Marijuana and states’ rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBCNC) – Two senators want the federal government to recognize marijuana laws in states that have legalized it.

Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren and Colorado Republican Cory Gardner are in agreement. They believe states’ rights should prevail when it comes to marijuana law.

Their states have legalized marijuana, but it’s still illegal according to federal law, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he’s going to enforce that law.

The two senators are introducing a measure that would require the federal government to honor the laws of those states, without legalizing marijuana nationally.

Warren and Gardner said it’s not only about providing effective treatment to patients, it’s also about banking laws that prevent marijuana businesses from using banking services.

They said they have bipartisan support.

“When the Attorney General said that he was going to start enforcing federal laws in places like Massachusetts, that had just overturned the prohibition on marijuana, it spurred us to more immediate action,” Sen. Warren said. “These archaic laws don’t just hurt individual people, they also prevent businesses, who are in the marijuana business, from getting access to banking services. That forces a multi-billion dollar industry to operate all in cash. That’s bad for business and bad for safety.”

Sen. Gardner said, “This is not a legalization bill. I think that’s very important. This is an approach that allows the states to move forward. If a state like Oklahoma or Kansas or Nebraska chooses for themselves not to do this, they do not have to. The federal law remains the same. Nothing changes for them.”

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