TAKE ACTION TODAY: HEARING AT 12 PM ET JULY 15, 2025

TELL CJS Approps to protect patients: 

  • ADD Nebraska to SEC. 531(a)
  • Remove (b) from SEC. 531
  • Remove SEC 607 

Just 3 easy steps! 

1. Copy this Draft letter:

Dear Chairman Hal Rogers, Ranking Member Grace Meng, and Honorable Members of the Subcommittee:

Thank you for including SEC 531 protections for medical cannabis in this year's CJS Appropriations Bill draft. To ensure that the amendment protects patients in state medical cannabis programs, please address the following issues during markup: 

1. ADD  Nebraska to SEC. 531(a)

2. Remove (b) from SEC. 531 completely 

Also, stopping the rescheduling process at this time would not only be a waste of taxpayers' dollars, but also an unnecessary roadblock in getting to the truth about the medical uses of cannabis: for this reason, please remove SEC 607. 

I have attached more information for your review. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. 

Sincerely, 

 

2. Download these one-pagers:

CJS Markup One Pager 

 Coalition Letter to CJS 

 

3. Decide how you want to contact CJS Subcommittee Members: 

Email their staff: 

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanHalRogers, https://www.facebook.com/judgecarter/, https://www.facebook.com/RepBenCline/, https://www.facebook.com/RepTonyGonzales/, https://www.facebook.com/RepresentativeClyde, https://www.facebook.com/RepMarkAlford/, https://www.facebook.com/dale.strong.92/, https://www.facebook.com/reprileymoore/, https://www.facebook.com/repgracemeng, https://www.facebook.com/RepGlennIvey, https://www.facebook.com/RepJoeMorelle/, https://www.facebook.com/RepMadeleineDean/, https://www.facebook.com/RepMrvan/,

X: 

RepHalRogers, JudgeCarter, RepBenCline, RepTonyGonzales, Rep_Clyde, RepMarkAlford, reprileymoore/, RepGraceMeng, RepGlennIvey, repjoemorelle, RepDean, RepMrvan,

More Background: 

Since 2014, bipartisan Congressional action has protected patients, caregivers, state regulators, and legitimate cannabis businesses from federal prosecution, arrest, asset forfeiture, and harassment. The Medical Cannabis CJS Amendment, also referred to as the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment,  serves as a crucial safeguard, preventing interference by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in states with medical cannabis programs. 

While we celebrate a partial victory that the amendment was included, the following amendment was added:

(b) Funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used to enforce violations of  21 U.S.C. 860.

 This addition could be a poison pill for access for many patients. 

While most state legal medical cannabis businesses conform to state-sensitive use rules (i.e., 600 feet from a school), the provisions in the inserted language would allow raids on any facilities that don't conform to parameters listed in 21 U.S.C. 860 but would also enable DOJ to apply double penalties to business in the crosshairs of state and federal laws.  

21 U.S.C. 860.

Any person who is distributing, possessing with intent to distribute, or manufacturing a controlled substance in or on, or within one thousand feet of, a public or private elementary, vocational, or secondary school or a public or private college, junior college, or university, or a playground, or housing facility owned by a public housing authority ,or within 100 feet of a public or private youth center, public swimming pool, or video arcade facility, is subject to

(1) Twice the maximum punishment, 

(2) At least twice any term of supervised release for a first offense. 

(3) Up to twice the fine provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to offenses involving 5 grams or less of marihuana.

The CJS markup language also includes a provision to block the current scheduling process started under the last Administration

SEC. 607. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to reschedule marijuana (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) or to remove marijuana from the schedules established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).

Over the last decade, significant barriers to cannabis reform have been dismantled. Advocates have successfully championed regulatory changes enabling U.S.-based cannabis research, debunked outdated misconceptions in federal agencies, changed the scheduling of cannabis under United Nations treaties, established rigorous safety standards, and demonstrated clear medical benefits recognized by the FDA.

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