Two House Bills Would End Federal Prohibition Of Marijuana

Just came across this blazing good news today.
Two new bills to legalize marijuana at the federal level.

This won't force states to legalize it, but it is a step in the right direction.

LINK

Two congressmen filed separate House bills on Friday that together would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana at the federal level, effectively ending the U.S. government's decadeslong prohibition of the plant.

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) introduced the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, which would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act's schedules, transfer oversight of the substance from the Drug Enforcement Administration over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and regulate marijuana in a way similar to how alcohol is currently regulated in the U.S.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced the Marijuana Tax Revenue Act, which would set up a federal excise tax for regulated marijuana.

The bills would not force states to legalize marijuana, but a federal regulatory framework would be in place for those states that do decide to legalize it. To date, four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana (however, D.C.'s model continues to ban sales), 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and 11 other states have legalized the limited use of low-THC forms of marijuana for medical use.

I'm stone-faced with reddy eyed optimism about this.

Think it will pass?

I keep wondering if business will follow if legalization on a national level is ever granted. I mean it seems strange for it to be legal yet most jobs test for it and will terminate you for being positive which falls within a very wide window. I am curious to see how the Colorado Supreme Court handles the case with Comcast and them firing one of their employees for medical marijuana.



*It should say "wide window" but ATS keeps turning window into an underscore for me*

a reply to: NihilistSanta

I think, thanks to tobacco backlash, that it won't matter.
I believe a employer can decide to not hire you if you smoke cigarettes.

If that is the case then there would be nothing to stop them from not hiring you for using marijuana.

Companies can pretty much make up their own rules. Unless you're a minority, handicapped or sexually something, then you cannot be discriminated for hiring.

a reply to: FinalCountdown

Well the issue lies with the testing. Companies don't like alcoholics but they would have to test daily to catch people. On the flip side a person could smoke marijuana once in their off time within a months time and the company can find out about it.

You are correct though about company policy seeming to trump the law in some instances such as with smoking cigarettes but something doesn't smell right about that either. Eventually the courts will have to weigh in on the matter and perhaps a more sensible policy will prevail. There is too much money at stake ;P

This is awesome. I REEEEAAAAALLY hope these pass. I'm so sick of having to hide what I enjoy doing. If I'm not hurting anyone else then whose business is it other than my own? It's long past due that marijuana became legal, it's uses are nearly endless, and that goes way past medicinal and recreational use.

The industrial applications of hemp are awesome and would be revolutionary in my opinion. Our founding fathers grew it, so why is it illegal?

The only way that marijuana prohibition will end is when all the older generations die out as they are the ones most likely to oppose it.

a reply to: TheLotLizard

The older generation were the ones that made it what is is today. Without them, it would not be anywhere near as popular.

The problem is not the people, it is the idiots in Politics

P

a reply to: NihilistSanta

That's true. I think the way it's going, it will fall on the States to decide that. The trouble is, with it being so new, things like this aren't accounted for automatically. Some things are, though, like states planning for things ahead of time, like metabolites in blood for traffic stops..written right into the legislature.

I'm actually terrified right now. Ohio has a number of groups vying to get on the ballot. I'm scared, because there's a legitimate scenario where I would find myself voting against it - should the wrong group be the option.

I couldn't be more in favor of full legalization, but there are some shady models being developed in Ohio right now. One, in particular. Ironically, I think it's the one NORML supports, which shows you how out of touch they even are with the masses.

"A friend of mine" uses this herb for four separate medical conditions, daily. I think I'd...err...he'd be pretty saddened to have to vote down its legalization. It's a strange world, though.

Even so, I know it's only a matter of time. Four or five years ago I would have laughed in your face if you told me we'd be at this point. And the breakneck pace continues daily. It's rolling down hill. Politicians and liars are scrambling to get out of the way...

It isn't truly legal until I can grow it in my backyard and not be thrown in jail for having it in my bloodstream a month after the fact. Until then, it's just another way for them to get more money out of us through taxation, regulation, and (yes, still) incarceration.

But people will laud their plans as "new and progressive" approaches to marijuana policy, as the government laughs all the way to the bank, increasing their corporate sponsorship kickbacks through the taxation of a weed.

The joke is on us, folks.

a reply to: FinalCountdown

The only problems I see are these: What will it take to be able to independently grow the plant? I could imagine that if corporations are given exclusive rights to grow the plant and it is still illegal for individuals to grow it, that will create an unfair corporate control and the underground market will STILL exist. How could a person guarantee that the "corporate" grown plants are organic and pesticide free? A lot of people would just say that the organics would cost more (like organic food in the supermarket).

If it is legalized at all, they had better make it to where ANY person has the right to grow their own, and not have to purchase products that are laden with dangerous pesticides. Of course then the gov't won't be able to collect their taxes if people are allowed to grow it independently of the corporate "big boys".

It will be all bad if the corporations get control of it. At that point the underground market will still exist, because the people will not have to pay the hefty taxes on the "legal" corporation controlled plant if it is purchased through the underground. If they want to make it legal, they better make it to where anyone can grow it-much like tobacco is in most states.

It won't see the light of day, too soon...

There are folks still trying to position themselves to PROFIT from a move like this, and in order for them to do this, time must pass, the states that have legalized it are the "guinea pigs"...

Once time passes (in my mind 10 years from CO passing it), as long as nothing really bad happens, then I could see and effort like this happen in the Fed gov't..

As Miyagi said..

originally posted by: NihilistSanta
a reply to: FinalCountdown

Well the issue lies with the testing. Companies don't like alcoholics but they would have to test daily to catch people. On the flip side a person could smoke marijuana once in their off time within a months time and the company can find out about it.

You are correct though about company policy seeming to trump the law in some instances such as with smoking cigarettes but something doesn't smell right about that either. Eventually the courts will have to weigh in on the matter and perhaps a more sensible policy will prevail. There is too much money at stake ;P

There are a few groups currently working on devices that will test a person's level of "high."

The biggest problem, currently, is that THC stays in the system for so long, a person can smoke a single joint and fail a test 3 months later. The states that have passed laws allowing recreational marijuana have a very strict DUI limit for marijuana and the testing methods definitely create an issue.

Once the devices are developed that will accurately measure a person's level of inebriation instead of just detecting THC in the system, it will go a long way toward settling all the arguments about hiring processes and whatnot.

a reply to: Answer

Good points. It has always been a bit lopsided and at times completely useless. I have a friend who smoked marijuana while in the Air Force. They used oral swab test on the base he worked at and he knew that that method was only detectable within a short period so he could partake like 3 out of 4 days of the week or some such. So strange that an occupation that you would think needed a higher level of scrutiny ( he was in security forces) would be given testing that allowed cheating. Meanwhile urine test are more widely used in areas that seem to not warrant such scrutiny.

hope this happens ... maby ill stop drinking lol

was always more or a smoker but legal all that

idc if its legal to grow or not tho i will i grow everything

could end up like alcohol u can make it but only within the rules

maby no hydro cronic type thing

The introduce a bill like this every year. It ends up getting referred to a committee and never goes past it. But I still have hope!

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced the Marijuana Tax Revenue Act, which would set up a federal excise tax for regulated marijuana.

The pot taxes come from 12.9 percent sales taxes and 15 percent excise taxes. Including licensing fees and taxes from Colorado's pre-existing medical marijuana industry, the state collected about $3.5 million from the marijuana industry in January.

www.csmonitor.com...

Would the federal taxes look similar to the state taxes?

$3.5 B/month x 12 months - $42 B/year x 51 states = $2 Trillion Plus per year (I hope my math is right, I don't normally work with so many zeros).

a reply to: NthOther
Still far better than being sent to prison and having ones life ruined.

originally posted by: ChefSlug
The introduce a bill like this every year. It ends up getting referred to a committee and never goes past it. But I still have hope!

As more states get legal marijuana, it will eventually pass at the federal level.

Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon are test tubes for nationwide legalization. The fed just needed to see how well it could work and how profitable it is before they'd let it pass.

a reply to: InFriNiTee
I agree with the fact that corporations will swoop in and regulate the market through paying of congressmen with the aid of lobbyist to make sure that it is illegal to grow on your own.

It'll be just like tobacco, a cash crop that you need a license in order to grow, and only for commercial use.

But the main point I see, is that it will be legal to have and smoke and therefore it will drop off the list of top priorities for law enforcement.
At that point it really wouldn't matter if you were growing some somewhere, nobody is going to really be looking for that. Unless you are a large commercial guerrilla grow that is threatening the corporations.

I don't see too many choppers looking for people growing tobacco in their backyard, even though that would probably be illegal to grow.