Sen. Lindsey Graham open to medical marijuana, Rep. Nancy Mace votes against MORE Act
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The House of Representatives on Friday approved and sent the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, HR 3617 to the Senate. The MORE Act repeals cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act and allows states to legalize cannabis, its production and sale free from federal interference.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is seen as one of the GOP’s leading advocates for removing cannabis from the federally controlled substances list, voted against. Why?
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“The MORE Act is forcing the residents of South Carolina and other states into a system they do not want. By comparison, my bill, the States Reform Act, removes the federal government from the equation and allows states to make their own decisions,” Mace explained, as reported by The State.
She introduced her bill — the States Reform Act — in November last year, but the measure fell through 12 committees and seven subcommittees without a hearing.
According to Mace, passage of the MORE bill through the House could be a good start to create a bipartisan consensus on legislation that would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, Marijuana Business Daily reported.
Mace added that she’s dying to attend a marijuana breakthrough event in Washington DC. She announced that one of her Democratic colleagues on the House Oversight and Reform Committee has confirmed there will be at least one hearing on her States Reform Act.
“This is a multi-billion dollar industry problem. It will not go away. And we need a bipartisan solution,” Mace said, adding that she has had a very positive reception from her fellow congressmen in Congress.
How do I get Republic support?
According to Mace, what many don’t understand is that their bill doesn’t actually legalize cannabis at the federal level, but gives each state full control and power. Mace believes that the only way for marijuana reform to shift state control and treat cannabis like alcohol is to garner Republican support.
Mace added that her States Reform Act could save many lives and do a lot of good, in addition to saving federal government funds.
RELATED: House Passes MORE Act to Legalize Weed at the Federal Level, But Don’t Get Too Excited
“It’s a win-win-win all round for the Conservatives. It can be a great win for everyone.”
Photo by Olena Ruban/Getty Images
Nor is she optimistic about the Senate passing the MORE Act or any other similar legislation in the near future.
While she may be right, like many other industry pundits who doubt there will be federal marijuana reform this year, it’s clear that cannabis legalization is slowly but steadily gaining broader support.
Sen. Lindsey Graham signals openness to medical marijuana
Senator Graham recently announced that he is “open to” medical marijuana as the MORE bill goes before the Senate.
“Medical marijuana, I’ve heard that from a lot of people in our state, seems to have some value,” Graham said, per WMBF News. “If you can show me, and I think there’s evidence that it’s helpful, then I would be open to the idea of medical marijuana.”
While Graham’s opposition to federal cannabis legalization, especially in the midst of an opioid crisis, is perfectly clear, he seems to understand the value of medical marijuana.
RELATED: Why Does Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-Chair Vote Against MORE Bill?
“We have to be clear that opioids help with pain, but they create a lot of addiction,” Graham said. “There is no easy answer here, but in terms of legalizing marijuana, no. I think it brings a lot of problems. Allowing marijuana in controlled environments in the hands of doctors might be something I could support.”
Nancy Mace will be one of the many fascinating and knowledgeable speakers at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami. There is still time to register for the event, which will be attended by many of the top names in the cannabis industry. Click here for more information.
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.
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