Holds office U.S. House District 1
H.R.2020 - To provide for the rescheduling of marijuana into schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (2017-2018)
H.R.3884 - Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019
H.R.1588 - Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019
H.R.1151 - Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act 2019-2020
H.R.1647 - Veterans Equal Access Act 2019-2020
H.R.2191 - Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act 2019-2020
H.R.2093 - STATES Act 2019-2020
H.R.493 - Sensible Enforcement of Cannabis Act of 2019
“And if for whatever reason he doesn’t run, maybe I ought to pick the attorney general,” he said in remarks first reported by Mediaite, implying a possible run for the presidency. “I’d go easy on marijuana, tough on big tech and I would go after the deep state. Wouldn’t that be a nice reversal?” 12/21/20
Gaetz responding to Kellyanne Conway's remarks against marijuana legalization:
"This is not an issue that we're going to have to fight for another 10 or 20 years. The people who believe in cannabis reform are going to win because the American people are so strongly with us," Gaetz said. "We just gotta get a few grey-haired politicians out of the way."
4/4/18
AMMPA, the American Medical Marijuana Physicians Association, has been instrumental--particularly in Florida--in raising patients' awareness of medical cannabis as a valid treatment option. They have helped many find relief when other treatments had not worked. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I want to recognize the Board of Directors of the American Medical Marijuana Physicians Association, and to thank them for their good work.
3/29/18
"Our marijuana legislation would ensure that we've got greater access to research and that the federal government doesn't stand between people [doctors]and their patients."
"My legislation would require more research-grade marijuana to be produced; it would allow veterans, in particular, more access to federally approved research trials, and would absolutely create a safe harbor for some of our universities who want to do marijuana research but are afraid some of their other research grants would be in jeopardy," Gaetz said.
03/01/2018
"Not only does Attorney General Sessions' decision hurt millions of patients and families nationwide, it is out of step with the will of the American people, over 90% of whom support doctor-prescribed medical marijuana," Gaetz added. "It even flies in the face of President Trump, who expressed his support for medical marijuana and state-level decision-making during his campaign. For Attorney General Sessions to disregard the Cole Memorandum is heartless and cold, and shows his desire to pursue an antiquated, disproven dogma instead of the will of the American people. He should focus his energies on prosecuting criminals, not patients,"
01/05/18
"I have seen children, in my district and nationwide, who have been helped by medical marijuana when all other treatments have failed. Has AG Sessions seen a child with juvenile epilepsy? Has he seen a child have a seizure? I have. I've seen tears stream down a mother's face as she cradled her daughter in her arms, watching her little girl's eyes roll back in her head, her skin turning blue from lack of oxygen.
"I've also seen this same little girl smiling and laughing, playing sports and having friends - her epilepsy made manageable by medical marijuana. Attorney General Sessions thinks she's a felon, I think she's a hero."
01/05/18
"This cruel plan is repugnant to the Tenth Amendment and harms some of our most vulnerable fellow Americans. In my district and nationwide, children have been helped by medical marijuana when all other treatments have failed. Some have gone from surgeries and seizures to baseball games and homecoming dances.
Veterans have ditched the �combat cocktail' for soothing medical marijuana treatments and rejuvenated lives. AG Sessions' policy would make sick children sicker. It would oppose the will of 81% of veterans, according to the American Legion. It will place the government between vulnerable people and something that could help them. This decision even flies in the face of President Trump, who expressed support for medical marijuana and state-level decision-making during his campaign, and stated on July 29, 2016 that "I think it should be up to the states." While prosecution of bad actors is always welcome, it would be heartless to systemically use the awesome power of the federal government to punish people providing legitimate medicine." Rep. Gaetz said.
01/04/2018
"We need presidential leadership," Gaetz said in a phone interview on Tuesday. "President Trump made a commitment during the campaign to support medical marijuana, and we need the president to continue to be a force for good on this issue."
10/24/17
"Chairman Goodlatte has made a commitment that we will liberalize access to medical marijuana for research purposes in universities and in medical facilities," Gaetz says. "It's my view that that cannot occur in a world in which the federal government takes the position that cannabis has no medical value. So in my mind, Chairman Goodlatte has committed to remove cannabis from the list of Schedule I drugs."
10/24/17
2021: The Medical Marijuana Research Act, HR 5657
2021: The MORE Act, HR 3617
2021: The SAFE Banking Act, HR 1996