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Representative Earl Blumenauer, US congressman for the 3rd district of Oregon, introduced a new congressional bill last week, H.R. 420. (Yes, it's actually numbered 420, and that's on purpose.) The bill seeks to support research for faster bong-cleaning systems, address chronic cotton mouth, and provide financial support for businesses to use something other than neon green cannabis leaves in their marketing and branding efforts.

No, not really....

In truth, H.R. 420—AKA the Regulate Cannabis Like Alcohol Act—would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, an action which would open up numerous new frontiers for access, business, and research. Cannabis would be placed under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Passage of the bill would allow federal money to fund cannabis research, open up banking options for cannabis businesses, and provide a pathway for states with legal cannabis programs to buy and sell from one another.

The man who remains in the running for Dankest Politician Ever, Rep. Blumenauer is the co-chair and founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, a bi-partisan forum composed of house representatives, which, according to a press release from the congressman's office, was created "to discuss, learn, and work together to establish a better and more rational approach to federal cannabis policy."

"The Cannabis Caucus was the first of its kind to create a forum for elected officials to collaborate on ways to address our outdated federal marijuana laws,” said Blumenauer. “Congress is clearly out of step with the American people on cannabis when national support for federal marijuana legalization is at an all-time high and we saw several states move toward legalization last November.”

Blumenauer's bill may not even make it to a vote, but it's a step in the right direction.