[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13248]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  ENDING THE FEDERAL BAN ON MARIJUANA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, The New York Times produced a 
carefully balanced rationale for ending the Federal ban on marijuana. 
In more than 40 years, this failed attempt at prohibition has been 
hopelessly out of step.
  The Times editorial points out the fallacy the as States marching 
toward decriminalization, medical marijuana, and adult use, the Federal 
Government maintains its schizophrenic posture, pretending that 
marijuana is as dangerous--as heroin or LSD, worse than cocaine or 
methamphetamine.
  While the current administration has been somewhat tolerant of the 
actions that have taken place in three-quarters of our States that are 
acting to decriminalize, authorize medical marijuana, and, more 
recently, in Colorado and Washington State, to legalize adult use, 
there is no guarantee that future administrations will have a lighter 
touch.
  That is wrong. As the Times and others have pointed out, there are 
significant financial costs and huge human costs of this failed 
experiment in prohibition which, falls disproportionately on young men 
of color, especially African Americans.
  The Times readily acknowledged that this issue has troubling aspects. 
We have all struggled, as a society, to deal with drugs, legal and 
illegal. Addiction to cigarettes and alcohol, prescription drugs and 
narcotics extracts a heavy toll.
  We are all deeply concerned about the impact that marijuana and other 
dangerous substances have on young people. This is particularly a 
problem dealing with the development of the young brain affected by 
marijuana use.
  While this clearly can have serious consequences, so, too, there are 
horrific costs associated with alcohol and tobacco, to say nothing of 
other illegal drugs. We, as a society, have struggled with these 
challenges, but we have actually had some measure of success with 
controlling use of cigarettes and alcohol.
  The use by adults of tobacco has declined two-thirds in a generation. 
There is no reason to think we can't do the same for marijuana if we 
act rationally.
  As a practical matter, the current system doesn't accomplish keeping 
it out of the hands of children, while it does inflict that real damage 
on casual users and those young men of color.
  Currently, there is a vast illegal network that supplies the public 
and children with marijuana. No one checks ID. There is no business 
license to use.
  For those of us working to reform our flawed marijuana laws, the 
Times editorial marks a significant milestone, joining other 
publications and organizations arguing for a new approach. It comes 
while we in Oregon, which was the first State to decriminalize 
marijuana, will vote this fall to become the third State to legalize 
adult use.
  The Times editorial and the promise of more discussion in the paper 
joins with other editorial pages across the country. The Portland 
Oregonian had a particularly thoughtful and very positive editorial 
just the day before, on Saturday, the 26th of July, talking about the 
opportunities in our State for legalization.
  The Nation's editorial pages are playing a constructive role in 
promoting a broad, nuanced, careful discussion of the marijuana policy, 
its failure, and the alternatives. Here in Congress we have started the 
discussion and have seen growing awareness among significant floor 
action that slightly reduces the outmoded and illogical restrictions.
  It is time for the administration and Congress to elevate this 
discussion to keep pace with what is going on with opinion leaders like 
the Nation's editorial writers and the march towards rational policy 
that is taking place in States across America.
  It is not too late for this Congress to make constructive 
contributions. We have several opportunities: the cultivation of 
industrial hemp; changing banking regulations so we don't force legal 
marijuana businesses to be all cash; tax equity; and protecting medical 
marijuana from heavy-handed Federal interference.
  The recent positive votes in Congress suggest that more progress is 
possible before we adjourn.

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