Earlier this week, Democrat Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Texas-republican Ron Paul introduced a bill that would remove marijuana from the list of federal controlled substances and cede to the states enforcement of laws governing pot.
The legislation would eliminate marijuana-specific penalties under federal law, but would maintain a ban on transporting marijuana across state lines. It would allow individuals to grow and sell marijuana in states that make it legal.
Although the bill won’t pass the republican-controlled House of Representatives, it did spark a new debate about the issue of marijuana legislation and whether it is indeed time to legalize it.
READ MORE: Your Comments: Readers react to legislation introduced this week to end federal ban on marijuana
The Republican (Springfield), June 25, 2011