Other topics
Andere onderwerpen
Trending story , share it!
Congressional Dems Rolling Out Sweeping Marijuana Reform Measures »
* Bills would regulate marijuana, impose federal tax -lawmakers * Effort follows legalization in Washington state, Colorado By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - U.S. states would be free to decide whether to legalize marijuana without running afoul of federal law but would require purchasers to pay federal taxes on its sale under legislation being proposed by two Democratic lawmakers. The proposed bills in the House of Representatives aim to offer a new federal policy toward pot, amid a growing movement to legalize it for personal use, whether recreational or medical. Representatives Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado, both Democrats, planned to introduce the legislation on Tuesday. One bill would end a federal ban on marijuana and give states jurisdiction over its use and regulate it in a similar way to alcohol sales, while the other would levy a federal tax, the congressmen said in a statement. The Democrats' bills likely face a hurdle in the House where Republicans hold a majority and control what legislation moves forward. A similar, bipartisan effort by other representatives failed to gain traction in 2011. Washington state and Colorado voted to legalize the drug in 2012 but now face questions on how to implement their laws while U.S. authorities still consider pot illegal. Source Main page (current trends)
More about: colorado, Congressional Dems, Democratic lawmakers, Earl Blumenauer, federal law, federal tax, House of Representatives, Jared Polis, legalize marijuana, Marijuana Reform Measures, proposed bills, Susan Heavey, Washington state