Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL) on Marijuana Law Reform

Thank you for contacting me with your views concerning the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate your comments and I welcome this opportunity to share my thoughts.

As you know, marijuana is currently considered a controlled substance in the United States and the purchase, possession, use, sale, or cultivation of this drug is prohibited by federal law. Supporters of legalizing marijuana contend it can be effective when treating medical conditions and argue that resources are unnecessarily spent enforcing the federal ban on the drug. In response, several states have recently approved marijuana use for medical purposes or have taken steps to decriminalize its possession.

Recently, Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts introduced two bills regarding the medical and personal use of marijuana. The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, H.R. 2835, was introduced on June 11, 2009. This legislation would re-classify the drug as a schedule II substance, which would allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes. He also introduced the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act, H.R. 2943, on June 18, 2009. This legislation would eliminate most Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana for personal use. Currently, both bills are before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

While I am a proponent of fiscal responsibility and the elimination of wasteful spending, I do not believe that the legalization of marijuana is an effective approach to our health and budget issues. Also, I will not support legislation that encourages any form of drug use and compromises the safety of our children. We must keep our streets safe and promote healthy lifestyles through our actions.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I appreciate your thoughts and value your input. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my office regarding this or any other matter that is important to you.

Sincerely,

Bobby Bright
Member of Congress

Question: Since we’ve spent $7 billion annually on enforcing marijuana laws and the net result has been that 84% of our children have “easy” or “fairly easy” access to marijuana and 22 million Americans will smoke marijuana this year, do you feel marijuana prohibition is fiscally responsible and not “wasteful spending”?