Since 2014, members of Congress have passed annual spending bills that have included a provision protecting those who engage in the state-sanctioned use and dispensing of medical cannabis from undue prosecution by the Department of Justice. The amendment, known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment, maintains that federal funds cannot be used to prevent states from “implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.”
In the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions recent actions, it is time to expand similar protections to states that have also legalized the use and sale of marijuana to all adults now that one in five Americans resides in a jurisdiction where the adult use of cannabis is legal under state statute.
Known as the McClintock-Polis amendment, after Representatives Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Jared Polis (D-CO), the amendment would simply remove the word medical from the current Rohrabacher-Blumenauer language.
The fix would literally be that simple to give breathing room to state-lawful programs.
In a letter to Congressional leadership authors by McClintock and Polis, co-signed by 67 other Representatives from both political parties, the members call for the amendment to be included in any future spending bill.
In the one day that the letter was going around the hill, NORML members and supporters drove in nearly 5,000 messages to Congress and countless phone calls in support of their Representative signing on.
“For several years, I have introduced a bipartisan amendment with Rep. McClintock, which would prohibit the Dept. of Justice from using federal resources to interfere with legal medical and recreational marijuana activities. Now with Attorney General Sessions’ shortsighted announcement, I am thrilled to welcome nearly 70 members who are asking for the amendment to be attached to the government-funding bill,” said Rep. Polis. “It would be a temporary, but urgent and necessary fix, as I continue to push for passage of my Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, which would finally lift the federal prohibition on marijuana.”
Last year, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Don Young (R-AK) formed the first-ever Congressional Cannabis Caucus to develop and promote sensible cannabis policy reform and work to ease the tension between federal and state cannabis laws. You can tell your member to join them by clicking HERE.
Pressure is building. Sign up to our email list to get the latest news: https://norml.org/subscribe
Free the weed
Please sign and pass it around on Twitter and Facebook
http://act.corybooker.com/page/s/become-a-citizen-co-sponsor-of-the-marijuana-justice-act?source=fwd
Better to tell your Senators that you support the bill rather than just sign up for Senator Booker’s emails. People can do that here: http://norml.org/action-center/item/the-marijuana-justice-act-of-2017-introduced
Why not just make it federally legal and let states decide
Im for legalization , i also live in southern illinois and seen the opoid addiction tear my family apart, ive tried to help in anyway i could. I am thankful for the plant that helped both family members get off opoids. There are two people who are still alive and on there way back to normalcy and being back to normal
Righteous. Good for you and yours!
Glad to see Beto O’rourke’s signature on that letter, and all the rest too. Thanks again for all the hard work Justin.
Everyone let their Reps know we are updating the Congressional Scorecard and their cosponsorship will be graded on that list.
Congressional hotline:
210-244-3121
Correction:
Congressional Hotline:
202-244-3121
Thanks for the phone number, Julian, I will make that call.
Hopefully, by next year I can address Beto O’Rourke as US Senator O’Rourke. Beto is one of the good ones.
This is only for medical marijuana. I’m only interested in “recreational marijuana”.
Only recreational is important to you…
Perhaps we need a new definition of the word “Medical”. As I see it, any use short of abuse, is medical!
What I mean is that if you use it, and it eases your stress, makes you feel better, and helps you enjoy your day a bit more, then that alone makes it medicinal. Well, that’s my opinion anyway.
That said, I’m sure Jeffey Sessions, the idiotic asinine Attorney General Trump appointed, would consider any use of marijuana to be an abuse… After all, he said “Good people don’t use marijuana” and that “It’s only slightly worse than heroin”. His parents must be so proud of their little Nazi!
You really should try reading the articles you post on.
Heck, why not sign both?
It won’t cost you a thing and may save you a lot down the road.
http://norml.org/action-center/item/the-marijuana-justice-act-of-2017-introduced
http://act.corybooker.com/page/s/become-a-citizen-co-sponsor-of-the-marijuana-justice-act
Hi all, Jim here. I used to service your phones many years (twenty-five) ago. Compuphone, now defunct. Listen, I’m Question 4 Yes, legalizing recreational in Massachusetts. Session’s deal this past week rattled them a little up here, but there’s one thing our community has got to do and fast. That is, use the stuff in private. Quit the in-your-face usage of the stuff in front of peoples’ kids at the parks and so on. I’m not going to name places because there’s no need. The trains, Logan, restrooms, weed is everywhere and the 47.5% that voted no on 4 up here are pissed. We’re real close to another ballot being put up to reverse Q4. We didn’t win by much and it wasn’t a mandate to flaunt.
We don’t have stores yet, but so many are growing, there’s lots to go around anyway. But this is good that it’s legal. Be rude with the stuff and there could be a massive reversal of the policy. Bet dollars to doughnuts, many of the No Voters are busy as the honey bees, writing letters to Justice, to Trump, to Sessions with the battle cry, “The Children! The Children!” I believe there’s been enough destruction in the name of the “Children” as it is. Don’t let them screw it up for us now. Be discreet. And get Liz Warren and all our House members from here to lean HARD on Sessions to lay off AND get Weed off Schedule 1. Obama could have done it but didn’t. Now, like Sessions said at confirmation, we need a new law and pronto. Get weed off Schedule 1. Pharma and Liquor are fighting like hell here, these are the last days for them to squash weed. Do not think they can’t still do it.
As you were.
re; our community has got to use the stuff in private.
Quit usage at the parks and so on.
i dissagree.
for decades, the hard core prohibitionists
(that we will NEVER win over, no matter WHAT we do,)
have said pot will make normal people into rapists, murderers, raving lunatics, evil bastards, etc.
what better way to prove them wrong,
than to see people obviously and conspiculously smoking pot,
and NOT acting insane.
do not blow smoke in peoples faces,
but do not hide in the closet.
when someone sees you smoking,
i say; BE POLITE AND NICE !!
be courteous !! smile, wave, say ‘hello’ and ‘have a nice day’ and ‘god bless’ and hold doors open for people, etc.,
‘kill them with kindness’.
so that they can see FOR THEMSELVES, that pot DOES NOT make you the bad person, that our enemies said it would.
also, this technique will PISS OFF our enemies, WAY MORE than blowing smoke in their faces EVER would,
and then they, will be the ones acting like a raving lunatic.
women and blacks did not get the right to vote, by hiding, and being silent.
gays did not get the right to get married, by hiding in the closet.
WE, are the majority.
our enemies, are the minority.
THEY, should be the ones hiding.
just like they can no longer say ‘ni**er’ or ‘fa**ot’ in public,
they can only do that in private.
@ mee,
Just couldn’t resist the racist and homophobic slurs, could you? You must be white-ish, and Trumpy.
Hurray! Support this revised amendment! Great work! And thanks, Justin! Will do!
Why don’t they quit beating around the bush and just change the controlled substance act. All individual states have their own marijuana laws. Quit making it a felony leave it to the mistominior courts in those states that are not fully awake and want to live in refer madness. Why complicate the law books with yet another burdensome regulation and just edit an old law. Unless you (representatives) get kick backs fron one of the criminal punishment bureaus.
Republican support for marijuana legalization means nothing, so long as Republicans continue to protect Trump and his fascist, totalitarian power grab. That’s no fucking joke.
Keep up that obstructionist POV and you will likely hand Sessions a win. The GOP has the majority in both branches of Congress but enough of this party will support MJ legalization issues to get a win if you don’t run them off. Be nice!
Counting snouts,
You may not tell me what to say.
You can be nice to what I got hanging low.
Hold on there brother… you’re missing an opportunity to reign in defecting, anti-Trump Republicans as our marijuana movement helped make Democrats more conservative and about state’s rights and individual freedom and… well… integrity.
Republicans are still in control of all three branches of government during this Congressional election year. Don’t forget that Alabama didn’t carry the Free State of Jones to the Senate without Senator Shelby telling his supporters to “write in” a vote.
Likewise were on the verge of passing the McClintock-Polis amendment through the Congressional spending bill, but thats not gonna happen if our message is “all Republicans are racist and anti-marijuana.”
While the vast majority may be…
http://www.norml.org/congressional-scorecard
… a few of those might work with us on the path to justice, and we at least have to be willing to open the door and listen.
Mark is right. If you support Trump and his retrograde minions, how can you really be for cannabis freedom? You just contradict yourselves.
Aaah… but Sean… Read what I wrote: When did I say I supported Trump? I’m talking about bipartisanship in Congress.
Again, my error Julian. It wasn’t directed at you. I apologize.
Sorry, Julian. That reply was meant for Counting Snouts.
If we wish to know which Republicans are minions to whom, it helps to track where their money cones from:
http://www.opensecrets.org
Were not going to take Congress back or even pass the McClintock Polis amendment unless some reasonable Republicans break ties with Trump on policy and advocate a write in vote during elections. Compromise does not mean we have to agree on everything… just marijuana reform.
And the Minion Award goes to: (drumroll…)
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congress-misses-opportunity-vote-marijuana-amendment/
PETE SESSIONS! Republican from a Dallas district in Texas who is about to lose his previously uncontested seat to a Democrat!!
Republicans can agree to anything to placate us, but Trump the fascist dictator will take it all away again. By that time, it will be to late.
Fuck all Republicans everywhere.
This is an interesting discussion about Republicans and the manner in which we confront them, and it’s one that maybe has needed to happen.
I agree more with Julian on this matter. I can assure you all that I am no lover of GOPers. GOPer politicians I hate with a passion. I believe many of the problems in our country are due to heartless conservative policies, and to their absolute, never-ending quest for money and power. In those respects, they are IMO the face of evil.
But I have a hard time calling other people racists as a matter of course, or even to tell them to fuck off. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t GOPers who are racist; too many of them are. But I hate to paint with so broad a brush . . . in part because I know quite a few GOPers, including family members and even friends. (And you can bet I’ve had more than a few spirited, even acrimonious, discussions with a few of them.)
I won’t ever lecture Mark or Sean or anyone else for their beliefs or words. And in light of political bent we used to often see on this forum–the heavy anti-govt libertarian bent, it is definitely refreshing to see people on my side dishing it out!
But I do believe that there are different shades of conservatism, from the rabid hard-core, right-wing full racist to the reluctant middle-of-the-roader.
That said, I will call out GOPers and their policies every time I see them hurting our cause. And I will use this forum to hammer them every time. (And I’ll continue calling my Reps and Senators, telling them not to ever give in to the GOPers.)
@ Julian,
The way I see it, Republicans face a choice: they can burn in hell with Trump (and, the sooner the better); or, they can become Independents, or Democrats. I don’t give a fuck which one they choose.
But the goddamn Republicans have got to go. All of them.
Sessions is working for Russia trying to cause havoc in US!
@ sue sessions,
That’s Trump you’re talking about.
Well, to be fair Dain, Sessions is in for imprision of felony. He knew Trump was in debt to the Russian mob and negotiating sanctions for dirt on Hillary during the campaign.
But Sessions is already being sued for the Constitutionality of marijuana prohibition in the case if Washington v. Sessions which will be taking oral arguments on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14th.
Now if only a state would at least depenalize marijuana cultivation through legislative action in time for the Plaintiffs to file it as evidence… now WHICH state could that be… “Victory?” … or “Vape…” …starts with a “V”…
The best way to get stop Sessions is to stop Trump. The best way to stop Trump is to punish the Republicans who maintain his power for him.
I despise Republicans. Fuck em all. Election Day, 2018. Vote against ALL REPUBLICANS EVERYWHERE. Spank em so hard they never come back.
This is all good and nice for the states. BIG problem is at the Federal level. Why aren’t our elective representatives pushing federal legalization?
There are thousands of federal workers who is suffering because the dictatorship in DC. Now in Pennsylvania either you can have your marijuana or your guns but NOT both. How do these people get in office? So Pennsylvania endorses gun swinging drunken SOBs. Wow???
Talk to your elective officials about H.R. 1227 & H.R. 2020. Make marijuana federally legal.
We all hear and get the “States Rights”. What about the federsl level? There are thousands of federal employees suffering under our dictatorship known as “The Inner Beltway”.
Hound your elective officials to change the federal laws. A good start are H.R. 1227 & H.R. 2020.
Eliminate the threat and little man Sessions goes away.
Added free bonus, doesn’t cost you anything. The Pennsylvania legislature is looking to pass laws so that you either have marijuana or your guns but NOT both. Takeaway, Pennsylvania endorses gun swinging drunkards. Sweet right?
It is disgraceful that more than half congressional constituents live in states where cannabis is legal, either for recreation or medicine, and yet they elect to put their own citizens at risk of federal prosecution. There is something deeply, deeply wrong when our elected officials so willfully ignore those who place them in office – and yet continue to be elected.
john stocker says:
jan. 22,2018
Everyone is entitled to an opinion!
I despise the republican and the democratic parties!
The parties are both self centered assholes bent on forcing their agendas on everyone else, regardless of the others opinions. I can accept the opinions of anyone else as long as they don’t try to force me to think like them.
I was born free, with the GOD given right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and for those who do not believe in GOD, I also have the “constitutional right” to the same. Politicians are the ones who would take those rights!
I use medical marijuana on my Dr.’s recomendation to help alleviate pain rather than something stronger, either way I’m an adult with my consent, and it is no ones business but my own.
To be free of pain, is my pursuit of happiness!
Fuck all politicians and especially Jeff Sessions!!!
There is no cure for such wrong-headed thinking. It’s all bullshit, folks, and you are affected by it. Sessions is a mentally-deficient cretan, and needs to be sent back to the swamp he emerged from.