Rand Paul Proposes Measure To Shield State Medical Marijuana Laws From Feds

[jct74]

Rand Paul Proposes Measure To Shield State Medical Marijuana Laws From Feds

by Matt Ferner
07/24/2014 2:46 pm EDT

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Thursday filed an amendment in the Senate that would protect states that implement medical marijuana laws, as well as patients and physicians in those states, from federal prosecution.

Paul's Amendment 3630, filed Thursday morning to Sen. John Walsh's (D-Mont.) jobs bill being heard on the Senate floor, allows states to "enact and implement laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of marijuana for medical use" without fear of federal prosecution. There are 33 states that have enacted laws protecting some form medical marijuana.

The amendment also prohibits prosecution of patients and physicians in those states for violating federal laws against the drug.

"What we're trying to do is look at the law and allow states that have changed their laws and have allowed medical marijuana to do so, for doctors to be able to prescribe and for people to be able to get those prescriptions without being worried about the federal government coming in and arresting them," Brian Darling, Paul's communications director, told The Huffington Post.

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read more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_5617874.html

[jct74]

here's some analysis on the Reason blog about the amendment

Last month Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), together with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), introduced an amendment aimed at protecting medical marijuana users and suppliers from federal harassment. But as I noted at the time, it is not clear to what extent the amendment, which copies the language of a rider approved by the House of Representatives in May, would accomplish its goal. The problem is that it bars the Justice Department from trying to "prevent" states from "implementing" medical marijuana laws, which enforcing the federal ban on marijuana does not necessarily do. An amendment that Paul introduced yesterday seems more likely to hit the target:

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As I read it, this amendment, which Paul attached to the otherwise silly Bring Jobs Home Act, directly bars prosecutions of patients and suppliers who comply with state laws allowing medical use (as the Kettle Falls Five in Washington, for example, apparently did). Hence the Justice Department could not argue that it was merely trying to enforce the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and that any impact on the implementation of state law was incidental.

http://reason.com/blog/2014/07/24/ra...bar-prosecutio

[Boshembechle]

This is great for connecting with young people, and it also meshes well with the current growing acceptance of Marijuana. Rand Paul's "live and let live" style is clearly showing, and even economic statists are attracted to the social side of it. If he keeps these views on such important issues, I could see big gains in the young vote.

[FindLiberty]

Bill needs chains stronger than those used to bind down the US Constitution with...