In the hopes of keeping Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and the DOJ from trampling on states’ rights, congressional members Tom Garrett (R-VA) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) have introduced bipartisan legislation to remove marijuana from the fed’s list of controlled substances.

Called the “Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017,” this bill parallels a proposal authored by Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2015.

Per H.R. 1227, the bill would “limit the application of federal laws to the distribution and consumption of marijuana, and for other purposes; to the committee on Energy and Commerce.” Thereby removing marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) and doing away with marijuana’s current scheduling under federal law.

If passed, H.R. 1227 would provide states the necessary authority to cultivate their own unique marijuana guidelines – minus any burdensome meddling from the federal government.

Aimed at stripping the CSA of any authority over marijuana and the states that voted to legalize it, Congressman Tom Garrett issued the following statement from his government-funded website:

“I have long believed justice that isn’t blind, isn’t justice. Statistics indicate that minor narcotics crimes disproportionately hurt areas of lower socio-economic status and what I find most troubling is that we continue to keep laws on the books that we do not enforce. Virginia is more than capable of handling its own marijuana policy, as are states such as Colorado or California.“

This legislation is a shot across the bow of the Department of Justice and their historic interference with states’ rights.

After pledging “greater enforcement” of federal marijuana laws during his confirmation hearing, Sessions called on irked legislators to modify the existing laws … which is exactly what Representatives Garrett and Gabbard hope to accomplish.

Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017 by Monterey Bud on Scribd

Photo courtesy of Allie Beckett.