Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, has introduced legislation this morning which would provide legal protection to individuals who are explicitly following state law by amending the Federal Controlled Substances Act. The mea sure would make it illegal for a federal official to arrest someone who’s growing or possessing marijuana if it’s legal under state law, such as it is in Colorado, where adults can legally grow up to 6 plants, and possess up to an ounce.

The measure, H.R. 1523 the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013, has bipartisan support, and has 5 additional sponsors including Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee, Don Young, a Republican from Arkansas, and Jared Polis, a Democrat from Colorado.

Representative Rohrabacher, the bill’s sponsor, stated, “This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws,” she continues, “It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don’t want it to be criminal.”

This measure has the overwhelming support of the American public, 72% of which believe that the nation’s war on marijuana isn’t worth the cost.

– TheJointBlog