INDIANAPOLIS — An amendment to a controlled substances bill that would remove language that classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug was voted down by House Republicans on Monday.
According to a news release from the Indiana House Democrats, officials said that an amendment to House Bill 1056 was ruled out of order by House Republicans on Monday.
The bill, which centers around controlled substances, would add additional substances to the state’s list of controlled substances if passed in its current form. This includes several opiates, opium derivatives, depressants, stimulants and hallucinogenic substances.
The bill was written for the 2025 session by Indiana State Representatives Wendy McNamara, a Republican from Poseyville, and Gregory Steuerwald, a Republican from Avon. It was first referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code on Jan. 8. and had its second reading on Monday.
An amendment, filed by Indiana State Rep. Kyle Miller, a Democrat from Fort Wayne, would have removed marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 drugs, as well as language surrounding tetrahydrocannabinols.
In a statement surrounding the amendment, Miller said this was an “opportunity to start the conversation about the possibility of legalizing marijuana” in Indiana.
“House Republicans have signaled they aren’t interested in bringing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to Indiana,” Miller said in the statement. “If they don’t want to have this discussion, I think they owe it to Hoosiers to explain why they don’t want to grow our economy, like 24 states have done using marijuana.
“Throughout the country, legislative bodies are having conversations about the economic and health benefits legalizing marijuana can have,” Miller continued in the statement. “I’m disappointed that Indiana Republicans are so willing to be left behind as other states reap the benefits while we won’t even kick off the conversation be striking it as a Schedule 1 drug.”
This comes after Indiana State Rep. Heath VanNatter, a Republican from Kokomo, introduced House Bill 1630 earlier this year that would allow Indiana residents over the age of 21 to use marijuana. That bill was referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code on Jan. 21.
Safe and Regulated Indiana, a new coalition, has recently raised awareness of the importance of Indiana having a safe and regulated marijuana policy. This includes the regulation and taxation of marijuana like tobacco and alcohol.
