The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, a bill originally introduced by Bernie Sanders in 2015 that would take marijuana off of the list of federally controlled substances, has been reintroduced.
Rep. Tom Garret of Virginia introduced legislation that would federally decriminalize marijuana, according to a news release from his office.
The release from Garrett’s office said the bill would “fulfill a responsibility to create a level playing field across the country.”
Via Richmond Times-Dispatch:
“Statistics indicate that minor narcotics crimes disproportionately hurt areas of lower socio-economic status, and what I find most troubling is that we continue to keep laws on the books that we do not enforce,” Garrett said in the release. “Virginia is more than capable of handling its own marijuana policy, as are states such as Colorado or California.”
Garrett’s bill comes right after embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions claimed that there was more ‘violence around marijuana’ than people realize. Sessions is currently in the process of reviewing the Obama administration’s memo to the Justice Department that discussed giving states flexibility with their marijuana laws.
Eight states, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, and even Washington D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana use.
Rep. Tom Garrett, R-5th
