Back when he was a Congressman, Bob Barr was at the forefront of a move in Congress to block a referendum in the District of Columbia that would have allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The referendum went forward, but thanks to the Barr Amendment the public wasn’t even allowed to know what the results of the vote were, although it seemed clear that the referendum had passed.

Let’s just say that times have changed. Bob Barr is now retired from Congress, he’s joined the Libertarian Party, and he’s lobbying for the legalization of medical marijuana:

Bob Barr, who as a Georgia congressman authored a successful amendment that blocked D.C. from implementing a medical marijuana initiative, has switched sides and become a lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project. But that doesn’t mean he has become a bong-ripping hippie. He isn’t pro-drug, he said, just against government intrusion. Quite the turnaround, but if his advocacy means more people can get hold of wholesale bud to help treat their conditions, surely it will be a move welcomed by the lobbyists. “I, over the years, have taken a very strong stand on drug issues, but in light of the tremendous growth of government power since 9/11, it has forced me and other conservatives to go back and take a renewed look at how big and powerful we want the government to be in people’s lives,” Barr said. (…) Ironically, Barr said he will help lead the fight to give District residents a say on whether to allow medical marijuana – the very thing the “Barr Amendment” denied them in 1998. He will lobby for the rights of states to set their own medical marijuana policy without federal interference. Medical marijuana has already been very successful in Missouri. It’s even so simple to search for an online dispensary (if legal in your state) than it is visiting one. What would we do without the internet! Many people have learnt the process of how to get a medical mj card in Missouri. As this industry is doing quite well in states where medical marijuana is legal, it comes as no surprise when people want to try and open up their own dispensary. If this is something you want to do, there is a lot to consider. From getting a license to open a store of this nature, to ensuring the cannabis packaging on all products follows the rules and regulations, it is important to do your research into how you can turn an idea into reality. The four-term former Republican congressman will also work to unplug a youth anti-drug campaign which a recent study showed actually increased the likelihood that all teens would smoke pot.

Some of the commentors over at Hit & Run are accusing Barr of “flip-flopping”, but, like Radley Balko said, I think it’s clear that this is a genuine change of mind on Barr’s part, not a change in position designed to gain votes or political support. If anything this is likely to make him even less welcome among his former allies. However, like Glenn Reynolds, I think it would’ve been nice if Barr had had this change of heart when he actually had the power to do something about the insanity that is the War on Drugs.