Bernie Sanders Introduces Bill in Senate to End Federal Cannabis Prohibition
Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), a Democratic presidential candidate, introduced a bill Wednesday that would repeal all federal penalties for growing and possessing cannabis, giving states the full freedom to decide their own cannabis laws.
The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2015 would remove cannabis from the federal controlled substances list, while retaining penalties for those transporting cannabis from states or jurisdictions where it is legal to those where it is not (as cities and states would still have the ability to prohibit the plant on a local level). This is the first bill ever introduced in the U.S. Senate that would end cannabis prohibition on the federal level.
“Sen. Sanders really grabbed the nation’s attention when he became the first major-party presidential candidate to speak out in support of ending marijuana prohibition”, says Mason Tvert, Communications Director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “His actions today speak even louder than his words last month. Hopefully, this legislation will get his colleagues in Congress talking about the need for comprehensive marijuana policy reform.”
The full bill can be viewed by clicking here.
– TheJointBlog
Gregory E. Roth
I’m in too.
Joe
The person quoted as saying that Bernie is the first major party candidate to propose ending federal prohibition is incorrect. Ron Paul proposed this and introduced a bill to end federal prohibition in 2011 with Barney Frank in the House. Gary Johnson also spoke in favor of legalizing pot at the first 2012 republican presidential debate ,which was nationally televised, before he dropped out and became a Libertarian.
RMForbes
That’s not true, the bill that Ron Paul and Barney Frank did not remove “Marihuana/Marijuana” completely from the Controlled Substances Act, Bernie’s bill does.
Joe
In fact this is the same exact bill Frank and Ron Paul introduced in 2011 even the title.