Contrary to what you may have read or heard, Congress did not quietly lift the federal ban on medical marijuana.
A year ago, Congress approved an omnibus spending bill that included a rider prohibiting the Justice Department from using funds appropriated by that bill to “Prevent” states from “Implementing” their medical marijuana laws.
Dana Rohrabacher and Sam Farr was included in the omnibus spending bill approved by Congress this month.
That means it will remain in force for another fiscal year.
On both occasions, various news outlets exaggerated the impact of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, leading many medical marijuana supporters to mistakenly believe Congress had legalized it.
Los Angeles Times reporter Evan Halper led the way last year with a story headlined “Congress Quietly Ends Federal Government’s Ban on Medical Marijuana.” Halper reported that the rider “Effectively ends the federal government’s prohibition on medical marijuana” and “Brings almost to a close two decades of tension between the states and Washington over medical use of marijuana.” He said states that allow medical use of marijuana “No longer need to worry about federal drug agents raiding retail operations,” because “Agents would be prohibited from doing so.” As I pointed out at the time, that was, at best, an overoptimistic take.
“Congress Ends Federal Government’s Ban.” In the article below the headline, reporter Lecia Bushak said the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment “Will effectively end the federal government’s ban on selling or using pot for health reasons in states where it’s legalized.” After this month’s vote renewing the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, several websites, including Lost Coast Outpost, Daily Kos, and Inquisitr, cited Halper’s 2014 article as if it were new, recycling enthusiastic quotes from politicians and activists that he used then.
“Federal Ban Lifted on Medical Marijuana,” said the Inquisitr headline.
eNews Forest Park reported that the amendment “Effectively ended the federal ban on medical marijuana.”
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