Ron Paul, others to introduce marijuana bill

CBS/iStockphoto

In early June, a 19-member international panel of luminaries called the so-called "war on drugs" a failure, and recommended the United States consider legalizing marijuana in order to better undermine criminal organizations and stop punishing those who "do no harm to others."

It apparently only took a few weeks for Congress to hear them, as Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), along with other congressmen, will be introducing legislation in the House on Thursday to "limit the federal government's role in marijuana enforcement to cross-border or inter-state smuggling," reports Reason.com, which claims to have gotten its information from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP.)

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The bill is not an attempt to legalize pot, the authors insist, but is instead intended to clear up the conflicts between federal and state law that exist throughout the country. As many as 16 states currently allow the use of medical marijuana, an allowance that falls into direct conflict with federal law.

According to the MPP: "Rep. Frank's legislation would end state/federal conflicts over marijuana policy, reprioritize federal resources, and provide more room for states to do what is best for their own citizens."

While GOP presidential candidate Paul and the very liberal Frank might seem an odd pair, this legislation is right up Paul's libertarian alley, as it focuses on allowing states to do what they want without interference from Washington, D.C.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland).

While some, including the MPP and The Los Angeles Times, claim it is the first legislation of its kind to be proposed in Congress that would end the 73-year-old federal marijuana prohibition that began with the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, there have been other marijuana-related bills in Congress in recent years.

In fact, Rep. Frank himself introduced as many as two marijuana-related bills in 2009 alone, both of which appear to have died in subcommittee and never even been considered for a vote. H.R. 2835 sought to "provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various States." H.R. 2943 sought to "eliminate most Federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use, and for other purposes."

While it is very likely the current piece of marijuana legislation will end up in the same place as Frank's previous two efforts, it is still part of a growing chorus of voices seeking to alter the debate on the war on drugs. With the U.S. spending $15 billion per year on the war on drugs, and with little to no apparent gains made in the last 40 years since it started, theirs will surely not be the last prominent voices to question why marijuana is illegal.

[hurrrrrrr]

A government restricting autonomous control over our own bodies and what we choose or do not choose to consume is antithetical to a free sociecty. How can you be free if you cannot choose what to do with your own life?

[Freepress1111]

Interesting. Marijuana is medicine in one state but a dangerous drug in the adjoining state. America will never solve it's problems if it can't or won't face reality. Drug and alcohol use has been around for thousands of years and is part of human nature. It only took Americans a little over 14 years (1919-1933) to realize that the prohibition of alcohol was a disaster. For over 70 years now, all the war on pot has done is make a lot of criminals who supply it very rich. It doesn't matter how many cartels are busted or how many drug kingpins are arrested, as long as the money is there they will be replaced. The law of supply and demand cannot be defeated, even by all the might of the US government. Sorry, but there will be no drug free America. Government's proper role here is to encourage people to lead healthy, drug free lives, not to lock them up if they happen not to. When a country or state can justify shelling out tens of thousands of dollars annually to lock up millionaires like Willie Nelson for pot while firing teachers and firefighter because we're broke, we're in serious trouble. Willie Nelson, wow, what a menace to society! Face reality, America. It's not drug use, but drug laws that cause crime. Get rid of the laws and get rid of the crime. Pot should be legalized and treated the same way as alcohol.

[sawolf]

Not only are really bad people empowered by the prohibition of cannabis, but the war on drugs is a war on the American citizen who chooses to modulate their consciousness in a manner they deem.On my Clinical Biochem course exam, zero was the only safe amount of ETOH (alcohol) in the human body.What I find absolutely fascinating is the fact that the Delta 9 THC molecule targets the G protein coupled receptor, the most numerous receptor site in the human brain. How does a non sentient plant know this?

[notohp2002]

The man of peace has lost my vote. Say no to drugs Ron! The only thing President Clinton did right was fight the war on drugs.

To accept evil into our societies and give up is not going to happen.

[MatterofLiberty]

Well, HR 2306 doesnt exactly "End the War on Drugs". Its simply makes Cannabis a state to state responsibility (which already have their own laws making it illegal) DEA will still be expected to go after actually dangerous substances like Heroin, or Meth. Who knows maybe we'll even start to make some progress at preventing use of these problem substances. Right now however, we are only undermining or own credibility when we tell todays youth that Cannabis is really as dangerous as other schedule 1 drugs.

[NDPenDnt1]

YOU do not have to accept the evils of pot. Others should have a choice as they see fit. It is a waste of taxpayer money. The feds will still prevent smuggling along the borders, just like they stop illegal aliens! Ha. This is a state's issue. Always has been. As usual the Feds over-step their authority and fail miserably, as usual.

[Danize]

May as well roll your joints in the pages of two milennia of philosophic discourse, 'cause you've just opted for a life of vegetal servitude.

[WillowSunstar]

This is good. They should legalize it and tax the living daylights out of it. That would allow the states that need revenue to generate revenue and balance their budgets.

[yeeoflittlefaith]

Just look at who has something to lose if marijuana is legalized. Drug cartels, police, prison guards, tobacco, wine, spirit and beer makers and sellers, et.al. Never go'na happen.

[sawolf]

so true

[documemts]

Our long national nightmare is over...............

[Egads_No]

2306 which would allow states to decide for themselves is being
blocked by Rep Lamar Smith (R) of Texas. This is a man who in the
current cycle has taken money for his campaign from:
$20,000 : National Beer Wholesalers Assn.
$15,000 : Schering-Plough Corp (merged with MERCK)
$11,000 : Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris)
$10,500 : Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
$8,000 : Eli Lilly & Co (prozac + cancer drugs)
$8,000 : Amgen Inc ( drugs for dealing/w chemo )
$7,000 : National Community Pharmacists Assn
$5,000 : GlaxoSmithKline
$5,000 : Constellation Brands (Beer&Wine (B&W))
$4,800 : Republic National Distributing (B&W).
(according to http://www.opensecrets.org/pol...

This is the same man who says he will not even consider allowing it
to pass and is the head of the committee. Surely you can see the
conflict of interests when marijuana is proven to lower consumption use
of tobacco and alcohol- while offering a plethora of medical benefits.

According the US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence
Center- issued a report entitled "The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug
Use on American Society" Which said in 2007 we lost $193,000,000,000.00
fighting a war on drugs on a state and federal level. That is JUST ONE
YEAR. No wonder the DEA who so strongly opposes marijuana continues to
try to play the American public as fools. Marijuana accounts for 49%
of all arrests and according to the report near 150 billion goes to
police/courts/prisons fighting drugs.

[sawolf]

Lets not forget about DEA pensions.

[LFolk]

I don't see the big deal with legalizing marijuana. Why are tobacco and alcohol legal when pot isn't?