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Christene Roberts and Aliyah Shahid report: "A liberal Massachusetts Democrat and a libertarian from Texas are unlikely allies in a stoner-friendly cause: legalizing marijuana. Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Ron Paul (R-Tex.) will introduce legislation Thursday that would allow states to make their own rules concerning the drug."

Jars full of medical marijuana are seen at Sunset Junction medical marijuana dispensary. (photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Jars full of medical marijuana are seen at Sunset Junction medical marijuana dispensary. (photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)



Ron Paul, Barney Frank Push for Legalizing Marijuana

By Christene Roberts and Aliyah Shahid, New York Daily News

23 June 11

 

liberal Massachusetts Democrat and a libertarian from Texas are unlikely allies in a stoner-friendly cause: legalizing marijuana.

Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Ron Paul (R-Tex.) will introduce legislation Thursday that would allow states to make their own rules concerning the drug.

The feds would still be able to bust cross-border and inter-state smuggling, but the bill, if passed, also would permit people to grow and sell marijuana in states that approved the measure.

It's the first bill ever to be introduced in Congress to end federal marijuana prohibition.

"The legislation would limit the federal government's role in marijuana enforcement to cross-border or inter-state smuggling, allowing people to legally grow, use or sell marijuana in states where it is legal," the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws said in a statement.

More than a dozen states allow the sale of medical pot, but the practice is illegal under federal law, which has led to conflicts between local and federal authorities.

Paul, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, has been a long proponent of legalizing drugs as part of his libertarian stance of limited government. His office did not immediately return requests for comment.

"We do not believe that the federal government ought to be involved in prosecuting adults for using marijuana," said Frank during a press conference. "We believe this should be the state's responsibility. We don't have enough room in prisons. We don't have enough prosecutors. If adults wish to smoke marijuana, it is their personal freedom."

Frank added that while he doesn't expect the measure to pass in Congress, "it's an educational process that's going on."

Morgan Fox, communications manager at the Marijuana Policy Project, agreed.

"It could be held up by anybody that wants to put a hold on in Congress," he told the Daily News. "The important thing is that it's starting a conversation among lawmakers at a time when the rest of the country is already talking about the failure of marijuana prohibition."

Other co-sponsors of the bill include Tennessee Democratic Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).

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