Federal Legislation Introduced To Exclude Cannabis From The Controlled Substances Act

Originally published at blog.NORML.org

Representatives Tom Garrett (R-VA) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) have introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress to exclude marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act, thus providing states with the exclusive authority to regulate the plant how best they see fit.

The “Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017” removes the cannabis plant from the CSA so that it is no longer scheduled under federal law. This legislation gives states the power and flexibility to establish their own marijuana policies free from federal interference.

Individual states are “more than capable” of deciding their own cannabis policies, Rep. Garrett explained in a prepared statement.

According to polling data released last week by Quinnipiac University, 59 percent of Americans endorse legalizing the adult use of marijuana, and 71 percent of voters — including majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, believe that state governments, not the federal government, should be the ultimate arbiters of marijuana policy.

With the recent confirmation of militant marijuana prohibitionist Jeff Sessions to the position of US Attorney General, and with comments from the Trump administration warning of a coming federal crackdown in adult use states, our best defense is a strong offense.

Please take time today to contact your federal elected officials and urge them to act on passage of the “Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017.” You can do so by clicking here.

Speaking earlier today before the National Association of Attorney Generals, Session’s doubled-down on his reefer rhetoric — denying scientific facts that legalizing cannabis access is associated with lower rates of opioid abuse (“Give me a break,” he responded) and urging state AGs, “[W]e don’t need to be legalizing marijuana.”

If the Justice Department won’t listen to reason, then we must take this issue out of its hands. Act now to pass the “Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017” to ensure that medical marijuana patients and others are protected from undue federal interference.