"The rider in question was introduced by US Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, a vehement opponent of recreational cannabis use. The text of the rider forbids the District to "enact or carry out any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance." It's been part of federal appropriations for DC since District residents in 2014 voted overwhelmingly for a ballot initiative to legalize recreational weed."
"DC clamped down on the wild gray market for weed that arose in the wake of this tussling. Medical marijuana dispensaries were already legal when Initiative 71 passed, and Harris's rider brought DC countless so-called I-71 shops where consumers could buy something else-a T-shirt, a sticker, a motivational speech-and receive a "gift" of cannabis as well. The District eventually closed that loophole by requiring vendors to become medical dispensaries or be shut down."
An executive order reclassifies cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, which may remove the specific Schedule I reference that has blocked D.C. recreational sales. The rider, authored by Representative Andy Harris, prohibits the District from legalizing or reducing penalties for any Schedule I substance and has been attached to federal appropriations since 2014. D.C. previously developed a gray market after Initiative 71, with I-71 shops circumventing the ban; the District later closed that loophole by requiring vendors to operate as medical dispensaries and by easing self-certification for medical cards. Legal questions remain pending implementation by the DEA and further review by lawyers and Congress.
#marijuana-rescheduling #dc-recreational-legalization #federal-appropriations-rider #cannabis-policy
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