Not sure where to put this. I think it's a good step forward to re-classifying cannabis from Schedule 1 to anywhere else.
from [ although the google brings up plenty of other links, huffpo, latimes etc.
http://www.medicaldaily.com/war-medical-marijuana-over-congress-ends-federal-governments-ban-314552
(more at link)
...As of now, 32 states as well as the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. Despite the fact that over the past several years,
researchers and doctors have argued that marijuana does indeed have medical benefits — whether it eases nausea, headaches, or cancer patients undergoing the pain of chemotherapy — the Drug Enforcement Administration still lists marijuana in the most dangerous category of drugs and considers it worse than cocaine. This logic puts a dent in the nation’s wallet, since the Obama administration has spent nearly
$300 million on enforcing the ban on medical marijuana since President Obama came into office, according to Americans for Safe Access.
“The federal government will finally respect the decisions made by the majority of states that passed medical marijuana laws,” Rep. Sam Farr told the
Huffington Post. “This is a great day for common sense because now our federal dollars will be spent more wisely on prosecuting criminals and not sick patients.”
Previously, the DEA had raided marijuana dispensaries, arresting people who were complying with state laws but going against federal law. This served as a huge headache for people who relied on medical marijuana to treat their various disorders, and had a free pass in their state but constantly had to check over their backs to make sure the feds weren’t after them.
There’s still some more work to do before recreational marijuana is legalized federally — for one, pot advocates are working toward a proposal known as the “Sates’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act” which would take marijuana off the list of Schedule I controlled substances, which includes LSD, heroin, and other drugs with “no currently accepted medical use.” Such an act would open the door for further much-needed research on the therapeutic effects of weed.
But in the meantime, marijuana advocates are rejoicing. “This is a victory for so many,” Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, a coauthor of the bill, said. The bill is “the first time in decades that the federal government has curtailed its oppressive prohibition of marijuana.”
