A bipartisan team of Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Ron Paul, R-Texas, will introduce federal legislation that would permit states to legalize, regulate, tax and control marijuana without federal interference.
The legislation will be unveiled Thursday by Frank, an outspoken liberal Democrat, and the libertarian Paul, who is running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
The bill would limit the U.S. government role in marijuana enforcement to interdiction of cross-border or inter-state smuggling. Citizens would be able to legally grow, use or sell cannabis in states which have legalized the forbidden weed.
The legislation is the first bill to be introduced in Congress that would end federal marijuana prohibition…
The legislation follows a report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy, released early this month, that pronounced the War on Drugs a failure and advocated legal regulation of marijuana.
A breath of fresh air in Congress. Maybe a little smoke, too.
Hell, Barney just went up a notch in my book.
That puts him at Notch 1.
As our Gitmo North PM said back in the early 2000s when legalization was proposed in Canada, “don’t light up yet”. Never happened, but that was entirely because of Gimto Nation.
Since it allows enforcement to prevent cross-border or inter-state smuggling, I’m sure the DEA will continue to raid dispensaries – with the reasoning that anything that occurs within 100 miles of the border (including the Pacific ocean) constitutes an “inter-state” transaction.
Better ‘Free Marc Emery’ now, you DEA cunts.
It’ll never happen.
Pot’s opponents are armed, (with guns,) and don’t mind spreading the pain.
That would mean putting an end to the very profitable Mafia and gang rivalries between the growers, the mules, the dealers and the other sources as well as with law enforcement, lawyers, judges and for profit jails all of whom stand to lose on the deal and have to find some real work.
Besides, it would take an enlightened legislature and I don’t see any of that around here.
The War on Drugs is a Racket
Google Smedley D Butler for information regarding all wars.
#6, Sadly, I agree with you.
And there was much rejoicing….
Until congress immediately stamped out the flame of liberty again and the legislation went no where.
This will only work if they frame it as a states right law. If they propose it as “we want to legalize marijuana” it’ll never pass.
Let’s see who they hire for marketing 😉
Dr Paul is the only politician I ever (and frequently) donated to. However, with this idea he stumbles on the same stone that have been tripping B.Frank for years: not thinking beyond ones own nose about consequences.
Marijuana is illegal. Trivial fact requiring trivial behavior adjustment not change in the law. Those who do not like law/behavior it requires are free to move to a country of choice in which marijuana is not illegal and take all consequences that brings along instead of bringing such consequences to this country. Just go south of the border, you don’t have to travel far and live there,… I bet neither B.Frank or R.Paul would move there of their own free will.
The operative word here is “tax”.
We are in a very bad way economically, and some states want to fill their coffers with the sale and tax of marijuana.
Right! FREE MARC EMERY!!!!
#11, Marijuana was legal before George Hurst and his paper mill tyrants lied about the Mexicans smoking joints and running trains on all the white women. This country doesn’t have industrialized hemp for a very old reason. The criminalization of marijuana was a side effect of paper industry greed.
So long as the people and companies selling it don’t make too much money. Then liberals will start to demonize the companies and sue them for all harmful effects, and run a campaign to restrict it. See tobacco.
#14 Don’t forget about Dupont and their synthetic materials which also found an enemy in hemp.
Expect to hear howls of terror from the prison industrial complex.
In a world where the ATF allowed guns to be sent to the Mexican drug cartels, I don’t expect to see reason suddenly gain control of the legal system.
Ron Paul is starting to grow on me. I hope he wins the Puke pageant. He just might get my vote if he doesn’t pollute himself with the religo-loons .
Rescind the marijuana tax stamp
Make it legal
Regulate it
Tax the hell out of it
PROFIT
#11–Dismal==In our nations history, MJ has been legal for more years than illegal. What is wrong with States being able to decide for themselves? Are you for Federalism only when it suits you or as an organizational principle?
#15–Lyin’ Mike==I agree. Legal MJ should be treated just like tobacco in such ways as they are alike. I don’t know, am I allowed to grow tobacco right now for my personal consumption? I assume so. Was going to grow my own tea but local nursery didn’t have any plants. Yes, like things being treated in like ways for like issues.
Ain’t FREEEEEEEDOM groovy?
In California, it would be welcome as an alternative to the gang run medical shops.
#11. “Just go south of the border, you don’t have to travel far and live there,… I bet neither B.Frank or R.Paul would move there of their own free will.”
BS. You’ve certainly missed the point. The only reason for the drug wars in Mexico is because of it’s illegality here. You have to know that. Besides that, why should anyone have to move out of their country to be able to imbibe in something this harmless. Next question: Are you a hypocrite, do you drink alcohol? Have you ever smoked tobacco? Both addictive DRUGS and much more damaging. Be honest.
I think it’s interesting because this makes the GOP deny a states’ rights claim.
Ron Paul is okay by me.
Use as medicine, yes.
Use for recreational purpose no.
We already have enough problems with people legally abusing alcohol. We don’t need to exacerbate the error in monkeys and their insistence to play with their dopamine receptors.
Filthy, senseless, self-absorbed monkeys can rot. All of them unfit to breathe air.
Cursor_
I’m one of those old fashioned kooks who think that if a constitutional amendment was needed for the feds to outlaw alcohol, they should be similarly powerless to enforce other drug laws, so this bill is superfluous. But I’ll support it anyways since it would reduce the amount of my tax dollars going to keep non-violent drug users in cages.
Goldbug–what makes you think a Constitutional Amendment was required to outlaw Alcohol? That was FORCED on the Feds by anti-liquor interest.
Feds could have outlawed Alcohol just as they have done with MJ.
I think the next bus will be by in a few minutes.
NEW BILLION-DOLLAR CROP
Popular Mechanics
February, 1938
http://goo.gl/9663k
I rather see it that way than the money going to the drug lords.
Legalize but only on condition that it is never advertised and never done in a public place where children can see.
#26–Milo==thats a lot of cellulose. It would be nice to see this green alternative to petroleum based products take off again.
Thanks for the link.
It may become legal soon for the same reason that prohibition was repealed. The Feds coffers are too empty and it could be a lucrative tax revenue stream. It would have the advantage of making tax money, and lowering the costs of arresting and incarceration of those smoking or selling it. I don’t know that I’d ever use it, but it could end up being better as a legal, regulated drug like alcohol and tobacco than an illegal one.
#6 is right.
#11 is wrong. America is all about changing bad laws not living with them.
#14 – It was Randolph Hearst, newspaper publisher and yellow journalist of the 33rd degree.
In a free country marijuana would be legal as it was in America until 1937 when evil industrialists demonized the most promising anti cancer medicine we have and the safest therapeutically effective substance known to mankind, it is the ONLY medicine with no side effects.
Supporting a corrupt government like ours is not patriotic it is stupid folly that leads to tyranny. America – fix it or suffer.