Yo, peeps! Listen up! The House Rules Committee just gave the green light to two dope amendments on Sept. 23 that are all about cannabis and psychedelics, and they’re gonna be discussed on the floor. And check this out, just a few days later on Sept. 27, the House straight-up approved these two amendments! They’re called Amendment No. 48 and Amendment No. 137, and they’re gonna be part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024, also known as H.R. 4365.
Amendment No. 48, backed by Texas Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Morgan Luttrell, is gonna put $15 million of Department of Defense funds into psychedelic medical clinical trials. And guess what? It passed with a voice vote of 240 in favor and 191 opposed. That’s what’s up!
Now, let me hit you with some knowledge about Amendment No. 137. This one was sponsored only by Crenshaw, but it’s still super important. It’s all about asking the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to give Congress a report on how to help active-duty service members dealing with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and PTSD. It wants to let them take part in clinical trials through the Department of Veteran Affairs to study psychedelics. That’s some real progress right there!
Morgan Luttrell, a total badass who served as a SEAL for 14 years, spoke before the vote on Amendment No. 48. He straight-up said that psychedelics have been a game-changer for treating post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. This dude knows what he’s talking about because he used ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT to treat his own injuries. He said it changed his life, saved his marriage, and basically gave him a new lease on life. That’s some powerful stuff, man.
Luttrell also broke it down for everyone, telling them that there’s a stigma around using psychedelics for medicine. But he says it’s time to break down those walls and explore all the options when it comes to saving lives. And he’s right, man. Our service members, veterans, and first responders deserve the best treatment possible.
But not everyone was down with these amendments. Rep. Betty McCollum stepped up to oppose Amendment No. 48. She said that the DHA can’t realistically make it happen because of all the clearances, legal hurdles, and logistics involved. She reluctantly denied her support. Bummer, man.
But Crenshaw wasn’t about to back down. He defended psychedelic clinical trials like a boss. He said it’s all about honoring our promise to our military families and tackling the high suicide rates among service members and veterans. He also called out his fellow colleagues who were unsure about the research, asking them why they would stand in the way of progress. Preach it, Crenshaw!
Now, check this out. On the same day that these amendments got approved in the House, the SAFER Banking Act passed in the Senate Banking Committee. This act is all about protecting financial institutions and cannabis businesses. It lets legal cannabis businesses have access to traditional financial institutions like banks and get small business loans. It’s a big win for the cannabis industry!
Senators Jeff Merkley, Steve Daines, Kyrsten Sinema, Cynthia Lummis, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer all spoke up in favor of the SAFER Banking Act. They said it’s gonna make our communities and small businesses safer and stop federal bank regulators from closing accounts based on reputation alone. That’s some major support!
Schumer is ready to take things to the next level. He’s gonna bring the SAFER Banking Act to the floor for a vote real soon. This dude has been working hard to make this happen, and now we’re one step closer to helping cannabis businesses operate more efficiently and safely. Let’s get it!
So, my friends, it looks like we’re making some serious progress when it comes to cannabis and psychedelics. The government is finally starting to recognize their potential, and that’s a beautiful thing. We just gotta keep pushing forward and fighting for what we believe in. Stay lifted, y’all!