Republicans Now Worried About Weed’s ‘Psychosis’: Republican Party Hardliners Urge Colleagues to Vote Against Cannabis Banking Bill That Would Ease Federal Government Hiring Restrictions on Marijuana Users

A handful of Republicans are distributing a memo about the dangers of cannabis psychosis as they urge their colleagues to vote against measures intended to ease restrictions on marijuana.

The House of Representatives Republican Policy Committee’s policy guide, titled “The Victims of Marijuana Use,” examines how cannabis products have become more potent and how more cases of marijuana-related health problems have emerged in recent years.

It also advises GOP members to vote against measures that would give cannabis companies access to the U.S. banking system and lift restrictions on marijuana use for federal employees.

“During the 2020 presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris stated that marijuana brings people joy, and that there should be more joy in the world,” the memo said. “Unless joy is linked to violence, depression and suicide, Harris is mistaken.”

“Recent studies have shown that marijuana is not the safe and harmless drug it is portrayed to be, and the high percentage of potency in marijuana has been a major contributor to this.”

The memo advises Republicans to vote against the SAFE Banking Act, which would give cannabis companies access to the U.S. banking system.

The memo, first obtained by Marijuana momentfocuses heavily on how marijuana-related mental health issues have become more widespread as the products have become more potent.

“Marijuana is a dangerous, addictive drug with no mechanism to stop producers from increasing its potency and causing further harm,” the policy guide says.

“Rather than labeling marijuana as a recreational drug, it should be labeled for what it is: a gateway drug that increases schizophrenia and impairs cognitive skills.”

“One of the reasons the dangers of marijuana have increased has to do with the high concentration of THC.”

It cites several studies noting the increase in potency, including a recent study report This indicates that cannabis-related conditions have increased by 50 percent between 2019 and 2023.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marijuana users are more likely to develop psychosis and long-term mental disorders such as schizophrenia.

Currently, 24 states and Washington DC have legalized the recreational use of marijuana and more than half of the US population lives in places where the drug is legal.

The memo also urges Republicans to smoke out the bipartisan SAFE Banking Act.

The banking measure is intended to create protection for financial institutions that provide services to cannabis companies.

Because marijuana is a Schedule 1 substance and federally prohibited, financial institutions have strict restrictions on how they can work with cannabis companies.

“Recent studies have shown that marijuana is not the safe and harmless drug it is portrayed to be, and the high percentage of potency in marijuana has been a major contributing factor,” some Republicans warn.

Recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states and Washington, DC

Cannabis companies have strict restrictions that prevent them from receiving normal financial services as the substance is federally banned

The House of Representatives has passed several versions of the banking bill with bipartisan support, and the Senate has drafted its own version of the legislation.

“I intend to bring the SAFER Banking Act to the Senate as soon as possible,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a September statement.

“This agreement finally gives cannabis companies that have traditionally operated in cash the ability to accept credit and debit cards, allowing them to grow their business, pay their employees, protect their customers and ensure public safety.”

Yet the measure has not received a vote in the Senate.

The Republican policy guide also condemns the bipartisan CURE Act.

The measure, introduced by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and co-led by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., would prevent prior marijuana use from becoming a reason to deny federal employees security clearances.

“Some of the most qualified technical experts at America’s most innovative companies are cannabis users – past or present,” Mace has said.

“Any idea that we are not taking national security seriously because of someone’s prior cannabis use is completely wrong,” she continued. “This argument against cannabis is outdated, it’s old and, quite frankly, outdated.”

The CURE Act has yet to be put to a vote.