Democrats in Indiana have launched a campaign to legalize marijuana in the state and appealed to business-friendly Republicans to join to help the state’s economy. There is some support from Republicans. “I have a medical cannabis bill ready to go,” Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, said. He said the bill will be similar to the one he introduced in the last session of the Indiana General Assembly, which would permit the use of medical marijuana by people with “serious medical conditions” as determined by a doctor, and would permit the “cultivation, testing, processing, transportation and dispensing” of medical marijuana by people who hold a valid permit issued by the state. It also would put the Indiana Department of Health in charge of implementing and enforcing the medical marijuana program. Indiana is one of just a handful of states that have not legalized medical marijuana. “It polls higher than any other issue,” Lucas said. “We’ve seen 38 other states step up and do the right thing for their citizens. We know it saves lives. We know it offers a better quality of life.” In 2016, the national American Legion, which is based in Indianapolis, called on Congress to remove marijuana from Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act and reclassify it to “recognize cannabis as a drug with potential medical value.” The Legion has also pushed for more research to be done on marijuana-related to its potential in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury among veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in particular.
Marijuana Moment, Marijuana Moment, 12/06/2021 12:02:00