| Action Alert | |
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Federal Measures Introduced to Legalize Marijuana and Regulate Its Sales |
Representative Polis' legislation, The Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013, would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, transfer the Drug Enforcement Administration’s authority to regulate marijuana to a newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, require commercial marijuana producers to purchase a permit, and ensure that federal law distinguishes between individuals who grow marijuana for personal use and those involved in commercial sale and distribution.
Representative Blumenauer's bill, The Marijuana Tax Equity Act, would impose an excise tax on the first sale of marijuana, from the producer to the next stage of production, usually the processor. These regulations are similar to those that now exist for alcohol and tobacco. The bill will also require the IRS to produce a study of the industry after two years, and every five years after that, and to issue recommendations to Congress to continue improving the administration of the tax.
You can read more about these historic measures here.
NORML will keep you updated as this legislation moves forward.
Support Legislation to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition
Never in modern history has there existed greater public support for ending the nation's nearly century-long experiment with marijuana prohibition and replacing it with regulation. The historic votes on Election Day in Colorado and Washington -- where, for the first time ever, a majority of voters decided at the ballot box to abolish cannabis prohibition -- underscore this political reality.
The ongoing enforcement of cannabis prohibition financially burdens taxpayers, encroaches upon civil liberties, engenders disrespect for the law, impedes legitimate scientific research into the plant's medicinal properties, and disproportionately impacts communities of color. Furthermore, the criminalization of cannabis simply doesn't work.
A majority of voters support regulating the adult consumption of cannabis, according to a variety of national polls. Further, according to a December 2012 Gallup poll, 64 percent of respondents do not believe that the federal government "should take steps to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws in those states" that have legalized the plant.
Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans' consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for members of Congress to acknowledge this reality. It is time to stop ceding control of the marijuana market to untaxed criminal enterprises and it is time for lawmakers to impose common-sense regulations governing cannabis' personal use by adults and licensing its production. A pragmatic regulatory framework that allows for limited, licensed production, sale, and taxation of cannabis to adults -- but restricts use among young people -- best reduces the risks associated with its use or abuse. I encourage you to support legislation to regulate marijuana, not criminalize it. Therefore, I urge you to support The Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013 and The Marijuana Tax Equity Act.
Tell Your Representatives to Support the Ending #Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013! Click here to easily write them: capwiz.com/norml2/issues/
Marijuana is the third most popular
recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and
has been used by nearly 100 million Americans. According to government
surveys, some 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past
year, and more than 14 million do so regularly despite harsh laws
against its use. Our public policies should reflect this reality, not
deny it.