The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee this week passed the Dismantling Obsolete Obstacles and Barriers to Private Employment (DOOBIE) Act, which aims to loosen federal employment regulations related to cannabis.
The proposal, aimed at ensuring that no applicant for federal office or security clearance is denied because of past marijuana use, advanced from the committee on a 9-5 vote Wednesday and It moves to the Senate for consideration.
Michigan State Senator Gary Peters (D) introduced the bill. If passed, the DOOBIE Act would bring federal law and many states together to enact medical and adult-use cannabis reform. Adult-use cannabis is legal in 24 states and Washington, D.C., and an additional 14 states have at least limited medical laws. Cannabis reform.
Additionally, the bill would solidify current Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Office of National Intelligence (ODNI) guidelines regarding past marijuana use as official policy.
“The federal government must adapt its employment practices to reflect the evolving legal and social landscape of our nation. My bill would align federal policy with existing agency guidance. This approach will expand our talent pool and make it more fair. ” — Sen. Peters, press release.
The committee's vote comes after President Joe Biden (D) announced in May that his administration would seek to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. It's just the latest symptom. The DEA will hold a public hearing on Dec. 2 to consider expert opinions on the proposed schedule changes.
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graham abbott
Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is the editor-in-chief of Ganjapreneur. He has been writing about the state of legalization since 2012 and has contributed to Ganjapreneur since its official launch in 2014.
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