From Reuters: Rand Paul, introduces legislation today to prevent the Federal government from prosecuting individuals in states where Medical Marijuana is legal. He is joined by Democrat Senators, Corey Booker, and Kirsten Gillibrand:
Paul has been an outspoken critic of the war on drugs and has said pot users should not be put in jail. He has pushed to legalize hemp, a less-potent version of the plant, for industrial purposes.(Reuters)
Last month, he accused former Florida governor Jeb Bush, a potential rival, of "hypocrisy" for opposing medical marijuana in Florida after admitting to pot use as a student.
Medical marijuana is now legal in 23 states and the District of Columbia, and voters have approved it for recreational use in four states and Washington, D.C.
But it remains illegal at the federal level. That disparity locks marijuana businesses out of the banking system and exposes users to arrest.
Paul's legislation would ensure that buyers and sellers in those states would not risk federal prosecution if they are complying with state and local laws, according to congressional aides and a marijuana-advocacy group.
What may at first appear to be bucking the “system”, is in essence, a state’s rights issue, as well, as a money saving issue – on the one hand, saving Federal dollars by not prosecuting these individuals and businesses in States where legalization of medical marijuana is legal, and 2) by allowing the businesses in these states to take full advantage of competing in the marketplace (job creation).
Smart move again, Senator Paul.
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