Top Democrat and Republican Pass the Peace Pipe on US Pot Legislation Matthew Fleischer - TakePart
go to original September 11, 2013

Marijuana Maverick - Arizona Senator for Legalization? (The Young Turks)

You know the national conversation is shifting when two senators from different parties - a Vermont Democrat and an Arizona Republican, no less - say it's time to examine pot legalization, flying in the face of current federal law.

In a historic moment for the effort to end the federal prohibition of marijuana, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, convened a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday to discuss diminishing the role of the federal government in prosecuting marijuana crimes.

"The absolute criminalization of personal marijuana use has contributed to our nation's soaring prison population and has disproportionately affected people of color," Leahy said. "We must have a smarter approach to marijuana policy."

McCain struck a similar chord earlier this week, albeit in a more low-profile manner, when an Arizona Daily Star reporter quoted him telling a crowd "Maybe we should legalize. We're certainly moving that way as far as marijuana is concerned. I respect the will of the people"

Read the rest at TakePart

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