H.R. 1227 will decriminalize the use of marijuana at a federal level.
In late February, Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard proposed a bill that, if passed, would decriminalize the use of marijuana at a federal level. As of 2017, twenty-six states in the U.S. have legalized use of the herb in some form or another.
Gabbard co-signed H.R. 1227, “The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition,” alongside Republican Scott Taylor of Virginia. The bold Congresswoman, who has proposed several controversial bills in recent months, wants the taboo and harsh penalties associated with consumption and production of the herb to be dissolved.
So far, the bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary. According to RT, it is likely to meet its strong resistance by the subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
If H.R. 1227 is passed on a Federal level, it would have a major effect on the nation’s criminal justice system as in 2015 alone, approximately 700,000 people were arrested for possession. Of that number, 89% were charged. Not only does marijuana kill 0 people per year, components of the planet have even been found to successfully treat a number of modern-day afflictions, including cancer, seizures, and Parkinson’s disease. Veterans and other individuals affected by trauma also utilize the herb to relax and come to terms with the effects of PTSD.
Marijuana is not a gateway drug; rather, opioid abuse is of much higher concern. And, if marijuana was decriminalized on a federal level, law enforcement and prison industries could more effectively handle real crime, allowing those who desire to use cannabis within the security of their homes or in legal settings to do so in peace.
Since the bill was proposed on February 27, a handful of other Democrats and Republicans have signed on, including Earl Blumenauer of Oregon (D), Don Young of Arkansas (R), Justin Amash of Michigan (R), Dana Rohrabacher of California (R), and Jared Polis of Colorado (D).
Below, Gabbard encourages her colleagues to support the bipartisan bill:
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It’s about time!