Medical Marijuana Growing More Welcome Among Washington Republicans

Washington Republicans may be loosening up on medical marijuana. One congressman, a medical doctor, is cosponsoring a measure in the House that would make it easier for researchers to study medical uses of the plant.

And House leaders are "very interested" in the research, according to The Hill newspaper.

Maryland Republican Andy Harris, a medical doctor opposed to recreational pot use, and Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer intend to introduce their bill to ease restrictions on medical studies of the drug.

"(House GOP leaders) are very interested, we discussed (it) at the GOP conference. The Speaker expressed interest after I brought the issue up ... There's no one in Congress who doesn't want to help people who are sick. No one," Harris said in a recent interview with The Hill's Molly K. Hooper.

To hear Harris and Blumenauer talk about their bill, watch the video on this page.