Letter to the Hon. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, the Hon. Charles Schumer, Democratic Leader of the Senate, the Hon. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, and the Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the House - Prevent DOJ From Interfering With Implementation Of State Medical Marijuana Laws

Letter

Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan, and Leader Pelosi,

We write to express our support for the protection of states' medical marijuana programs from interference by the federal government. We thank you for all of your past efforts on this issue, and ask that as you continue to work with the Appropriations Committees on a Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations bill to fund the government beyond January 19, 2018, you include the provision that protects medical marijuana laws in almost every state.

Since this provision was first passed in 2014, it has protected patients, providers, and businesses who are acting in compliance with their states' laws from federal prosecution. These protections extend to 46 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, all of which have varying types of medical marijuana programs. Each year, this important provision has continuously garnered strong bipartisan support.

We respectfully urge you to include in the final FY18 Appropriations package the below language adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee in July by voice vote during its markup of the FY 18 CJS appropriations bill:

None of the funds made available under this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to any of the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or with respect to the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico, to prevent any such State or jurisdiction from implementing a law that authorizes the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,