Two Florida Congressmen, Matt Gaetz (R) and Darren Soto (D), introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. If the bill were to become law (doubtful, but not impossible), the new classification would make it easier for people to obtain medical marijuana and easier for researchers to obtain cannabis for further study.
Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug, a class including heroin and LSD. A reclassification would place marijuana in the same group as anabolic steroids, Tylenol, and codeine.
More important, perhaps, would be the lifting of restrictions that currently restrict banks from providing services to marijuana-related businesses in states where medical marijuana is currently legal.
STATE BY STATE: Florida Cannabis News
In their joint press release the Congressmen noted:
Recent polling suggest 93% of Americans support legalizing doctor-prescribed medical marijuana. Rescheduling makes it easier to conduct research into marijuana’s medical uses with lighter regulation. The benefits of rescheduling marijuana would benefit local economies. Small businesses in the marijuana industry would finally have the legal ability to meet the needs of patients. Legal status would lead to more businesses receiving loans and banking services from financial institutions.
