Missouri Lawmaker's Unconventional Fight For Marijuana Legalization

As the year is unfolding and the November election ballot is approaching, marijuana legalization advocates are making a last-ditch effort to fight for their cause.

One GOP Missouri lawmaker decided to stir things up a bit by proposing a rather unorthodox idea on a Missouri House of Representatives’ Thursday session.

Rep. Andrew McDaniel introduced an amendment to a health care bill, requesting members of House to include consuming marijuana in their legislative activities.

The amendment determines that “members of the Missouri House shall consume a substantial dose of medicinal marijuana prior to entering the chamber or voting on any legislation.”

McDaniel told Marijuana Moment that his intention was to “get everyone to chill out and get a little chuckle,” considering members are feeling overwhelmed with current health care legislation that has “a whole bunch of crap” attached to it.

Despite some “aye” votes reporter Tynan Stewart heard from the chamber, McDaniel was beaten in a voice vote.

He said he did it “just for fun” and to get members to pay attention.

However, the intent behind the controversial amendment was a creation of more far-reaching legislation than the bill SB 580, giving registered cannabis patients protection from disclosing their registration to the federal government.

McDaniel has a history of being liberal on the issue, considering he promoted a bill that became a foundation for medical marijuana measures voters approved later that year.

One out of three initiatives, and the only one approved on the 2018 ballot, gave physicians the freedom to treat their patients with medical cannabis for conditions they see fit.

Unfortunately, the state’s activists ended this year’s marijuana legalization campaign due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Out of 160,199 registered voters’ signatures needed to put the measure for the November ballot, only 80.000 were collected.