<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><div>What can I say, but . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Don't Bogart That Joint"</div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Dont_Bogart_That_Joint.mp3">http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Dont_Bogart_That_Joint.mp3</a></div><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of the <i>United Press International</i> (UPI) at:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/08/01/Sen-Cory-Bookers-bill-would-legalize-marijuana-in-federal-law/5871501613547/">https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/08/01/Sen-Cory-Bookers-bill-would-legalize-marijuana-in-federal-law/5871501613547/</a></div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><div><h1 class="st_headline title" itemprop="headline" style="font-family: Montserrat; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Sen. Cory Booker's bill would legalize marijuana in federal law</h1></div><div>Aug. 1 (UPI) -- New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker introduced legislation Tuesday that would legalize marijuana in federal law.</div><div><br></div><div>The Democrat's bill, called the Marijuana Justice Act, would eliminate pot's status as a Schedule 1 drug, removing the federal prohibition on marijuana. The bill, which faces an uphill battle in the GOP-controlled Senate, would expunge convictions for marijuana use and possession in federal court. It would also guarantee sentencing hearings for prisoners who are currently imprisoned for such crimes.</div><div><br></div><div>The measure would codify those federal legalization efforts while also pressuring states to loosen pot laws of their own -- specifically by cutting off federal money meant to go to states for jails and prisons, if their marijuana laws put minorities in prison at disproportionate rates.</div><div><br></div><div>"Our country's drug laws are badly broken and need to be fixed," Booker said in a statement. "They don't make our communities any safer -- instead they divert critical resources from fighting violent crimes, tear families apart, unfairly impact low-income communities and communities of color, and waste billions in taxpayer dollars each year.</div><div><br></div><div>Eight states have legalized marijuana -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Washington -- as well as the District of Columbia. More states also have legalized medical marijuana.</div><div><br></div><div>"States have so far led the way in reforming our criminal justice system and it's about time the federal government catches up and begins to assert leadership," he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Booker's home state of New Jersey is considering legalizing marijuana but Politico reported that Republican Gov. Chris Christie intends to veto any effort to legalize marijuana legalization in his state.</div><div><br></div><div>A similar U.S. 2015 bill from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., had no cosponsors.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, Booker was among six senators, including Democrats and Republicans, who introduced legislation that would allow states to establish their own medical marijuana policies, and shield their residents from federal prosecution.</div><div><br></div><div>U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this year asked legislators not to block the Department of Justice from using funds to enforce federal marijuana laws.</div><div><br></div><div>"The Department must be in a position to use all laws available to combat transitional drug organizations and dangerous drug traffickers who threaten American lives," Sessions wrote in his letter dated May 1.</div><div><br></div><div>Sessions leads the President's Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety, which includes a study on how drug use is tied to crime.</div><div><br></div><div>When he was a senator from Alabama, Sessions said: "this drug is dangerous, you cannot play with it, it is not funny, it's not something to laugh about ... good people don't smoke marijuana."</div><div><br></div><div>In Gallup poll released last October, 60 percent of Americans said marijuana should be legalized. In 1969, only 12 percent said pot should be legalized.</div></div><div><br></div><div>--------------------</div><div><br></div><div><b>The Marijuana Justice Act</b></div><div><a href="http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Marijuana_Justice_Act_2017.pdf">http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Marijuana_Justice_Act_2017.pdf</a></div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------<br><br><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></body></html>