Bill introduced in Congress would fix conflict between state, federal marijuana laws

colonuggs

colonuggs

Well-Known Member
A bill introduced in Congress on Friday would fix the conflict between the federal government's marijuana prohibition and state laws that allow medical or recreational use. California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said his bill, which has three Republican and three Democratic sponsors, would ensure that state laws on pot are respected by the feds.
The measure would amend the Controlled Substances Act to make clear that individuals and businesses, including marijuana dispensaries, who comply with state marijuana laws are immune from federal prosecution.
"This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states' marijuana laws," Rohrabacher said in a news release. "It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don't want it to be criminal
Press Release | 04/12/2013 [h=1]Republican-led Legislation to Protect States That Regulate Marijuana Introduced in Congress[/h]Bill Would Shield Citizens from Federal Enforcement in States That Have Reformed Marijuana Laws

Supermajority of Americans Believe Federal Government Should Leave State Marijuana Reforms Alone

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), long-standing opponent of the Department of Justice’s use of federal money to undermine state medical marijuana laws, and other Republicans introduced legislation today exempting law-abiding citizens from federal arrest and prosecution in states that have reformed their marijuana laws. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use – and voters in Colorado and Washington passed laws to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol this past November.
“The people have spoken and members of Congress are taking action,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “This bill takes conservative principles and applies them to marijuana policy; in terms of the national debate it’s potentially a game-changer.”
The bill was introduced with bipartisan cosponsorship, including Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Steve Cohen (D-TN), Don Young (R-AK), Jared Polis (D-CO), Justin Amash (R-MI), and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR).
Regarding this new legislation, Rep. Rohrabacher said, “This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws. It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don’t want it to be criminal.”
Earlier this Congress, Reps. Polis (D-CO), Blumenauer (D-OR), Rohrabacher and others introduced the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, H.R. 499, which would end federal marijuana prohibition and set up a federal regulatory process – similar to the one for alcohol – for states that decide to legalize. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has said he will hold hearings to examine Colorado and Washington’s new marijuana laws and explore potential federal reforms.
New polling data from Pew shows that a majority of Americans support legalization of marijuana and believe the federal government should not enforce federal laws in states where it is legal. “We’ve reached a tipping point,” said Jasmine Tyler, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, “and it is time Congress acknowledge what voters, law enforcement, and state officials have been telling us for years: the feds should stop wasting money interfering when the states are more than capable of regulating marijuana effectively
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kpmarine

kpmarine

Well-Known Member
Well, with it's conflict with the "all weed is illegal" system we currently have; it should make one hell of a court case. I'll have to see if I can find anything about it. I'll totally send my congressman a letter if it's worth a damn.
 
Rod Roc

Rod Roc

Member
I think the bill has a good chance of getting accepted. Vermont and other states are already thinking about decriminalizing the possesion of marijuana, as well as some countries around the world. For more useful news about medicinal and recreational marijuana you can always visit Zip 420 :weed:
 
budzrus

budzrus

Active Member
States are actively enacting medical marijuana bills. Medical marijuana is gaining momentum and soon the federal government will not be able to ignore the wishes of the states. The decriminalization of marijuana is also gaining momentum. Anything we do to help keep this momentum going is a step in the right direction. Letters and calls to our congressman and women can only help to keep the issue in the minds of our elected officials. Since there is so much corruption in Washington DC maybe we should try to let our congress know how they might benefit from these bills. Just a thought, I know I take every opportunity to spread the word. We can only hope for the best. Sorry for my rambling but just had to get those thoughts out. Right or wrong they are just my thoughts.
 
curious2garden

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
colonuggs said:
cant find what bill it is ....only a bill :)
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Sorry late to the party doing taxes, ack.

The Bill:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1523

I think this will pass and this is where Big Pharma & Big Tobacco enter the game. This is what I worried would happen. Things may start movin' real fast now. Make sure you get your genetics and stay close to your friends and share them so they can't be easily taken from us.

;) imagine if I smoked Sativas!
 
Rancho Cucamonga

Rancho Cucamonga

Active Member
The bottom line is states cannot pass laws that prohibit the federal government from enforcing it's existing federal laws. It just doesn't work that way.

As to curious statement on "
this is where Big Pharma & Big Tobacco enter the game"

you god-damn right. This is what legalization will bring. It's not about us, it's about them.
 
T

thinn

Well-Known Member
Might as well get ready for synthetic marijuana in pill form. Maybe thats why they have not went loopy on the taxes yet. Im sure bigger companies woul not want to pay 30% tax on it
 
K

Keith Stone

Well-Known Member
states can, have, and will pass laws in conflict with federal laws. they have for years. that's what the section of law school called "conflict of laws" is all about.

if the feds decide that it's okay--then guess what? it's no longer a conflict. and that's the "design" of this legislation.

and hell yeah it's corrupt, it's all corrupt every state, every city, every nation. just a matter of degrees and how tolerant the citizens are of it. perspectives and manipulation yo.

i'm quite afraid that this is exactly who is behind this legislation-the big companies that run the world. AND if it is them, then it will pass after much wrangling over who gets what part of the pie-and no they're not going to let this revenue stream go.


when the big boys get ready to play, the game is on.
 
T

TreeOfLiberty

Well-Known Member
Colorado and Washington state have wedged the door to legalization open. It's going to begin to spread to other states now. Maine is pushing for it and will pass it.

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/05/03/news/state/sponsor-of-bill-says-maine-will-legalize-marijuana-one-way-or-another/

Legalization in the states is about to snowball. The Feds don't have the manpower to stop legalization. I don't think the private corporations could've stopped this from taking off.This has been building up for a long time. California, in 1996 kicked off the ball that got MMJ bills going in other states falling like dominoes, and Washington and Colorado took it to the next level 16 years later which is about to start the next fall of dominoes. I think that now, private corporations will try to move in knowing that they are in the last days of marijuana prohibition and get into McDonalds types of pot store chains with sub-par mediocre strains at cheap prices to monopolize the market. Or.......

if a company like Monsanto with all of their Frankenstein type plant geneticists were to splice and cross DNA from a Papaver Somniferum (Opium Poppy) , with Cannabis DNA ,but retain all the visual characteristics of bud , they could create Cannabis bud that's actually addictive being that Opium and Heroin from the Poppy plant are very addictive. With their money and their scientific teams, I think they have the intellect and labs to do something like that. Something like that would be a nightmare.

Even if the big corporations didn't do something that extreme, I think they will go with something like a Walmart style chain of pot stores but I don't think their buds would ever be as good as what comes out of Mom n' Pop closets n' bedrooms. I'm working on building up a seed stock for long term storage before Monsanto or someone like them tries to taint the marijuana seed market. I think we're a few years away from something like this happening. I think there's still plenty of time to stock up.
 
D

DCS805

Member
Even if it does pass you'll still have states like ohio that is full of offical that is stuck on the old way of thinking and not wanting to change. I feel were close to getting weed legal, but i feel it will still be some years before it happens.
 
AthlonJedi

AthlonJedi

Member
While this is good to hear, My state just passed a bill to make marijuanna laws harsher than they already are 8( The fucked up thing about it is it started as a bill to de-criminalize it, but our jackass governer Mike Pence ( just google him and you will know where i live ) wanted to look like a bad ass to get re-elected. when are they gonna learn?
 
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