Senators move to legalise medical marijuana nationwide

While several states in the US have legalised recreational marijuana in the last 2 years, this move will be the first attempt on a federal level.

 

United States senators are set to introduce a bill that will legalise medical marijuana under federal law.

Although several states in the US have legalised recreational marijuana in the last 2 years, this move will be the first attempt on a federal level.

The proposal called the "Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act" is being championed by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Rand Paul and Cory Booker and will attempt to reclassify marijuana from Schedule 1 (drugs which are considered dangerous with no medical value) to Schedule 2 classification (which would recognize marijuana's medical benefits).

The Verge reports that  the bill will hit the floor with bipartisan support — Booker and Gillibrand are liberal Democrats while Paul is extremely conservative.

It however remains to be seen whether that support will translate to the rest of the Senate when the bill is officially announced.