Bill Would Require Federal Government to Abide by State Marijuana Laws

A California congressman has introduced a bill that would protect marijuana users from federal prosecution in states where the drug is legal. The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013 would legalize marijuana at the federal level to the extent it is legal at the state level.

Representative Dana Rohrabacher would amend the Controlled Substance Act, which makes the sale and use of marijuana illegal under federal law, U.S. News reports. The bill would protect marijuana users in Colorado and Washington state, where voters approved the recreational use of the drug for people over the age of 21.

The bill’s co-sponsors are Justin Amash of Michigan, Don Young of Alaska, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Steve Cohen of Tennessee, and Jared Polis of Colorado.

“This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws,” Rep. Rohrabacher said in a statement. “It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don’t want it to be criminal.”