It is refreshing to see conservatives in Congress sticking to their conservative principles when it comes to marijuana policy.

Republicans increasingly recognize that marijuana prohibition is a failed Big Government program that infringes on states’ rights. “It’s becoming clearer and clearer that marijuana prohibition’s days are numbered," Riffle said. "Polls are consistently finding that a strong majority of Americans think marijuana should be legal, and an overwhelming majority support legal access to medical marijuana. It’s nice to see more members of Congress standing up for their constituents instead of standing in the way of reform.”

Thursday night's Congressional vote came as news has widely circulated about an ongoing federal prosecution, aggressively targeting patients in Washington State who were growing a modest amount of medical marijuana for their own personal use. However, the prosecution of the Kettle Falls 5, as they've become known, is now thrown into question. The DOJ has been seeking 10-year mandatory minimum to life sentences for each defendant -- who were in compliance with Washington state's medical marijuana law.

In addition to ending all pending federal medical marijuana-related criminal prosecutions, advocates argue that current DOJ litigation against dispensary operators and their landlords, like that being waged in San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, must end promptly.

Thursday night's vote could also have a positive impact on defendants currently serving mandatory minimum sentences of up to 10 years in prison. The CJS appropriations amendment was co-sponsored by six Republicans and six Democrats, including Representatives Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA), Don Young (R-AK), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Paul Broun (R-GA), Jared Polis (D-CO), Steve Stockman (R-TX), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Justin Amash (R-MI), and Dina Titus (D-NV).