Ron Paul Wants to "Legalize It"

The first marijuana decriminalization bill in 25 years has just been introduced to Congress courtesy of Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). If passed, the “Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008” would make it legal to possess up to 3.5 ounces (100 grams) for personal use, and allow not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce between consenting adults. Supporting the bill by petitioning local representatives can quickly and easily be done through the Drug Policy Alliance Action Center.

The introduction of the bill comes at the same time as a New York Times article stating that the United States is currently leading the world in prison populations, with roughly 2.3 million behind bars (China, with four times the U.S. population, comes a distant second with 1.6 million prisoners). Though the extraordinarily large U.S. prison population is a complex issue and the product of various factors, the drug laws undoubtedly contribute to it.

While some feel it is unlikely the “Personal Use of Marijuana Act” will become law just yet, support of it will help lobbyists to identify the members of Congress who advocate marijuana decriminalization. Gathering like-minded support is the first step to make changes in the current laws.

Creative Commons Image: “legalize it IV” by la dulcinea on Flickr.