[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 585]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, no sooner had the United States 
recognized the failure of alcohol prohibition by repealing the 18th 
Amendment than the United States embarked upon another failed 
experiment in prohibition: marijuana. For three-quarters of a century, 
the United States has waged a futile attempt to prohibit marijuana 
based upon emotion and flawed science.
  Since 1971, the Federal Government has classified marijuana as a 
schedule 1 prohibited substance, like heroin, more dangerous, according 
to the law, than cocaine or meth. It declared in statute, contrary to 
proven research, that marijuana has no therapeutic value.
  Everyday a million authorized users of medical marijuana reject that 
notion by using it by doctor's prescription to relieve symptoms like 
intense nausea due to chemotherapy, relief for veterans with PTSD, from 
chronic back pain, and neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.
  New York has now joined 21 other States and the District of Columbia 
authorizing medical marijuana. Colorado is now allowing adult use; and 
Washington State is soon to follow, after strong approval by both 
States' voters.
  The revolution in medical marijuana policy has been led at the State 
level, usually as a result of popular vote. The facts are that 
marijuana does have therapeutic use.
  It is also less destructive to human health than alcohol or tobacco. 
Not one death has ever been proven from a marijuana overdose; yet we 
continue to disrupt the lives of more than two-thirds of a million 
people arrested for possession each year.
  We send billions of dollars to the hands of underworld and drug 
cartels. Many people know that it is easier for a 13-year-old girl to 
buy a joint than a six pack of beer.
  No marijuana seller, except in Colorado, checks ID or has a license 
to lose. Even though White kids use marijuana more than teenagers of 
color, African Americans are almost four times more likely to be 
arrested and jailed.
  Our Federal laws are frozen in time, but the American public has 
moved on. Majorities now say it should be legal, and even more say the 
Federal Government should not interfere with whatever State laws are in 
place.
  It will be a while before Congress summons the courage to end the 
hypocrisy and irrationality of the futile Federal prohibition, but it 
should stop making things worse. For instance, it is insane to force 
hundreds of legal marijuana businesses to be all cash. We should end 
the grotesque punitive federal taxation for these legal small 
businesses.
  It should explicitly allow State-approved medical marijuana. While we 
are at it, we should allow the cultivation of industrial hemp, which a 
dozen States have already approved. Hemp products are perfectly legal 
in the United States. Why shouldn't our farmers be able to grow the raw 
material like they used to?
  Several dozen Members have cosponsored bipartisan legislation to help 
bring us out of these dark ages. These should be approved without 
delay. Sometime in this decade we will tax and regulate marijuana. 
Until we end the unfair discriminatory and costly Federal prohibition, 
we should at least end the most foolish and counterproductive policies.

                          ____________________