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Lawmakers Introduce Legislation To Halt Federal Interference In State Marijuana Laws
- Details
- Published on 08 December 2012
- Written by Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director
Washington, DC: United States Representatives have introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress -- House Bill 6606, The Respect States' and Citizens' Rights Act of 2012 -- to amend the US Controlled Substances Act to provide that federal law shall not preempt state marijuana laws.
The measure is sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado, and is co-sponsored by Reps. Blumenauer (OR), Coffman (CO), Cohen (TN), Farr (CA), Frank (MA), Grijalva (AZ), Lee (CA), Paul (TX), Pingree (ME), and Polis (CO). It has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
"I am proud to join with colleagues from both sides of the aisle on the 'Respect States' and Citizens' Rights Act' to protect states' rights and immediately resolve any conflict with the federal government," said Rep. DeGette upon the bill's introduction in a prepared statement. "In Colorado we've witnessed the aggressive policies of the federal government in their treatment of legal medicinal marijuana providers. My constituents have spoken and I don't want the federal government denying money to Colorado or taking other punitive steps that would undermine the will of our citizens."
Added Rep. Polis, "The people of Colorado and Washington voted in overwhelming numbers to regulate the sale of marijuana. Colorado officials and law enforcement are already working to implement the will of Colorado voters, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress and officials in the administration to deliver clear guidance that ensures the will of the people is protected."
House Bill 6606 states, "In the case of any State law that pertains to marihuana, no provision of this title shall be construed as indicating an intent on the part of the Congress to occupy the field in which that provision operates, including criminal penalties, to the exclusion of State law on the same subject matter, nor shall any provision of this title be construed as preempting any such State law."
While it is unlikely that members of Congress will address this measure in the final days of the 112th session, it is anticipated that Representatives will reintroduce the measure in 2013.
A message from the election : LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
- Details
- Published on 26 November 2012
- Written by Rob Ryan
One more time the people have voted for marijuana more than the President. Is there a message that our elected representatives are not hearing?
Perhaps it is the sound of the legal fiction concerning marijuana being deadly, addictive and with no accepted medical use in United States that is crumbling. Am I exaggerating about being "deadly"? I don't think so, read on.
1.The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
2.The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
3.There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.
The words above are a verbatim copy of the Federal & State classification of a schedule 1 substance. Our elected representatives have declared marijuana to be a schedule one drug.
It is so dangerous a doctor can not even use it safely? That sounds deadly to me!
Please see the PDF file link that has a small set of facts and a series of question for your state representative about marijuana.
The message from the election is simple LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. It is time to act and end marijuana prohibition, start questioning your elected representatives using our Marijuana Facts and Questions.{jcomments on}
Will the Obama Administration Listen?
- Details
- Published on 17 November 2012
- Written by Paul Armentano, Deputy director NORML
Never in modern history has there been greater public support for ending the nation's nearly century-long experiment with pot prohibition and replacing it with a system legalization and regulation.
The historic votes on Election Day in Colorado and Washington -- where, for the first time ever, a majority of voters decided at the ballot box to abolish cannabis prohibition -- underscore this new political reality.
Are elected officials listening? They ought to be. In Washington state, ending statewide marijuana prohibition proved to be as popular as was re-electing President Obama. In Colorado, legalizing cannabis was more popular than the President -- by a wide margin.
Specifically, Colorado voters approved Amendment 64, a constitutional amendment that allows for those age 21 or older to legally possess up to one ounce of cannabis and cultivate up to six cannabis plants in the privacy of their home. In Washington, voters decided in favor of I-502, which removes statewide criminal penalties for adults who possess up to one ounce of cannabis for personal use (as well as the possession of up to 16 ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form, and 72 ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form). Longer-term, both measures seek to enact regulations governing the state-licensed production and sale of marijuana for adults.
These election results should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention. Nationwide polls by Gallup,
Rasmussen, and other respected pollsters indicate that a majority of Americans espouse ending America's nearly century-long, failed experiment with cannabis prohibition and replacing it with a system of limited legalization and regulation. According to Gallup, year-to-year support for legalization is steadily rising not just among liberals, but also among self-proclaimed Republicans and conservatives, as well as among voters age 50 to 64.A 2012 survey by Rasmussen Reports found that 58 percent of respondents believed that it should no longer be a crime "for someone to smoke marijuana" in private. Supporters included one out of two Republicans as well as a majority of respondents of every age group polled, including 50 percent of those age 65 and older.
