Congress made the largest shift in American drug policy in four decades last weekend when it voted to end the federal government’s war on medical marijuana. The change could benefit many people with disabilities who rely on the drug to relieve pain and numerous other conditions.

“It’s very helpful to have Congress actually pass legislation where they’re basically not allowing the Department of Justice to spend money to pursue enforcing federal law (concerning medical marijuana),” says Mary McKnew, a Washington lawyer and medical marijuana user.

The provision protects people who use marijuana medicinally in 23 states and the District of Columbia from arrest. It prohibits federal law enforcement agents from raiding medical marijuana dispensaries and grow operations.

Republicans have recently played a more active role in decriminalizing marijuana use. “This is a victory for so many,” Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican told the LA Times. The measure’s approval, he said, represents “the first time in decades that the federal government has curtailed its oppressive prohibition of marijuana.”

Chris Lindsey, a legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project, is encouraged by the strong message being sent by congressional members. “Congress is catching up with public opinion on medical marijuana,” he says. “It’s encouraging that it’s sending a statement like this to the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration that they need to stay out of state decisions on how to approach their own laws.”

According to Lindsey, the general public has had enough of the war on marijuana. “It’s gone on for decades and it’s really not ever done anything to reduce consumption rates,” he says. With lawmakers facing tight budgets, Lindsey says paying for law enforcement is an expensive proposition when the money could be better spent elsewhere.

McKnew uses medical marijuana for the non-specific pain stemming from a 40-year old spinal cord injury. She hopes that Congress’ recognition of the value of medical marijuana eases anxiety for people with disabilities who have long worried about being prosecuted. “There are still a lot of people out there that would like to participate in this but they’re still scared,” she says.

This change in federal policy may be good news for medical marijuana users, but full legalization isn’t yet on the horizon. McKnew says legalization may happen eventually, but it’s hard to say when. “The polls nationally have shown that even republicans overwhelming support marijuana and not just medical marijuana but the decriminalization of marijuana,” she says.