The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday approved a massive infrastructure bill that includes provisions aimed at allowing researchers to study the actual marijuana that consumers are purchasing from state-legal dispensaries instead of having to use only government-grown cannabis. The legislation also encourages states that have enacted legalization laws to educate people about impaired driving. With this latest House action to concur with changes made by the Senate, the bill now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk. The move comes as Democratic lawmakers in Congress work to advance several pieces of marijuana legislation, including a federal legalization bill that cleared the House Judiciary Committee in September. A new Republican-led plan to end federal cannabis prohibition is also soon to be introduced in the House. Separately, the full chamber approved a defense spending bill in September that includes protections for banks that work with state-legal cannabis businesses. Meanwhile, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee passed a bill on Thursday to direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a series of clinical trials on the medical benefits of marijuana for military veterans with PTSD and chronic pain.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 11/08/2021 08:34:00