Capitol Lawmaker pushes for legalization of Marijuana

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on May 20, 2017.

A section of the lawmakers in the Capitol are considering legalizing of the cannabis plant.

A Bill titled, ‘Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act,’ was introduced early this year by Representative Thomas Garrett of Virginia, which removes cannabis from Controlled Substances Act and gives states the permission to decide on regulating medical and recreational marijuana.

On Wednesday, Thomas Garret held a press conference to update the public and media on the progress of the Bill.

 “I have long believed justice that isn’t blind, isn’t justice. Statistics indicate that minor narcotics crimes disproportionately hurt areas of lower socioeconomic status and what I find most troubling is that we continue to keep laws on the books that we do not enforce,” said Garret, who believes there are medical uses for cannabis.

Marijuana is currently out of federal law, but is still legal in over half of the nation including states like Colorado.

Garrett said deregulating punishment for marijuana would enable states “to determine appropriate medicinal use and allows for industrial hemp growth.”

At a time when President Donald Trump’s administration is looking for a stronger enforcement of federal Marijuana laws, the Bill that has 11 co-sponsors has added to the chaos. There have been speculations of the cannabis industry being at risk, ever since Jeff Sessions was made in charge of US Department of Justice.

In his statement, Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a non-profit organization criticized the policy.

“Common sense – not Cheech and Chong ideology – should drive our nation’s marijuana laws.  Make no mistake: Congressman Garrett’s legislation is designed to chip away at law enforcement’s ability to keep drug trafficking organizations out of our communities and support a growing for-profit industry that will target poor and young people throughout Virginia,” the statement read. 

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