Rep. Frank Says Yes to Marijuana

Ron Paul (R-Texas) joined Barney Frank (D-Mass.) in sponsoring a bill that would legalize the use of medical marijuana and, in addition, decriminalize the use of marijuana.

This idea has been floated in the past. In fact, some areas have decriminalized possession of small amounts and allowed it for medical reasons, only to have the pendulum swing back the other way by federal intervention. (Some would say meddling in state's affairs.)

The timing of this bill is interesting, coming just as the presidential primaries are reaching critical mass; well, at least in the Democrat camp. It will be interesting to see how this plays if the candidates are put in the position of having to state an opinion.

And no, no one wants to hear that lame line about not inhaling.

Frank does have a good point when he stated, “I think it is poor law enforcement to keep on the books legislation that establishes as a crime something which in fact society does not seriously wish to prosecute.”

The problem here is that the issue of the war on drugs, at least where it applies to marijuana, is nothing more than a political football. Like IRS reforms, so many federal jobs depend on it that it's just not going to go away.