Rep. Frank Introduces Bipartisan Bill Allows States to Enforce Their Own Medical Marijuana Laws

REP. FRANK INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL ALLOWING STATES TO ENFORCE THEIR OWN MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS

Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA), Ron Paul (R-TX), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA) and more than 25 other Members of Congress today introduced the "States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act," a bill that would permit states to allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The bill is limited to medicinal use of marijuana with a doctor's approval. Currently, several states have laws permitting the medical use of marijuana with a doctor's written permission. But the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted federal law as superseding state laws in this area. Therefore, most states have found it impossible to implement their own medical marijuana laws.

"When doctors recommend the use of marijuana for their patients and states are willing to permit it," Frank said. "I think it's wrong for the federal government to subject either the doctors or the patients to criminal prosecution. Nothing in this proposal makes marijuana more available for the general population. Conservatives often profess their support for states' rights, and if they truly believe in states' rights, they should support this bill," Rep. Frank added.

http://www.house.gov/frank/medmar2005.html