House bill would bar Feds from acting against legalized marijuana in states

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., on Friday introduced “Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013,” which would prevent the federal government from prosecuting residents who are acting in accordance with their state’s marijuana laws.

The bill, H.R. 1523, would legalize marijuana at the federal level to the extent it is legal at the state level.

“This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws,” 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.”

So far, 18 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have legalized the use of marijuana to some extent, mostly for medical reasons, and Washington and Colorado have legalized its recreational use.

Those co-sponsoring the bill are Reps. Justin Amash, R-Mich., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Don Young, R-Alaska.