Pubdate: Fri, 07 Nov 2014
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Post Company
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/mUgeOPdZ
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Page: A18

HANDS OFF THE POT LAW

Now That D.C. Voters Have Spoken, Congress Should Not Interfere With 
Marijuana Legalization.

D.C. VOTERS, as expected, gave overwhelming approval to a ballot 
initiative that would legalize marijuana and, as expected, there were 
immediate rumblings from Capitol Hill of plans to block its 
implementation. We did not favor passage of Initiative 71, but we do 
believe in democracy and self-government. Congress should recognize 
how inappropriate it would be to interfere with the District on this 
local issue.

Within hours of Tuesday's passage of a measure that would make it 
permissible for adults in the District to possess as much as 2 ounces 
of marijuana, Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) signaled his interest in 
preventing the law from going into effect. "I will consider using all 
resources available to a member of Congress to stop this action," 
said Mr. Harris, who previously tried to upend the District's 
decriminalization of marijuana. Mr. Harris said his interest stems 
from concerns about the possible impact of legalization on adolescent 
drug use, yet he has shown little interest in the welfare of 
teenagers who reside in states that have moved to legalize the drug.

The District, because of its unique relation to Congress, is an easy 
stalking horse for members to advance agendas that would be 
unpalatable in most jurisdictions. And the Democratic-majority city's 
always-tenuous relationship with the Hill became even more precarious 
with the Republican sweep of the midterm elections.

There are, nonetheless, some hopeful signs that Congress might 
respect D.C. rights on this matter. The GOP-controlled House went on 
record this year as opposing the use of funds to prevent states from 
implementing laws that authorize the use, distribution and possession 
of medical marijuana. Rand Paul (Ky.), the ranking Republican on the 
Senate committee with oversight of the District, has said that D.C. 
voters, not Congress, should decide this issue. "I'm not for having 
the federal government get involved," he told Roll Call.

That Congress will scrutinize the law is all the more reason the 
District needs to take care in crafting a system that regulates the 
sale of the drug. The experience of states such as Colorado have 
revealed unintended - and harmful - consequences, most notably 
problems with marijuana's main active ingredient in food products. 
The D.C. Council, which did a good job establishing rules for medical 
marijuana, should do its homework on how legalization is unfolding in 
other states before allowing Initiative 71 to go into effect.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom