Massachusetts lawmakers have advanced a bill that would require a study into legal barriers facing first responders who wish to use marijuana in compliance with state law.
The legislature’s Joint Cannabis Policy Committee on Monday approved the legislation from Sen. Julian Cyr (D), reporting it favorably and sending it to the Senate Ways & Means Committee for further consideration.
The proposal would require the Cannabis Control Committee to study and issue a report on issues including drug testing requirements for police and first responders, internal policies related to cannabis use for those groups, implications of state and federal right-to-carry laws and the impact of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Regulators would also need to look into the efficacy of marijuana in the treatment of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They would additionally examine laws and policies for cannabis use by police officers and first responders in other jurisdictions and “any other topics the commission deems relevant.”
“The commission and the executive office may consult experts, hold regular public meetings, fact-finding hearings, and other public forums as it considers necessary,” the bill says.
The commission would need to compile a report and submit it to the legislature and
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